Fire safes and humidity

Malikovski

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I couldn't find much with searches.

I have a new fire safe in which I am storing coins. Problem is, humidity is 90%. I assume the material used to insulate the safe is wet.

My question is, is this a permanent feature of fire safes, or is it something that will dry out with time?

I can get 5 lbs. of desiccant for $20 and dry the hell out of it, but I don't want to relieve the safe of its protective properties.

Right now the only thing in there is bullion and slabbed coins, so no problem at present, but I would like to turn it into a coin-friendlier environment eventually.

TorinoCobra71

I live in SFla. where the humidity is ALWAYS quite high. I have had a "Fire Safe" for over five years and never had any kind of problem storing my coins in the safe.

TorinoCobra71

CoinResource

Be careful here. Recommend you get a safe without moisture embedded... cm

VamGuy

<< <i>I live in SFla. where the humidity is ALWAYS quite high. I have had a "Fire Safe" for over five years and never had any kind of problem storing my coins in the safe.

>>

Ditto.

Would one of the forum experts kindly explain how the humidity was controlled during the first 50-250 years or so of the coin's life?!?!?!

Leave humidity control paranoia to cigar enthusiasts.

Malikovski

<< <i>Be careful here. Recommend you get a safe without moisture embedded... cm >>



Too late (I guess, the safe information said nothing about moisture), it's already built into a wall.

My main questions are: is it possible to dry the interior out, and will I harm the safe by doing so?

RegistryCoin

Absorbtion bags work nicely.

Barry

Don't be penny-wise, pound-foolish. You made a mistake buying a fire safe. It will ruin your coins. Either buy another safe (NOT a fir-safe) or store your coins elsewhere.

mozin

When I got my small fire safe, I liked to keep brand new sequentially numbered US currency in envelopes placed into the safe. After many months, I found that the envelopes had sealed themselves, and the brand new bills now were completely moldy around the edges. My encapsulated coins never showed problems, but the staples on the 2x2s rusted.

Now I keep STA-DRI SD-4 pouches in my safe, and in my bank safety deposit boxes. After three years, I have not even needed to refresh the pouches.

STA-DRI pouches

MrSpud

I had a friend who kept his Dansco albums and proof sets in a fireproof safe. The Danscos grew moldy and the coins in the Danscos and the proof sets developed pretty bad corrosion. A few of the coins in some of the Danscos toned marginally attractive, bot many of them as well as almost all of the proof coins developed corrosion spots.

I believe that the materials in the wall of the safes that make them fireproof are also what makes them condense humidity inside the safe. Since you already have it built into the wall, maybe you can try putting the coins into airtight glass or metal containers with dessicant in them and put the whole sealed containers right into the safe.

MrSpud

from the book Coin Preservation Handbook by Charles Frank.

Coxe

Many coin alloys are highly reactive and will oxidize even in slabs. Don't expect magnificant toners but a lot of problems potentially. A fire safe is worse than no safe. Further, most fire safes are almost trivially removable from your premises. A burglar will get the coins and will, in fact, be drawn to them by this "safe". If you must store them in a fire safe or a gun safe, make sure you keep a desiccant and/or use a dehumidifier (goldenrod is a good one for a vault room) inside. You can pick up desiccant in bulk at places like Home Depot, but the staff probably won't know what you are asking for. Just tell them drying or dehumidification crystals. They should have buckets of them that last a while.