I opened my safe and found dust/pollen on my Silver Dollar boxes. Help!!

Can anybody recommend a good desiccant?

 

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At one time Sentry safes can with instructions on controlling the moisture in the safe. They came with some type of special paper you were supposed to keep in the bottom and you needed to open the safe every few days to allow it to dry out. After reading all this, I never put another coin in one.

 

Wow! Thank you all again so much! Great information here. I definitely have some research to do. I just hope at this point my coins aren't ruined.

 

Any chance you still have the manual for your safe. Mine is probably 10 years old. Wondering what it might say about humidity control.

 

Model # OA3810. I found this..."SentrySafe products which offer fire protection have a proprietary insulation that has a high moisture content. In addition the SentrySafe advanced safes close airtight to offer water resistance, which may also cause moisture to accumulate inside your safe. Please open your unit periodically to avoid moisture accumulation." Mystery solved?

So, can anybody recommend a good safe? Something for less than $500? I don't want to have to get a safety deposit box at the bank. But...I suppose I would to avoid this headache.

 

don't keep your coins at home

 

Do you want a good safe or do you want a $500 safe?

 

Unfortunately, my budget is limited. And now I have a moldy safe - d'oh! But, that being said, any recommendation for a safe that I can trust would be appreciated.

 

Cool. Thanks for the info on the safe. What model do you have?

 

If you can not currently afford a different safe, and assuming it is mold, take everything out, wipe down the inside of the safe ( using safety gear, gloves, google, coverings) with swimming pool chlorine ( 10% sodium hypochlorite) ( available in our Walmart ). Allow to stand for 10 or so minutes and then use a sponge and several rinses of water to remove and allow to dry. Then follow the open door every few days instruction and use a desiccant ( even if it can't stop it , it can slow it down.

For your packaging, use a gloved hand and outdoors, brush the visible mold off ( and store in zip lock food bags (I use the double thickness freezer bags) with an enclosed desiccant and it should not return. And new additions to the safe should also be in Freezer bags to prevent problems.

Then when you have more cash for safes, you can get a better one. IMO. mileage may vary according to your local weather conditions.

I forgot to add, that you can dilute the left over swimming pool chlorine with equal amount of water and use as regular bleach.

 

ok what kinda of safe do u have

 

I just realized, this isn't the first time this has happened. It happened in 2012 as well. And I didn't do anything special to clean up the mess. At the time, I just thought maybe it was the desiccant had somehow leaked. Mold never even crossed my mind. I wiped off the coin boxes, cleaned the rest of the mess up as best I could, and put them back. So now I'm a bit more concerned, if this is indeed mold. But, I haven't gotten sick. Nor have any of my guests or my son. Yikes.

 

More info for those that may be interested in buying a SentrySafe...

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Frequently Asked Question


Do I need to do anything special for storage & maintenance?

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Answer

Yes. Due to the protective insulation in our Sentry®Safe Fire-Safe® products during normal use, moisture may be released into the interior of your product. To protect your items against this moisture, we suggest that you open your unit for a half hour, twice a month to let the air circulate on the inside. If this is not possible, we suggest that you place delicate articles, such as stamps, coins and jewelry, in an airtight, molded plastic container inside your SentrySafe Fire-Safe unit. (We do not have airtight containers available for purchase; check for these products in your area.)

http://www.sentrysafe.com/CustomerCare/FAQ

 

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Do you keep them in the safe also ??
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LOL! Funny one desertgem. I wish I had enough valuables to warrant a safe that size! I guess when I hear mold I immediately think of getting sick.

 

Even with 900 lb safes I keep my real good stuff in the SDB at the bank. Inexpensive for the security.

 

I love safes like that. The key part used to be called a day lock. Great to have when you need to be in and out of the safe several times a day.