I wonder how many coin collections were destroyed by the storm.

PerryHall

Given the widespread flooding and destruction, I wonder how many coin/currency collections or even dealer inventories were ruined or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. It has to be a significant number given the widespread area of flooding. TDN just posted that Laura is now homeless but hopefully safe. Hopefully her inventory of rare coins are safe since this represents her livelihood.

guitarwes

I thought about this also the whole time I was watching it unfold on TV. Aside from thinking of the people first, I got to thinking how safe/unsafe everyone's valuables were amidst all of the devistation.

While I'm not worried about fleeing my house/property from flooding, there's always the possibility of tornados, fires, and looting. This is everywhere. This should make folks take a step back and view all of the different possibilities of how their valuables may be breeched in times of turmoil and what steps they can take going forward to make sure they are as secure as they can be.

Justacommeman

I doubt very many dealers coins were ruined or destroyed unless they wanted them to be. I doubt Legend's inventory was effected considering she knew was was coming. I'm sure some album collections that were long forgot about and in basements may have been ruined.

MJ

supertooth

Perry Hall-----Yes, I too wondered about this yesterday. With the total number of U.S. disasters in this last generation, one MUST wonder how many coins---as well as MANY other treasures have been lost forever? It's got to be quite a bit that no one will EVER be able to count.

As I sat in my woods here in Maryland, I did think about my collection. But, I must confess, that I thought more about my two homes and the family in them. Storms like this one---and MOTHER NATURE being what she is----can have no mercy.

Lost some trees---one an old white oak that was 78 inches in circumference---heard it fall in the dark. Quite a feeling to hear the crack and wait to hear whether it will hit the house. Then, when you hear the thud, THANK the POWERS THAT BE----for sparing you.

Wish ALL the folks well that have REALLY been touched by this Sandy storm. I pray for their recovery. Bob [supertooth]

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rhedden

I wonder how many coin collections were destroyed by the storm.


I don't know, but if you left a large coin collection in your beach house at the Jersey shore and didn't bother to take it somewhere during Sandy, you made your own bed.

BaseballAbs

Quartercollector who was booted of the Forum some time ago lives in Jersey. His collection is safe, but I hear it blew over a few trees and ripped off some siding at his home.

barrytrot

I assumed that any sane person got any "destroyable" valuables out before the storm hit land.

This wasn't without warning so anything worth worrying about had to be handled.

Unless as another poster put, they wanted it destroyed, for insurance.

mkman123

There are many collectors who don't have the kind of collection some here on the board have. The small fry with only a few fv of silver and maybe a few danscos may not put things into a sdb, I bet many old coins were destroyed and are gone forever.

Don't just think of this one storm, look at the multitudes of fires, floods, hurricanes, tornados, etc that happen in one year and how many old coins are gone forever, I bet its significant.

Also a lot of older folks don't always put valuable items into a safety deposit box but leave it in their homes. A few years ago when I was still living in Nor Cal, an older woman walked in to the local B&M and asked how much something was....she pulled out a baseball sized chunk of melted silver......it was morgans that were partially melted in a forest fire. Had to be about least 20+ or so. So right there some morgans were permanently gone and thats just in 1 small town out of how many tens of thousands are in the US

morgansforever

I've wondered the same. I also throw the around the idea of what would I grab if I
was ordered to evacuate in a moments notice, or if a disaster struck without warning. I'm sure there
was coin collections lost somewhere based on the enormity of Sandy.

johnny9434

we may never know that answer. jmo

ambro51

...several years ago a friend and I stood on the Sea Isle City beach and he pointed out an odd breakwater out past ths surf. He told me his Uncle lived on "that street" .... It was totally washed away in a storm in 1944. His uncle was a local merchant who had TWO safes with gold he had hoarded before the depression. House, safes....all washed to sea or buried under tons of sand. Weather forecasting has made huge advances. If this storm had occurred in 1920 and hit us thousands would have been killed.

DeliaBug

<< <i>I've wondered the same. I also throw the around the idea of what would I grab if I was ordered to evacuate in a moments notice, or if a disaster struck without warning. I'm sure there was coin collections lost somewhere based on the enormity of Sandy. >>



It is sad that it is at these times when we think of this. Where I live, fire is the threat, not water. I've sunk several floor safes in the basement that I can quickly shove photos and important documents into in order to mitigate at least some losses. Water seems to find a way in, anywhere. Not sure that would even work for areas susceptible to water damage.

messydesk

I was looking at slideshow on one of the news websites that was the top 10 hurricanes in terms of property loss, in 2011 dollars, where Katrina was $43 billion and the bottom ones were on the order of $1 billion. This, of course, is only hurricanes in recent history. Where do the values, in 2011 dollars, of known shipwrecks or fleets lost in hurricanes from 1600-1900 fall into this range or even come close?

