How Protective are the PCGS Slabs??

jonesy

Does anyone know how the PCGS slabs would react in a fire. Do they burn quite easily? How hard are they to break open? Any experience on this is helpful. Thanks in Advanced!!
Glenn

09sVDB

They don't burn they melt, which is even worse! As far as openning a vice and a screwdriver work but be VERY careful.

Tassa

<< <i>Do they burn quite easily? >>



Why? Are you planning on jumpimg through flaming hoops with PCGS slabs in your pockets?

Sorry, I don't know the answer to your question.

jonesy

No, no flaming hoops yet. I just know that at most fires at homes with coins, if its an intense fire the coins melt together into a mass. I was wiondering if this plastic would slow down the chance of the coins melting. I live in a city where a fire department could arrive in less than ten minutes.I have a safe but i just wonder if those darn slabs would give me more time in a fire.
Glenn

By the way 09SVDB, how hard was it to remove the melted plastic. Did it burn at all??

joejeweler

Any coins of substantial value belong in a bank safe deposit box for sure. Were the coins to encounter even a small fire for a short period of time.....safe to say any "re-holdering" expectation would be BB'd and come back "ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE"! LOL

BTW......acetone might be a practical way to disolve off the melted mess were the coins so exposed. Anyone have to do this?



<< <i>No, no flaming hoops yet. I just know that at most fires at homes with coins, if its an intense fire the coins melt together into a mass. I was wiondering if this plastic would slow down the chance of the coins melting. I live in a city where a fire department could arrive in less than ten minutes.I have a safe but i just wonder if those darn slabs would give me more time in a fire.
Glenn

By the way 09SVDB, how hard was it to remove the melted plastic. Did it burn at all?? >>

dragon

Aren't most good safes fireproof to some degree??

dragon

ElectricEye

"Aren't most good safes fireproof to some degree?? ~ dragon"

A good fire safe carries a group II S&G lock with a UL Listed fire label. Accept no substitute. Without mentioning the other major fire testing lab's name, most safes just don't have the product to withstand the rigors of the fire tests UL puts them thru hence the easier label to get from "company B". Amsec has an affordable line of standups that have 2 hour UL labels and will keep the temp. down better than most others. One major manufacturer of safes claims they are fire rated but when you ask them who tested the safe, no third party was involved, just their employees in the back of the wherehouse. If you're gonna keep it on a second floor, ask if it passed the drop test as well when shopping it. If you need anymore info, pm or email. (I'll tell ya which major manufacturer's safes I can open in under five minutes)

sumner1984

how about a safe deposit box? I left a nice coin collection of slabs and proof sets of the 50`s in a safe deposit box in New York for 8 years. I hoped to move back to the big apple but after 8 years the bank wanted to tear down the building to make way for Best Buys ,and they demanded i remove the contents of my box.I even complained to the US dept of treasury(Thrift Services) since they recently cashed my rent payment for the year !!I had to fly up to New York to rescue my coins. the trip was fun any way, I wouldnt recomend anyone leaving anything of value in a safe deposit box if you plan to leave your state or country for an extended period of time.

theboz11

I would go with a safety deposit box over a safe. Safes protect you coins from theft but in a fire usually the safe gets So hot that the contents spontaniously combust or melt.

Twowood

Are they water tight? Twowood

ElectricEye

"contents spontaniously combust or melt" Not unless the fire rating is surpassed. This probably isn't gonna happen unless you have a cheap safe, the structure is left to burn to the ground or you're storing acetone in 55 gallons drums next to it. Waterproof? Nope. The safe body expands as it is heated and it vents. A safe deposit box should be a good bet as long as fire is not present inside the vault. If so, your contents will cook as if they were put on a George Foreman grill. By the way, I used to work for a defunct much hated fed. agency years ago and we escheated safe deposit boxes to the state. If anyone left their box contents in an S&L or bank that went under and the bank or s&l couldn't locate the owner over a period of one year, we deemed the contents property of the state by law and mailed them USPS without registration or insurance to the appropriate office. I am sure these people could have been found if someone had taken the time to do a little research and their rightful property returned. Instead, boxes of citizenship papers, death notices, costume jewelry, real jewelry, newspaper articles, gold coins and bars, and silver coins and bars were handed over to the state for consumption. If you do use a box, make sure your family knows about it and REMEMBERS it's existance. You'd be surprised how heavy the boxes we mailed out were. PS - if you use a box, move, your account becomes inactive (old savings acct. you forget about) and the bank decides to close the account for inactivity, guess where your money and contents go when they can't find you (IE: send one notice to your last know address)? Your state absorbs it...

MadMarty

If I remember a test from a while ago, they did not pass the bathtub test, but did pass the beer test!

jonesy

Passed the Beer Test. Good
Glenn

sumner1984

Unclaimed safe deposit box laws vary from state to state. In New York,the bank has the right to terminate the lease at any time,however they must hold the contents of the box for 3-5 years. If cash is found inside a box,it is turned over to the NYS comptrollers office were you may file a claim to get your cash back. Coins and proof sets are considered collectables and in NY state they must be held by the bank for 3-5 years at some location were you may claim your property.Then if unclaimed still,the property of value would be auctioned off and the procedes would be turned over to the state were you may still file a claim. I had a box for 8 years and was pleased to find everything as I left it, I was expecting carb webs inside!I managed to get to the bank 24 hours before they were to drill my box.I would use a safe deposit box again but would never move out of state again and leave my contents behind,I was lucky.

jonesy

Sumner1984, welcome to the forums. Thanks for the info!
Glenn