Looking for a good safe, not too large to store coins and other misc. documents. Need it to be fire proof as well. I've seen some digital models and some older style models. Any good ones come to mind?
I have one, the name and type evades me, but it's about 14"-16" wide and about 10" high. It is very solid, heavy and of course fire proof (Thick walls). It helps store a bunch of my good flat proof sets and old rolls. Hope this helps.
I use a gun safe. It's not fire proof, but it has a 30 minute fire rating. It is bolted to both the wall frame and slab. Also it is over 350 lbs. It's not moving unless you want it real bad. Also you have to deal with the security system, dog and my .45. I looked at number of safes and decided on the gun safe because of interior room and number of shelves that can hold a large number of books and slabs. I am very happy with it.
American Security makes some excellent safes for use as floor safes, wall safes, or stand alones. Most locksmiths carry them. Just remember, if you use a "fireproof" safe it is extremely important to use a good quality silica gel dessicant, and check it frequently. They are designed to produce high humity under certain circumstances, and there are few things more damaging to coins than moisture in a confined area.
Perhaps. It all depends. The cubic area being protected, the amount of silica gel you are using, the humidity level inside the safe, and how frequently the safe is opened are the main factors. I use the cans of pink colored bits, which turn blue as they absorb water. The can be recharged by putting them in an oven at low temperature until they turn pink again. I check mine on a weekly basis, and before I go away on a trip, I always put a couple of extra cans in the safe to extend their life.
Spend the money and give up the room for a 5ft 700lb gun safe. Nobody getting into it and has lots of room to expand in. You will out grow a small safe.
I agree. Gun case. Although they are not 100% fire proof, remeber not many things really are 100% fire proof. If you use a gun case, they are as already noted large, heavy, able to be bolted to the wall, sufficiently water and fire proof for coins. Remember with air tight safes the moisture and contaminates are just as well locked in as locked out. Silica gels reduce the moisture but do nothing for contaminates. With the gun case you can put large amounts of coins, guns, knives and even a relative you don't like. One thing about a fire is if it is a large fire, the metal of a safe gets red hot. The inside becomes like a funace melting just about any coinage. Happened to someone I know. Fire never got inside the safe but everything in the safe was one big blob. Also, the expanding gases inside eventually blew open the thing anyway. As noted, get a gun cabinet.
Do a search for other threads on the subject of safes - there's been a lot of info previously shared. And NO safe is fireproof. Even the best ones clearly state that all they will do is protect items until the temperature around it reaches 300 degrees. I have been told by firefighters that average house fires reach temps of 1500 degrees and more.
inside preotection Where would one go to get some of this silicon gel stuff or whatever to put inside the safe??
