# Storage of your precious metals.



## 7052

Another member recently mentioned (in a different thread) that he had suffered a theft that got at least part of his precious metal stash. I hate to hear anyone suffer such a loss, but it did get me thinking enough about this to post this question.

Like many, I have some amount of precious metals that needs to be safely stored. Part of my mind says "Get it off-site!", and part of my mind says "Keep it close in case you need it!"

1) Obviously the "safest" storage is a back safe-deposit box. But then, in the case of rapid SHTF, need, etc, do I want to trust that I can...
a) Safely get to the bank.
b) Withdraw the stuff.
c) Safely get back home.
d) Will I even be "allowed" to withdraw based on whatever "emergency" measures get put in place?

2) Off Site (storage locker). While safer in case of raids, theft at the home, etc, you always risk running into issues like theft. Storage lockers are (in my mind) an obvious target for thieves in a SHTF situation. Also, will I be able to safely get there and back?

3) Bury in yard?
a) Is it really safe? Is it worth-while? I get scared of burying things in the yard. lol

What's everyone else's thoughts?


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## Camel923

Buried at night, no lights. No shooting, only shovel and shut up. People will not look for what they do not know about,think likely or expend excessive effort for a questionable payoff. JMHO.


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## rstanek

I think depending on your terrain ,bury next to the property line where if you have to bug out you can retrieve on your way if needed, if you don't bug out it may still be easy to get to, if your overrun, it won't be in your house or other, and you may be able to retrieve another time, no foolproof guarantee, just my opinion.....


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## Maine-Marine

I keep my important papers and PM's in a safe at my house.

The only 100% way to never have it stolen is not have any.... 

Other crazy ideas

keep in in detergent box in laundry room
taped under couch
taped behind water heater
in spare tire in garage
have a fake phone with storage space

there are a ton of places to keep it that MOST people would not look in


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## Mad Trapper

It's part of the plumbing


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## Camel923

Mad Trapper said:


> It's part of the plumbing


Best places for a cache is something that would require the searcher to exert a lot of effort and to do that work in gross, disgusting or hazardous places. Worked for the French Resistance and others.


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## A Watchman

In a large and very secure safe in my house. If you get my stores of cash, silver and gold, it means you got past me. I wont be needing it anymore.


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## Mad Trapper

Camel923 said:


> Best places for a cache is something that would require the searcher to exert a lot of effort and to do that work in gross, disgusting or hazardous places. Worked for the French Resistance and others.


Bottom of septic tank?


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## sideKahr

Dispersed, that way if the thieves find some, they won't get it all. The only problem is remembering where you hid all of it.


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## stowlin

Mad Trapper said:


> Bottom of septic tank?


When we sail to Ireland if I am able to replace any of my losses I was thinking the bilge.


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## 8301

deleted due to facebook


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## rstanek

Make it so difficult for thieves to break in , it would be easier for them to just get a job, he he he


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## sideKahr

John Galt said:


> For anybody ever doing home renovation I'd consider putting in a in the floor safe set into concrete. Convince stores used to use them all the time since they are almost impossible to open, with the concrete they are set in they are too heavy to take away, they are easy to hide, fireproof,and relatively inexpensive...


A friend asked me to install one for him. I bought a used safe for cash, no paperwork, and had the combination changed per his instructions. I broke through the concrete floor, dug down a foot below the safe's bottom, and set it on bricks. Then I sledged 4 foot pieces of rebar into the earth all around it, and poured 150 pounds of concrete into the hole. Even if a thief tried to dig out and take the safe and concrete together, the rebar will make it almost impossible without a jackhammer and cutting torch.

Be happy in your work.


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## Chipper

PVC pipe and a vacuum packer. Bury items next to things that aren't going to be moved. A large tree or rock whatever you have in your area that sticks out for you to remember. One of my favorites is under a fence post, but which one.:vs_rightHere: The 3 point post hole auger on the tractor works great.