3sidesofsilver

Weather forecasting has made huge advances. If this storm had occurred in 1920 and hit us thousands would have been killed.

This...and keep in mind that just about everyone is "connected" today which makes getting the word out to the masses faster and easier than ever before.

JJM

very little, if they werent in a SDB and at home, im sure
they were at least above the water line, and ready to leave
the premises................mine were.............its small, its tidy,
its ready to roll....thoughts go out to people who lost stuff....
my wife always says, if it can be replaced with money,
it aint a problem......

Frankcoins

<< <i>The storm should have a positive effect on coin values, ie move them up.................................................................just joshing
I hope everyone who was affected by the storms destructive path is safe and will recover quickly, g-d bless them all! >>



Just joshing? When they haven't even finished counting the bodies? Got to be a new low, even for you.

BillJones

In that area of Queens where something like 70 houses burned to the ground you would have been trouble even if your collection was in a safe deposit box at a bank.

2ltdjorn

This was a real concern after hurricane Katrina. A lot of the SDB flooded. And also a lot of the bigger banks came in and physically removed the SDB to more secure locations. It took one of my friends about 2 years to get to his box!

fishcooker

Did they keep charging him?

OldEastside

I always wondered that about Katrina and what she destroyed

Steve

baseballjeff

While we are on this topic, if you all don't mind me asking, do you insure your collection? And who do you insure it through? or do you just leave your coins lonely in a safety deposit box?

keyman64

I wonder about the collections sitting in bank SDBs...there were banks that were flooded!...if you had your collection low in the vault. Hmmmmm

piecesofme

One member here that I am concerned about and have not heard from is nibanny (Matteo). He lives in Hoboken NJ, and they got slammed and him and his wife just had a baby too. Please send out good thoughts for him and his family. He's really a nice guy

Spooly

I got an e-mail from nibanny, the family is safe. No power and the phone battery's are dying.

cladking

As always the real damage isn't so much to valuables and coin collections as it is just
the normal wear and tear of nature on everything that isn't already nailed down. This
is the tide that waits for no man nor for his pocket change. Millions upon millions of cir-
culating coins were destroyed and more importantly billions were "dislodged". By this
I mean the coins that sat for decades in piggy banks or desk drawers will reenter cir-
culation after ruined furniture is tossed in the garbage and household contents are stripped
for rebuilding.

Think of it this way; this hurricane is merely the means by which a 3% annual attrition rate
manifests itself. Attrition isn't a smooth ongoing force but a summation of forces over a
long time period. Some things made by man will have tiny attrition rates over the short
term but then a war will destroy large percentages. Circulating coinage has a high attrition
due to loss and degradation but still is largely composed of spikes. Look at the staggering
attrition of Mardi Gras doubloons that must have occured in New Orleans after Katrina.
Many city blocks were simply bulldozed and shipped to landfill.

In the long term mother nature returns everything to nothing and builds as she pleases.

But the pyramid still stands.

dtkk49a

One must take flood zones into consideration when choosing where to rent a SDB. If you have a SDB in a low lying area, you are asking for trouble. You just never know...a hurricane hitting the northeast in late October? Never happen....Ha!!
My heart goes out to everyone affected by Sandy.

Catbert

"I wonder how many coin collections were destroyed by the storm."

I wonder how many coin collectors abandoned the hobby due to the poor economy?

COALPORTER

Any reports on the New York diamond district?
I understand that most of that is below street level
in secrect places?

NotSure

<< <i>One must take flood zones into consideration when choosing where to rent a SDB. If you have a SDB in a low lying area, you are asking for trouble. You just never know...a hurricane hitting the northeast in late October? Never happen....Ha!!
My heart goes out to everyone affected by Sandy. >>



A hurricane hitting the Northeast in late October....odds are about the same as an earthquake hitting the Northeast in October, huh?

Another thing to add to the hurricane and earthquake....a Tsunami warning in HI at the same time a hurricane barrels up the east coast? Perhaps the Mayans are right.....at least I wont have to buy Xmas gifts!!