New coin room…..

Eric_Babula

A while back, our basement flooded. In a couple weeks we’re getting new doors, frames, carpeting, wood base, etc. The room in the pics was once our “office” but has been pretty much unused for years. I’m thinking of turning it into a coin room, a place where I can get my coins out of storage, analyze them, photograph them, catalog them, etc. (My wife already turned our older daughter’s bedroom into her scrapbooking room, so this is what I get.) This room is about 14’-4” x 8’-10”. The double sliding doors are to the water heater and sump pump. The door on the left side of the refrigerator is a closet w/ bookshelf. The refrigerator stays – need a place for extra food and beer!!!

I do have a copy stand for taking photos and want to get that all set up and have easy access to photograph my coins. That’s eventually going to be a secondary coin hobby of its own, I can already tell!

So, what do you have in your coin room that you couldn’t live without? What do you wish you had in your coin room (other than better coins!)? What does your coin room look like? I would LOVE to see pics of your coin room, and your photography setup!!!

ChangeInHistory

I like it, its fun to play around with the layout.

Nice to have a fridge. You need a coin cabinet and some bookshelves for your library. And from my experience, you need a much bigger desk!

Eric_Babula

@ChangeInHistory - The table is likely to go - the bracket underneath is already broken. I'm planning on picking up some new furniture based on what I think I'll need to make this room optimal for my needs. Sure, I could just get a desk and chair, and maybe a table for the copy stand. But, I'm looking for other tips from those who already have rooms/areas dedicated to their coin collections - maybe something that I wouldn't think of.

derryb

beats my coin closet

amwldcoin

Why don't you turn it into a "safe room"?

Raybo

Will the "exorcycle" be your only chair?
BTW, I like the touch of the fridge and box o' liquor.

pruebas

My comments:

Best to get a strong used (solid wood) table at a rummage sale. Much stronger and cheaper. Give it a sanding & new finish if necessary.

Previous flooding and sump pump would worry me. What if something happens when you’re not home to remove the coins/equipment?

I’d also get a good scale (and I personally would want a specific gravity kit for it).

OldIndianNutKase

Just replace the existing 2x4 walls with solid masonry walls with a nice stone veneer (in and out)........and add an impressive "vault" door. And the room will also be a safe room in the event of natural disasters. Maybe some wine storage racks too.

OINK

santinidollar

What was the reason for the flood? If it could easily happen again, I’d reconsider using the room for coins and photos.

emeraldATV

One part, computer.
Two part, large smart TV (color)
One part, $20.00 online camera purchase.
One part papertowel dispencer...$1.00 ( to use as a tower tripode, up and down)
.35 part sponge and C clamp to mount camera on tower and also to protect the camera. (Sponge placement is paramont)
Now the hunt becomes very interesting.
Fun Facts are Closer than in hand.
Very easy to navagate the set up.
NO DOWNLOADING REQUIRED !

ricko

Cellar flooding can be a problem... hopefully the sump pump will handle it, but not always. A lot depends on the location and drainage.... some cellars have to be trenched outside, french drains, and wall sealing. A coin room is a nice idea, good luck. Cheers, RickO

Onastone

How about a really good dehumidifier and most definitely an air filter!

Jimnight

I would have loved to photograph coins. I like your set up!

toyz4geo

I need that! We just moved and I lost “my room”.............

spacehayduke

I don't have a coin room - coin library is in our office, coin photography occupies 1/2 of a guest bedroom. Key is to have something like a 3X5 solid table for the copy stand and everything else you need for the imaging. If you do have a room, another desk with a computer would also be ideal, and of course storage for the books and the coins. Looks like you can do all of that in your new room, congrats!

Best, SH

ms70

Nice. My dream is to have a secret room with the doorway disguised/hidden. Not so much for coins, but more for peace and quiet.

Eric_Babula

To address the flooding: we have had the sump pump fail, and had about 1/2" - 1" of water throughout the basement. Not flooding like you see in some places, where boxes are floating or anything. This happened 3 times over the 28 years we've lived here (tornado, pump failure due to lightning strike, power failure). I am somewhat concerned about the humidity factor in the basement, but would plan to keep a dehumidifier in that room, and another in the main basement space.

