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Sorta OT - safety deposit box moisture problems

I went to my safety deposit box today for a browsing of my coins.

To my surprise, I found that not only did the silica crystals turn pink inside my canister, the DampRid I use as a secondary water absorption had turned to a viscous liquid (in a dry state, it is white pellets).

I spoke with the person in charge of the SD safe, informing her of the moisture. She told me that the land sloping caused water to get down into the room and create a humid environment (there was a dehumidifer in the room, but it was shut off).

I am glad that I had triple redundancy for my coins (Airtites, gel and DampRid), otherwise I would be quite upset right now. The coins are quite safe. I told the bank employee that others might also be concerned about the damaging humidity in the room (without explaining why, of course - never tell anyone what you have in your box!!). image

The takeway: take the proper precautions if storing your coins in a safety deposit box!! Also, avoid PVC!!!

Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.

Comments

  • theboz11theboz11 Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭
    Bummer, I would change Banksimage
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,952 ✭✭✭
    Bummer, I would change Banks

    It's crossed my mind. After I replenish my DampRid and silica, I will watch the rate of change carefully. Large SD boxes are rather hard to come by around here.

    That said, the potential for moisture problems exists in any bank located in swampland like MN.
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • farthingfarthing Posts: 3,294 ✭✭✭
    Wybrit - send them on over to me - I'll be happy to store them for you! My bank is in a much older section of town than yours - not some newly built suburb thrown up on converted farm land and drained swamps! image






    image
    R.I.P. Wayne, Brad
    Collecting:
    Conder tokens
    19th & 20th Century coins from Great Britain and the Realm
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,952 ✭✭✭
    Wybrit - send them on over to me - I'll be happy to store them for you! My bank is in a much older section of town than yours - not some newly built suburb thrown up on converted farm land and drained swamps!

    Hey, how kind of you! Just wait at your home and a big box should show up in the next couple of days. Who says that Minnesotans aren't nice?
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,952 ✭✭✭
    image
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • SYRACUSIANSYRACUSIAN Posts: 6,445 ✭✭✭✭
    How did the slabs do? Better than the airtites?
    Dimitri



    myEbay



    DPOTD 3
  • coinpicturescoinpictures Posts: 5,345 ✭✭✭


    << <i>She told me that the (1) land sloping caused water to get down into the room and create a humid environment (2) (there was a dehumidifer in the room, but it was shut off). >>



    1. YIPE! I would be getting my stuff out of there pronto!

    2. Uhhh.... WHY????? I would be raising holy hell about this. Their cost-saving measures are putting YOUR material at risk.

    Sounds like a very slipshod operation. image
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,952 ✭✭✭
    How did the slabs do? Better than the airtites?

    None of the coins came to any harm whatsover. The other measures I had in place kept them safe.
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • harashaharasha Posts: 3,079 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I discovered this particular problem with safe deposit vaults at the same time I discovered PVC crud all over my ancient coin collection, back about 30 years ago.
    The vault in my current bank has had water leak in from the ceiling.

    The problem is that in my area, there is a paucity of safe deposit boxes. You are lucky to find anything.
    Honors flysis Income beezis Onches nobis Inob keesis

    DPOTD
  • harashaharasha Posts: 3,079 ✭✭✭✭✭
    And talkling about box contents. Sometimes, I just need to drop an item in my box. Under such circumstances, the teller that lets me into the vault walks or turns away.
    Earlier this year, this one teller, however, kept a close watch on what I was doing and started commenting upon the coin or two that I was depositing. I was mortified, and I quickly put up the pretense that the coins had little value. I simply needed storage space. Friggin' twit. Now I will always have to worry about this overly curious teller.
    Honors flysis Income beezis Onches nobis Inob keesis

    DPOTD
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,952 ✭✭✭
    Earlier this year, this one teller, however, kept a close watch on what I was doing and started commenting upon the coin or two that I was depositing. I was mortified, and I quickly put up the pretense that the coins had little value. I simply needed storage space. Friggin' twit. Now I will always have to worry about this overly curious teller.

    That is a big concern. I would speak to the manager about the behaviour. Allegedly, you are supposed to have your privacy respected at all times when you access your box.
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • Humidity in bank vaults should always be a concern because even in the more modern banks the humidity in the vault is kept HIGH. The reason for that is because most people use their boxes to keep their important papers in and the paper survives better at a higher humidity level. If the humidity was kept down low where the coins like it, the paper can dry out, turn brittle, and crumble.
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