Safety Deposit Boxs are NOT safe

What is the story for collectible coins?

 

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Not always. Probably depends on bank, location, whether estate goes to probate court or will is contested. When my first wife died, my bank knew about it because I had her name taken off our other accounts and I had to show them the death certificate. Did not see the necessity of doing so for the SDB because there were no tax consequences for it. Bank personnel knew we had a SDB together because I had to access it more frequently immediately after her death. When I got engaged again, had my fiancé (now wife) put on the SDB account and my late wife taken off with no questions, inspections, etc.

Cal

 

They are okay...

However:

If you abandon the SDB, they will be exchanged for currency, then deposited & given to the state as abandoned property [at face value].

 

I'm not sure this is universally true. I've seen quite a few state-run abandoned-property auctions for collectible coins. It would be un-state-like for them to leave value on the table by just depositing the money.

 

This is a great chat. As an adult collector, I had my collection at home. Before we went on a small trip, I hid all my "good stuff" under the insulation in the attic. Shortly after we got back, my home was burgled with my wife and newborn son there. Actually, what happened was that my wife received a call and was told that I had been in a slight accident and for her to come get me at the town's only hospital. She left our son with our next door neighbor, drove to the hospital to find---I wasn't there. She then came to my office and went back home believing that it was just a cruel hoax. When I got home, I discover the break-in. The thieves got some not terribly valuable coins, a pistol, and a briefcase intended to be a present for my father-in-law. Apparently, they used that to transport the other stolen item. Anyway, from that day on I've always had a SDB or two for my coins. The banks have always been great. In fact, when I had a mail-order business for a decade, I must have accessed my box 20+ days a month to fill orders.

I thought about the Hugh Wood insurance, checked out the cost, and decided not to get it. I figured the biggest danger to my coins in the SDB was if the bank burned down. My current bank is directly across the street from the town's #1 fire station!

I'm taking a chance, of course, but it's one I can live with. My wife and middle-aged children all have access to the box.

 

I like Hugh Wood and it is easy to sign up for a policy. one thing I don't like is that they require youth be an ANA member before they will accept your business.

 

Those burglars would have never guessed where you had hid your coins in the attic. They always go for the bedrooms and closets.