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## beach23bum

I keep mine in the bottom of my gun safe.


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## ND_ponyexpress_

John Wick......


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## csi-tech

A friend (really) built lockers in his basement above the suspended ceiling tiles. They were pretty heavy duty. You could also put a T in your septic PVC with a flange that could unscrew. Just make a false branch. I think hiding in plain sight is best.


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## stowlin

Over the years I've kept it in a family safe (that was what was stolen),
I've also kept it in in the freezer marked "snapper" since no one wants snapper,
I had it taped once to the back of a poster on the wall - cheapo poster no one would want,

My wife always laughed until after the recent event now she's sad because some jewelry
of her moms' was in the safe - we can't ever get that back. SF has so many pawn shops
I don't think we can cover them all and the PD does not care. In CA the perps likely 
would not even go to prison if caught. I've been real tempted to contact a suspect I have
in mind but I'm afraid I'll compound the problem.


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## A Watchman

stowlin said:


> My wife always laughed until after the recent event now she's sad because some jewelry
> of her moms' was in the safe - we can't ever get that back. SF has so many pawn shops
> I don't think we can cover them all and the PD does not care. In CA the perps likely
> would not even go to prison if caught. I've been real tempted to contact a suspect I have
> in mind but I'm afraid I'll compound the problem.


Go ahead and contact the suspect ....... and make my day! What do you have to lose?


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## mooosie

In my gun safe where I have control! Any one breaking into the house won't have 10 minutes before the police come!


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## Operator6

stowlin said:


> Over the years I've kept it in a family safe (that was what was stolen),
> I've also kept it in in the freezer marked "snapper" since no one wants snapper,
> I had it taped once to the back of a poster on the wall - cheapo poster no one would want,
> 
> My wife always laughed until after the recent event now she's sad because some jewelry
> of her moms' was in the safe - we can't ever get that back. SF has so many pawn shops
> I don't think we can cover them all and the PD does not care. In CA the perps likely
> would not even go to prison if caught. I've been real tempted to contact a suspect I have
> in mind but I'm afraid I'll compound the problem.


You wouldn't want to write " snapper " on anything in my area. Red Snapper is one of, if not the most sought after fish in the Gulf of Mexico.

I wouldn't contact the person you think did it. Most likely nothing good would come out of it. Call the police and file a report for the record.

Sorry it happened.


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## stevekozak

Has anyone ever had a house fire in which your PMs got melted? This is something I have been thinking about recently.


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## tango

Do not put your PM's in an IRA, or in a safe deposit box.
If you cannot put hands on, you do not own them!


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## A Watchman

^^^^^^ What Tango said.


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## Economic Survivalist

I think for most people's stashes a quality safe that is attached to floor or wall is more than safe. Be sure to do your homework when you buy a safe. You get what you pay for. Some of those cheap safe are ridiculously easy to break into. A high quality safe is virtually impenetrable to the average thief. If you have a substantial stash then you may want to consider other means of storage. There are even off shore options in other countries. I always believe in having a small amount that is quick and easy to get to in an emergency.


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## 8301

Serious safe and fire proof storage for small things like cash or coins. Dig a 2'x2'x2' hole in a dry location (like under your house) and put a floor safe (like they used to use in convenience stores). Add 5-6 bags of concrete around the safe. It's about as secure for at home storage as you'll ever find and cost about $300 and a few hours of work. 

I don't use one but I've considered it.


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## paraquack

I keep a little money and PM at home in a small safe. The majority is in a safety deposit box at the bank. One of my list of triggers that would tell me to clean out the safety deposit box is if the bank limits the amount of cash I can withdraw, if the fed or state government were to not pay its employees, or issue IOUs. Hopefully this would precede a run on the banks that would cause them to shut their doors.


