Card safety and security....
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Posts: 3,127
I've been doing some thinking about the safety and security of my cards. Pretty soon we will be moving the Indy area. We've been looking at apartments online and viewing some of their safety ratings. I'm not impressed to say the least. Before we move we are definitely buying Laser Shield Mobile Security. But, I have a couple of questions about the safety and security of my cards. Should I calculate the cost of my higher end stuff and add it as a personal articles on my insurance? If so, what are the requirements for that stuff? Should I just store my stuff away in some vault and not display it? There's no fun in that but I don't want to loose my investments. I'm just at a lost and really quite nervous about all of this. Any suggestions?
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1. Insure with collectinsure.com Best policy for cards. Be careful with homeowners/renters policies- they often won't cover you past a very minimal point.
2. Buy a heavy duty safe. A full size one runs around 1500-2000.
3. Rent a safety deposit box(s), scan everything and put them online so you can see them, and visit your cards often. I have unsupervised visitation with mine every other Saturday.
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
Some will only insure up to a certain amount to the original policy and will require additional insurance which can be expensive. There are companies that insure cards but not sure about how much it costs?
Do you have individual cards worth in the thousands?
If so - then a safety deposit box would be good insurance in your situation.
I've got my head in the sand on this topic - and I should be more proactive about it.
mike
<< <i> I have unsupervised visitation with mine every other Saturday. >>
Since that guy who got his cards stolen posted his thread here, i've gotten a safety deposite box, which is very cheap for the year, I paid a hundred and change. An alarm system and insurance dosen't do anything really, somebody can still steal your cards, and the insurance can only get you money, if you can prove what was stolen of course. Insurance companies are fast to tell you your protected, but then when you get robbed, they give you the run around!
A safety deposite box in the other hand is the best way, you can sleep at night and go away knowing your cards are safe. Sure you want to desplay your cards, and look at them, and some people would say that they would rather have it home because thats what collecting is all about. But since when do you look at all your cards every single day? Sure I used to look at them all day every day, but then you start to slow down. Its not like you don't look at them no more, but you just slow down a bit.
So, why not just get a safety deposite box, and take your cards out whenever you wana see them? Say, like on the weekends, or whenever you feel like it. Don't get a box a million miles from your house, get one thats convinient to you. It makes it more exicting to see your cards after not seing them for a while. Its like going on a million dates, then it starts to get borring, same thing with cards, lol. You gotta space it out a little bit, so thats how a safety deposite box would come in handy.
After all, its not the insurance money you want if you get robbed. You want your cards that probably can't get replaced, forget the money!
Get a box man, thats all
Giovanni
It will cover your EBAY sales in transit, too.
A cheap SENTRY safe will resist all but the worst fires.
VERY expensive stuff should be kept at the bank.
If someone breaks in, they are not going to haul away a 200-300lb safe
and they are not going to spend the time trying to blow it up
Most thieves are opportunistic, they go after what is visible and easily available and easy to cart off.
If you don't advertise the fact that you have $1000's of dollars worth of cards to anyone, they won't know about it.
That way, you have peace of mind, and can look at your babies anytime you wish
Warning: Do NOT attempt to store your family jewels in the safe, it hurts like hell when you close and lock the door
<< <i> Pretty soon we will be moving the Indy area. Any suggestions? >>
Greenwood (suburb) would be a solid bet. Don't tell anybody the value of your collection.
CINCINNATI REDS
1976 - 1991 - Topps PSA 10
1983 & 1985 Fleer PSA 10
1985 Donruss PSA 10
Blue Ink Signed Topps Cards
Game-Used Bats/Jerseys
OPC PSA 10
MC & OC Cards
OTHER:
Eric Davis Anything
Votto, Willingham, Cantu, Doumit, Gomes
Baron Davis Game Used Jersey
<< <i>get yourself a good sized home safe that you stick in a closet out of site somewhere. There are some really good ones out there for less than $500 (I paid less than $300 for my 250lb)
If someone breaks in, they are not going to haul away a 200-300lb safe
and they are not going to spend the time trying to blow it up
Most thieves are opportunistic, they go after what is visible and easily available and easy to cart off.
If you don't advertise the fact that you have $1000's of dollars worth of cards to anyone, they won't know about it.
That way, you have peace of mind, and can look at your babies anytime you wish >>
But thats just the thing. A part of collecting is sharing your collection with others, so people will know that you have cards after all. If somebody wants your cards, I don't care how much your safe weights. You can have a 5 thousand pound safe, but if somebody wants whats in it, then there gona get it one way or the other.
With a safety deposite box, you can see it anytime you want anyway. Sure you gotta drive there to get them lol, but its all worth it in the long run. Bottom line, if they want that safe, closet or no closet, they'll take the whole closet if they really want it. Be smart, buy Dodge
Giovanni
I don't have a Honus Wagner, Or a Babe Ruth or a Mickey Mantle, nor a Michael Jordan
Hell I don't even have the most expensive Sidney Crosby
My needs are a lot less than many other collectors here, but it serves me well. Everyone needs to look at their own personal needs and decide from there.
I meet up with her next week to go over my losses and to see how much of a check they will cut for me.
It's about 5' high and 3' wide/deep. Big enough for most collections.
Cost around $900 or so on sale, he's more than happy with it. I think you can get them cheaper if you take your time and watch for deals. Hasn't lost a card since I gave it to him.
If the safe isn't one of those huge honkers, make sure to attach it to the floor. the smaller ones typically have instructions for mounting. follow them. I bought a smaller safe for documents but it weighs about 100lbs. That's nothing to some meth head looking for a quick score. Might take them an hour to break into it, but they can do it away from my house! I'd also say to put it somewhere that these guys wouldnt look first - I literally thought about a spot in my garage. But once its connected into the concrete (with the concrete screws in an epoxy base to boot) the safe isnt going anywhere.
Joe
When I am home it is the same plus one of these...
My Registry Sets
Link
Large safe
You can find these for under 1K at the local sporting goods store..I think Sam's sells them as well...I paid $800ish for mine which included delivery...
I installed shelving inside for my cards and important documents. It is 5 ft tall and 600 lbs...Combined with my monitored alarm, not so nice ( to strangers) dog and Texas Castle Doctrine I feel better about keeping my cards at home than I would at a bank...lol
My weapon of choice...
Jason
according to my values and my needs. Nothing holds dominion over me, I stand alone as the ruler of my life.
If you go that way, before you break any things that may be important to you, you can rent an appliance dolly at u-haul for about $10 a day. GREAT investment.