Top Brand Safes? Storing My Coins/Valuables

I like safes that can be disguised as common household items, like clocks, books, (throw a table cloth over a floor safe & a lamp on top). Why invest in one big safe that is an obvious target when you can have 5+ smaller safes disguised as items thieves would never think to search? If a thief is in your house for 5-10 minutes, he's not going to take a clock off the wall or rummage through your library.

If he does by chance locate 1 safe, you'll still have the other 3-4. Any knowledgeable investor will attest, diversification of assets is key.

 

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A home safe is a great investment, so don't skimp. Not just for coins, but for important documents and other investments as well. We have three large ones and I'm shopping for a forth. As much as we are away, it's an excellent safeguard and helps peace of mind. I can't really recommend any particular type, not for under the price range you were looking at, but I'm sure there are quality safes to be had in your range.

 

You really don't have to bolt it down. A really good experienced carpenter can make it hidden to where a burglar would need a slide rule and sledgehammer to find it. I know this for a fact. I was hired to hide them for 20 years.

 

I used to buy and sell MESA safes. Great quality with a wide range of different models.

 

Some general advice.

Rather than starting with a brand, start by determining the level and type of protection you need. Your coin insurer, for example, may specify a rating of TL-15 or higher. In that case, containers disguised as clocks, books, or cans of soup ain't gonna cut it. Ideally, your safe should be part of an overall security plan that balances your subjective assessment of risks and costs. There is no such thing as a one-size fits security.

Remember that if you can "install" your safe by having a couple of friends bring it into your home in a pick-up truck, thieves can "uninstall" it the same way. Similarly, your safe is only as secure as you keep the combination.

Finally, your own security measures, whether they include concealment, barrier devices (safes), detection devices (alarms and sensors), and/or active defense (weaponry) is your own business. Giving specifics in a public forum such as the model of safe you own or what firearms are in your home can only make you and your valuables less safe.

 

Thieves are the reason that I will never go into detail as to where I've hidden them.

 

This safe linked below will work and can be found for under $1000 shipped. It is way bigger than it looks, and solid. I was even able to squeeze my AR in.

http://www.lackasafe.com/products/home-safes/amsec-4020-home-security-safe

 

My fav. answer is : "Sam Colt speaks for me" Best "house gun" =1897 Winchester 12 ga pump shottygun....

 

I'm gonna go in next time and see if I can upgrade to a larger safe deposit box. I obviously know what I have In it but I might just photograph the contents I put in it so when I want I can visually see what I got when I want without having to make a trip. And instead of getting a safe just use that money to buy a few coins I have had my eye on for awhile.

 

That's odd. My coins are insured even if I leave them out on the coffee table & my front door is unlocked & wide open.

 

As an example, take a look at the application form from Hugh Wood who is the provider in partnership with the ANA. You'll see that they ask about the type of safe you own and the UL rating.

http://www.hughwood.com/download.php?download_file=1363787259_ANA Application.pdf

Read your own policy (not just the application) carefully. While no policy requires you to have all your coins locked up all of the time, may be language about recovery limits or language about contributory negligence. Or it may be that you are simply paying a higher premium to compensate for extra risk.

 

Get a cheap medium sized safe, fill it with bricks painted gold and leave it where it will be quickly found as a decoy. Most criminal morons will forget about anything else and haul off the decoy safe to some place safer.

 

This is a good example of when/why redundancies matter.

One is none and two is one.

 

Checkout this video before buying any safe:

 

I love my Mesa safe! I spent several months researching and I found it to be the best. I didn't get the keypad, I selected the tumbler instead. I bought it on the Mesa website. Locksmith service was available so that a local locksmith does the move and install. Including drilling the holes in my house foundation for the safe anchors. I have a motion detector in my safe room that sends me a text message with a link to the video online when motion is detected. I'm retired so I had plenty of time for the research.

 

A safe acts like a big magnet to thiefs. While I have never had a breakin I do have a professional security system and GOOD neighbors that keep an eye on my place as I do theirs. At a previous house I installed a floor safe in a concrete floor and then built a cabinet above with a removable shelf for access to the safe. A decoy safe was hidden in a closet filled with lead bars. I figured crooks would focus on the decoy and hopefully injure themselves while trying to get it out of the house. Any high-worth items are now stored in a bank safety deposit box.