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## mooosie

I have a floor safe in my basement that I put in. I thought it was a wonderful idea at the Time. It is certianly safe. I set it in 300 pounds of quickrete tied in to the footer of my house in a corner with rebar. Here's the problem things get damp and papers mildew and get musty smelling. Gold would be fine in there but I'm afraid silver would be black in short order

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## A Watchman

mooosie said:


> I have a floor safe in my basement that I put in. I thought it was a wonderful idea at the Time. It is certianly safe. I set it in 300 pounds of quickrete tied in to the footer of my house in a corner with rebar. Here's the problem things get damp and papers mildew and get musty smelling. Gold would be fine in there but I'm afraid silver would be black in short order
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Wet or damp area? Poor drainage during rain events?


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## mooosie

Not st all the house is on a shale hill and drainage is not a problem. The ground is damp but that is all it seems to take.


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## paraquack

mooosie said:


> I have a floor safe in my basement that I put in. I thought it was a wonderful idea at the Time. It is certianly safe. I set it in 300 pounds of quickrete tied in to the footer of my house in a corner with rebar. Here's the problem things get damp and papers mildew and get musty smelling. Gold would be fine in there but I'm afraid silver would be black in short order
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Put everything in vacuum bags and seal them. Even the stuff I put in the banks Safety Deposit Box is in vacuum saved bags. Never know how much water the fire department might use.


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## mooosie

Hey the vacuum bags is a good idea!


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## StratMaster

If one gets creative, a safe can be built into a house in such a manner that it would not likely be suspected/found by home invaders. Also, leave a "bait" safe that is easily found with a few items in it... let them go to work on that.


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## RJAMES

I think the advice given so far on safes is good. But Instead of putting it below the basement ( I worry about moister ) I would put it on the basement floor near a corner . Have the door face the basement wall- just enough room to open the door but not enough to get in front with cutting tools. Use concrete blocks, rebar and sackret to enclose the safe . Manual combination is what I think is best. That is for thinks like car titles, valuables you use and some cash. 

For you rich guys with gold and silver I would bury in a glued/ sealed PVC pipe . Got a walkway with paving stones? Dig a hole, set the tube, cover with dirt then cover with the stone . You could do the same underneath a birdbath. Or simply dig a flower bed dig one spot very deep so the pipe is set 20 inches or more deep and plant your flowers. Normally if someone is planting or digging in a flower garden you are only about 6 inches deep . If this money is long term and not being accessed this works well. Water tight with the PVC pipe glued shut.


I like the idea of a bait safe . Reminds of a farmer who had a new prison built just down the road from his farm . He sat an old pickup at the end of his lane with the keys in it . Disabled one headlight, took out the taillights and left it with a 1/8 tank gas. At the house and barns he put in motion lights, locks, made sure to lock up vehicles and not leave keys in any vehicles/ tractors. Made sure to lock doors on the house and upgraded doors to make it harder to break in. Built a garage to park vehicles in and get them out of sight at night. 

He did have a couple of guys who broke out steal the truck. They did not get far as the sheriff already knew the plate number, color and make of the truck it was also the one without a working head light or tail lights.


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## StratMaster

For cash and documents, I like to use LIPO fire resistant bags, and then place them in a large plastic ziplock bag for moisture as well. Gold/silver can go into ceramic jars (a great insulator for heat) and then into the squarish LIPO bags. These too then get a large ziplock for moisture.


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## Alteredstate

Ecclesiastes 11:2 "Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth."


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## The Tourist

This is a true story. My wife and I used to live about a mile away from our present home, and our former home was purchased by my doctor's nurse.

One day I asked her if she had found my "vault." We had about a dozen plastic pipes and elbows in the basement, and for some reason, there was a space among them. I went to the hardware store with measurements and bought the same pipe and elbow. I hung it in the space, and you could not tell one from another.

She went home, told her husband, and he didn't believe it--that is until he found it. I heard of another guy who hid valuables in a false head of lettuce, placed in the refrigerator. I suppose you could build a garbage can with a false bottom, too.


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