Safety Deposit Box?

[Harvey Dude]

I use two safety deposit boxes for my high priced books. It does get very expensive but my bank retains a rodent/climate controlled environment, which provides me piece of mnd.

[stagedoorjohnny]

I love that idea about the big rifle safe!

 

And some of them are gorgeous looking, like they're straight out of the Old West. They're really a nice and interesting piece of furniture to boot. At 1000 lbs., you can put it in a den or office right in the open. Ain't nobody walking away with it! A burglar would have to pack breakfast, lunch, and dinner if they're going to try to get in there.

[Mister_Comics]

the insurance is only up to 25K

 

Yep! Same here.

 

But when was the last time safe deposit boxes were robbed at a bank.

 

Mine is 12x12x18". Holds a lot more.

I may go with a bigger size SDB. I have a few more books I'd like to have in there.

[fantastic_four]

There was a waitlist at my bank for a large safe deposit box

 

My bank doesn't even have a waitlist...they expect you to call once a week, I guess indefinitely until one of the current box holders croaks!!!

[Aman619]

the insurance is only up to 25K

 

Yep! Same here.

 

But when was the last time safe deposit boxes were robbed at a bank.

 

Mine is 12x12x18". Holds a lot more.

I may go with a bigger size SDB. I have a few more books I'd like to have in there.

 

I worry more about a fire in the building and the water hoses get everythuing soaking wet!

 

My box can hold a lot, but between the slabs and Fortresses, it fills up in a hurry. Mylars rule!!

[FlyingDonut]

Um, hello - you shoud have a safety deposit box ANYWAY for important stuff that, if your house burned down, you would need. Birth certificates, car and property titles, passports (maybe), stock certificates, etc. etc. I have a couple of comics in my safety deposit box, some very big ticket items.

[Sharkey]

There was a waitlist at my bank for a large safe deposit box

 

My bank doesn't even have a waitlist...they expect you to call once a week, I guess indefinitely until one of the current box holders croaks!!!

 

 

Yes, well, it'd be a shame if one of those current box holders wuz ta have a little accident, now wouldn't it.....

[Aman619]

well, it certainly cant be an iron clad rule in having a SDB since every bank vault Ive been in only has about 300 of them for its thousands of clients.

[Mister_Comics]

BTW; Just thought I'd mention this.

 

I don't have any kind of account at this bank were I have a SDB. I only use thier SDB because it was so cheap to get. Compared to my regular bank that I frequent with charges and arm and a leg for a SDB. It does pay to shop around. You don't have to have a account at the bank to get a SDB.

[Primetime]

Reading through some old issues of Comic Book Marketplace, I've noticed that many collectors mention keeping their books in a safety deposit box at the bank. I don't really like the idea of having to make a trip to the bank whenever I want to look at some of my books. And yet I can see the reason for it, especially if a collector has keys like Action 1 or 'Tec 27. Does anyone here put their books in a safety deposit box? I'm just curious if the benefits outweigh the inconvenience.

 

Just make color xerox copies and put in a binder, so you can view your puppies anytime you want!

[mr.schomburg]

I personally wouldn't use a safety deposit box, because I look at my books all of the time. When I had my new house built last year, I had a den built with a large walk in closet. That closet is where the comics are, unfortunately it almost full. I also have a huge gun safe, which is fire rated, but it wieghs about 1300 lbs empty and I had it put in the extra room behind the garage, but I can't see putting my comics in that kind of temp changes, and its full of guns. So what I did is make a master list of all the comics I wanted to insure and went to my insurance agent, I got 200K of coverage for less than 30.00 per month as Personal property 1. Guarantied replacement cost, so if prices go up coverage goes up as well. I also padded the coverage about 25K to cover time of acquistion of books. I thought this was real reasonable. If a fire happens, I may cry but I will be financially secure of my investment.

[The Black Hand ®]

how do you adjust the climate conditions inside your safe? Or do you only mean inside your room or house...? For me I dont think the bank tries topo hard about their climate - - some are too cool, some are too near the heating systems. But stuff in there sits untouched in the dark with little interaction with anything for long periods of time which are both good. (Limits the SCS too!)

 

Also, these fireproof safes have temperature limits right? And, even though the objects wont catch fire inside them, cant they still be incinerated by the heat that builds up within? I dont think that, except fior the finest and prohibitively expensive (or externally cooled) safes that they are guaranteed to preserve contents in unlimited exposure to intense heat. Maybe only minutes at certain temperatures.... So while it sounds good, depending on its specs, it really may only serve as a burglary retardant... since nothing is really a 100% burglary stopper.

 

I have a safe too, so believe me, Im talking about my safekeeping methods too! Mine's big and strong but not "fire-rated". I figure if their time is up by fire or theft, all we can do is slow the burglars and heat down, not totally prevent disaster. But its sure better than leaving them in a comics box in the closet!

 

I use high quality desicant canisters in my safes and cabinets. My brothers and I ,unfortunately ,are part owners on one high ticket item which we have in a safe deposit box down in the bay area. It's sealed in the inner box with a dessicant cannister that keeps it at about 50 percent humidity. The bank vault is on the cool side. I have collectibles insurance also.

[mr.schomburg]

I did some research and most fire proof safes and gun safes have approx. 30 min. burn times. Meaning in an average house fire, they will hold back actuall burn damage for upto but not guarantied 30 min. Now this part is just spectualtion but I am guessing that the heat generated inside the safe will exceed the melting point of mylar and poly plastics, so you can see that fire protection is most likely not really an option. Your books may be intact after a fire but not in the same grade as before. So I would think a regular safe would be suffiecient as to delay theft or detour, but any real fire protection is most likely not available at a reasonable cost. Of course the same issue would arise in a bank fire, so my feeling is find a safe storage area via safe or file cab with sturdy locks and insure your comics in case of theft or fire.

[The Black Hand ®]

I think you can only do so much to protect your books, so insurance is a must. Hell, a pipe could burst above the safety deposit boxes and ruin the paper contents, no matter how secure you think the box is, water will find a way in.So in the end, we collect the most perishable items there are. Small bronze stauary may be the way to go, or diamonds.