No safe room or hidden sanctuary for me - just my hobby room!

Maybe I should have moved the liquor box - makes me look like a drunk! LOL!

jesbroken

Place a humidity gauge in the room for a week, checking it each day. Then using your dimensions and readings check with a knowledgeable person for purchase info regarding the correct dehumidifier and please before risking valuable coins or photos understand that sump pumps are very untrustworthy pieces of equipment and always seem to fail at the worst moment. I have had 8 pumps in the last 30 years, some failed in less than 2 years. If they are not operated very often, then possibly a failure looking to happen. JMO
Best of luck, your room will be a great addition to your hobby if moisture controlled.
Jim

Eric_Babula

@jesbroken said:
Place a humidity gauge in the room for a week, checking it each day. Then using your dimensions and readings check with a knowledgeable person for purchase info regarding the correct dehumidifier and please before risking valuable coins or photos understand that sump pumps are very untrustworthy pieces of equipment and always seem to fail at the worst moment. I have had 8 pumps in the last 30 years, some failed in less than 2 years. If they are not operated very often, then possibly a failure looking to happen. JMO
Best of luck, your room will be a great addition to your hobby if moisture controlled.
Jim

"Valuable coins" (I guess that's all relative) is not something I really have to worry about. Some (many) of you have single coins worth more than my entire collection! But, I get what you mean! Thanks for the tip. The big question, then, is what is an acceptable humidity % for this room?

jesbroken

For my guns, I keep mine below 46%, not sure it that applies for coins, but have found that sdb's are not ususally monitored with sometimes bad results and sometimes not.
Jim

tommy44

I don't have a coin room but if I did I'd have a large "fire-proof" and "burgle resistant" jewelers safe bolted to the floor. Maybe even on a elevated reinforced concrete platform, 6-10 inches or so, just in case that sump-pump failed.

Downtown1974

Eric, the room is looking good! Always keep an extra pump on hand for when the main one breaks down that way it’s just a quick removal and install. Also, during the dry seasons, pour a pitcher of water in the well just to activate the pump every couple of weeks.

Eric_Babula

@Downtown1974 said:
Eric, the room is looking good! Always keep an extra pump on hand for when the main one breaks down that way it’s just a quick removal and install. Also, during the dry seasons, pour a pitcher of water in the well just to activate the pump every couple of weeks.

Don't have to worry about "dry season". We're at a low point on our street, and the sump pump pumps many times per day, all year long.

Baley

@Eric_Babula said:

@Downtown1974 said:
Eric, the room is looking good! Always keep an extra pump on hand for when the main one breaks down that way it’s just a quick removal and install. Also, during the dry seasons, pour a pitcher of water in the well just to activate the pump every couple of weeks.

Don't have to worry about "dry season". We're at a low point on our street, and the sump pump pumps many times per day, all year long.

Yikes! Sounds, um... moist.

emeraldATV

@btcollects said:
dehumidifier, gun safe, lots of guns, knives, crossbows, heads of animals you killed, dart board, more liquor, leather smoking chair, smoking jacket, surveillance system, tripwires / less than lethal traps to prevent wife and child intrusion

I have a pet skunk, Spunky

CaptHenway

I too worry about another flooding. What was the cause of the first one?

Eric_Babula

@CaptHenway said:
I too worry about another flooding. What was the cause of the first one?

We have had the sump pump fail, and had about 1/2" - 1" of water throughout the basement. Not flooding like you see in some places, where boxes are floating or anything. This happened 3 times over the 28 years we've lived here (tornado, pump failure due to lightning strike, power failure). Never more than 1" of water, but still a concern.

With all the moisture comments, I'm starting to reconsider my thoughts of making the basement office a coin room! Ugh! I do have a couple of other options in the house, but those are very much smaller. Maybe I'll leave the coins in storage for now, and ponder my options a little longer.