Safe recommendations

[GrayMan]

Hi, I'm looking for a small safe that is key operated and optionally has a keypad and preferably fireproof. Mainly, I want it to be reliable so will open even if untouched for many years. I've just tried opening an existing safe and struggled to open it. The key wouldn't fit and the keypad didn't seem to work. I did manage to eventually open it with the key but I don't think it's very reliable.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated. 

 

Thank you 

[KevjustKev]

How much are you willing to spend? The thing with most home safes is that there not really safe, if someone really wants to get what's inside they will if they have enough time.

Home safes are they to put off your normal burglar they what to be in and out asap, and take stuff they can carry away easy. Once they see a safe, even if they can find it, they'll stay away, it's too much trouble.

But a nice and simple safe, something like a Yale, or a bit better, a Master Lock should be fine. Most important is can it be bolted to the floor

[Silverlocks]

21 hours ago, GrayMan said:

Hi, I'm looking for a small safe that is key operated and optionally has a keypad and preferably fireproof. Mainly, I want it to be reliable so will open even if untouched for many years. I've just tried opening an existing safe and struggled to open it. The key wouldn't fit and the keypad didn't seem to work. I did manage to eventually open it with the key but I don't think it's very reliable.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated. 

 

Thank you 

I've just done a similar investigation, complicated by having to install it in a rental property.   If you want to insure the contents then you need a certified safe and it needs to be installed properly.  There are vendors that sell such items, and you may also want to do some homework on insurance.

I can't attest to the qualities of a particular brand or model as I haven't yet installed the safe, but it looks like a burglary rated safe will start somewhere about the £1,000 mark.  Grade 0-1 safes will allow £65,000 or £100,000 of valuables cover respectively.

OTOH, you may find insurance is expensive for PMs, or you may wish not to inform random third parties of the presence of a PM stack on the premises.

[AaaGee]

Have a look if there are safe deposit boxes near you. 

[AaaGee]

Maybe remove it all over bank holiday weekends.  ..

[bluemoon]

If you're going the safe route, have the safe hidden too. The first line of defence is for nobody to know you have a safe with valuables at all. Then if they somehow discover it, the safe does it's job as the second line of defence.

So to that end, see where you can bolt it that even a determined adversary would be unlikely to find it. Bolted inside a disused water tank under the garden, for example. Of course, if an adversary has time, they can scour the property with a metal detector and that would find the safe. But hopefully the safe would then do it's own job. Have a think about putting the safe not in your home, but where nobody goes to.

[AaaGee]

Anyone have any opinions on loft space. Can get baking hot up there in the summer and freezing cold in the winter.

[bluemoon]

4 minutes ago, AaaGee said:

Anyone have any opinions on loft space. Can get baking hot up there in the summer and freezing cold in the winter.

Not good for silver. Gold is better for tolerating those temperatures though.

[KevjustKev]

4 hours ago, Silverlocks said:

I've just done a similar investigation, complicated by having to install it in a rental property.   If you want to insure the contents then you need a certified safe and it needs to be installed properly.  There are vendors that sell such items, and you may also want to do some homework on insurance.

I can't attest to the qualities of a particular brand or model as I haven't yet installed the safe, but it looks like a burglary rated safe will start somewhere about the £1,000 mark.  Grade 0-1 safes will allow £65,000 or £100,000 of valuables cover respectively.

OTOH, you may find insurance is expensive for PMs, or you may wish not to inform random third parties of the presence of a PM stack on the premises.

I had no trouble with my insurance company, just told them I have some coins and upped the value of my contents, didn't even cost any extra

3 hours ago, AaaGee said:

Have a look if there are safe deposit boxes near you. 

The only bank (metro) round my way (population 300,000+) that has boxes, doesn't allow gold or silver coins to be kept and anything isn't even insured

2 hours ago, AaaGee said:

Anyone have any opinions on loft space. Can get baking hot up there in the summer and freezing cold in the winter.

Even the cheaper safes are fireproof for X hours, temp outside shouldn't matter too much. If you are worried a blanket, or part of a duvet will help out

[AaaGee]

Thinking if a safe is in the attic. If its not bolted to the rafters maybe  put the safe in a thick walled polystyrene box. May stabilise the temperature a little when  its very hot.

