Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

All,
I've been thinking about where to hide any PMs I may or may not have. MY concerns are fire and theft. The thought of a fireproof safe is appealing, but they are typically very bulky and difficult to conceal.

I was thinking last night of an ideal product for me and was wondering if any of you have seen something like it.

Basically, a small tube. Perhaps 6-8 inches long. Inside diameter should be large enough for Eagles, Krugerrands, etc. Then, there's a decent amount of insulation followed by the outer casing. Does any such beast exist? It would rely on concealment as opposed to physical protection, so a screw top, etc, would do just fine...

Are you guys aware of any other fire-resistant compact safes?

Thanks,
Jeff

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

If you want the elements of safe (adjective), fire resistant, and conceal all simultaneously, I think you're limited to floor safes. If you are limited to above floor safes you can maximize fire resistance and safety but not conceal.

With a floor safe, buried in concrete and hidden under something, you can get all 3.

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

Hmmm... I'd stick one of these somewhere in the foundation of the house.. dig it a bit deeper than it needs to go then put a 6" thick round concrete slug on top of it to bring it level with the floor and lay the carpet back down on top.

http://www.safesetc.com/2004.html

Of course I don't own a home or any PMs so I wouldn't know anything about it.

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

Sorry to hear about that: you had a fishing accident with your PMs ? Like so many others here on the board ...

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

Double-safe. A small fire-proof "documents safe" (Century, etc.) inside of bigger fire-proof "gun safe" bolted down to the concrete floor. It may not be very stealth, but it offers good fire protection with decent theft protection, especially if your house has a security system and/or a dog.

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

I dont know if this would provide fire protection for any length of time, but perhaps you could use many layers of heat-resistant tape over your tubes. "Header-wrap" for car exhaust systems.

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

I don't understand why you are worried about fire. Numismatics might be discolored by fire, but otherwise coins are not affected.

If you have a fire safe for papers, leave the key in it so burglars can see it's not worth stealing.

If you actually need a fire safe, use a defunct refrigerator.

Any sort of safe is a billboard saying "STEAL ME!" If it can be moved by one or two men, it's not safe.

Keep your stash in a box with Christmas ornaments on top, or a bucket with nuts and bolts on top. Or a gun safe bolted to the garage floor. Build a wooden cabinet around it and hang a cheap padlock on the door.

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

Wouldn't gold melt in a serious house fire?

I forgot to mention that I rent, so floor safes, etc, aren't an option. I was thinking of something small that might hold 20 or so 1 oz rounds and be easily hidden. I mean, there are 1000s of places you could tape something like that and had it be practically impossible to find..

The idea of building my own with Header tape sounds interesting. I'm going to look into that.

Thanks for the replies!

Cheers,
Jeff

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

For 20 oz's of silver I wouldn't get to crazy. I would build a trap door in my sock drawer or something and put a cash box in there. Or take a small ziplock back and put it all in there. Then put that ziplock back in a nice sized tin...I think they are 3 gallons (The ones that have the different type of popped popcorn in them?) Then fill the damn thing with un-popped popcorn kernels. Even if your friends are craving popcorn, there's no way you can go through that much popcorn in 1 day.

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

Besides your great pictures you have the BEST suggestions! :23_28_100s::23_28_100s::clap2::15_1_70v:


They have PHONEY BOOK safes on EBAY for $6.00 too. If you are hiding less than a few grand.

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

Copper, silver and gold melt around 2,000 degrees F. It's a bit difficult to get that temp without proper equipment.

For 20 oz you only need to hide the stash, not lock it up. A small safe will cost about that much. Hide it in the drip pan under the refrigerator. (That grill under the door comes off. If it doesn't, you don't have a drip pan.)

DO NOT hide pms in any other sort of furniture, or anyplace in your bedroom. Burglars know about fake cans, fake books, the space under your dresser, etc.

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

Off the wall answer. I was thinking about something very similar recently. :yes::banana:

I do HAVE an OLD small GUN safe (about ten pounds thick 1/4 inch plus steel ish that has one of those funny type keys to open it) - that BOLTS in one of my laundry sheets cabinets. I was thinking about bolting it to my back of the file cabinets under the office desk - locked room - inside a double locked BUZZER entry door. It could easily hold about four 100 ounce silver bars - you get the picture, right?

I see similar type safes available on EBAY - and the INTERNET. Just another option. In the laudry cabinet I keep my passports there now with a small amount of the Darling Wife's jewelry for being HANDY.


Food for thought. Also there is a book called "hiding things in plain sight." :emotions16:

Palladin type books and that ain't the fellow in the movie "Stand By Me!" :111::111:

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

I'm assuming he was talking about Au, not Ag. 20 ounces of silver is not really a theft concern worthy of a safe.

I used to have one of those blue Sentry fireproof safes, hidden away in a very out of the way area, bolted to the floor with 4" bolts, well covered, and oriented to face the wall. There was just enough room to get the key between the lock and the wall, and nowhere for prospective thieves to pry on it.

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

Fire safes offer no security against burglary. They are worse than no safe because you would otherwise hide the valuables instead of sticking them in a billboard that says: steal me/wait for the owner to come home.

Steel safes are like ovens and will exacerbate fire damage.

Re: Fire Resistant Coin Safe
 

Here are 2 fire rated, wall safes. They recess into the wall, concealable with a picture or mirror:

http://www.everysafe.com/Gardall-Saf...-X-GF1074.html

http://www.everysafe.com/Gardall-Saf...-x-GF1073.html