[GrayMan]

2 hours ago, KevjustKev said:

I had no trouble with my insurance company, just told them I have some coins and upped the value of my contents, didn't even cost any extra

The only bank (metro) round my way (population 300,000+) that has boxes, doesn't allow gold or silver coins to be kept and anything isn't even insured

Even the cheaper safes are fireproof for X hours, temp outside shouldn't matter too much. If you are worried a blanket, or part of a duvet will help out

Did you have to tell your insurance provider how many and what type of coins you have? 

[GrayMan]

7 hours ago, Silverlocks said:

I've just done a similar investigation, complicated by having to install it in a rental property.   If you want to insure the contents then you need a certified safe and it needs to be installed properly.  There are vendors that sell such items, and you may also want to do some homework on insurance.

I can't attest to the qualities of a particular brand or model as I haven't yet installed the safe, but it looks like a burglary rated safe will start somewhere about the £1,000 mark.  Grade 0-1 safes will allow £65,000 or £100,000 of valuables cover respectively.

OTOH, you may find insurance is expensive for PMs, or you may wish not to inform random third parties of the presence of a PM stack on the premises.

I'd be interested to know what safe you do end up going for.

 

 

[Coverte]

Very subjective dependant on the size and value of your collection and equally importantly, ability to insure contents, silver being so bulky in particular vs price/value.

I use and suggest 3rd party insured storage every time beyond a few bits you like to view at any time/s, although 3rd access maybe a little limited vs a home safe, a much better prospect of an insurance pay-out should that time ever come.

[KevjustKev]

57 minutes ago, GrayMan said:

Did you have to tell your insurance provider how many and what type of coins you have? 

No, I was going to , but they didn't even want to know

[Petra]

Just buy a decent safe, install it and use it to store a little before taking it to a safety deposit box elsewhere. These can be ‘hired’ at a reasonable rate and are better than leaving stuff at home.

[Paul]

You could have a £500,000 compliant top graded safe at home to save your goodies and keep them safe, they can't access in your absence 

Any keen team then have 500,000 big incentives/reasons to return,  when you, your wife or family are indoors with the key to gain easier instant access

The price of a safe deposit box a year negates this happening on my doorstep and really helps you sleep easier 

[goldhunter]

Shoe box under the bed has never let me down.

Thiefs will locate it easily but do not even look inside because no one would be daft enough to leave anything valuable inside, or so they think.

[AaaGee]

2 hours ago, Petra said:

Just buy a decent safe, install it and use it to store a little before taking it to a safety deposit box elsewhere. These can be ‘hired’ at a reasonable rate and are better than leaving stuff at home.

The nearest one to me is in the centre of luton. 

Safer to leave my gold in a pile next to the TV

[Petra]

37 minutes ago, goldhunter said:

Shoe box under the bed has never let me down.

Thiefs will locate it easily but do not even look inside because no one would be daft enough to leave anything valuable inside, or so they think.

Shoes?😮🤔 not too expensive or they’ll take ‘em!

[tpcob303]

I'm using a small safe asa decoy, it has coin boxes and some CuNi circulation coins to make it seem like it's full of goodies like all the sovereign boxes it contains but they are all empty and held at a privately run safety deposit box company which is much better than holding items in bank safety deposit boxes which can be raised for your savings in case of a financial crisis where banks shut due to stopping customers withdrawing. 

[AaaGee]

Im looking at safes. Safety deposit boxes are unrealistic at the moment.

Starting price for a waterproof and fire resistant safe seems to be around the £250 mark.

Will probably get a very cheap safe and leave it in the bottom of the wardrobe with a few oz of silver and a load of fake gold in it. Should the day come, they can take that.

[NGMD]

https://www.lichfieldsafecentre.co.uk/range/europa-grade-2/
 

Bolted to wall and floorboards. Good for bulky silver, passports of holding metals to sell short term.

To be fair, it doesn’t matter what safe you have, if someone sticks a gun to your head then you’ll open it. 

Safe deposit box👍. Check additional insurance cover, keep PM packaging at home, get second key holder and transport your stash in multiple visits. Thieves know people use them. Damage limitation.

[pricha]

I bought a safe and bolted it through the floor easily.  Not that I keep a lot in there.  Just passports and petty cash and the odd coin before transit.  Its more of a time wasting decoy. Better to invest in a good alarm , secure doors windows and cameras.  But most of all don't tell anyone about your " hobby"

[CANV]

ive got a decent safe right next to my desk now.  it has 2 expired passports and my wedding video on VHS from '91 in it. I wish someone would nick it ! 

[AaaGee]

No point in secure storage for me to be honest. People have watches worh more than my stack. Will buy a safe and look into safe deposit boxes at a later date