Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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Nothing is 100 percent.
A safe will be keep them safe from theft, as will a safe deposit box at the bank for the expensive ones. A safe may provide some protection from fire, but not for very long. Do not get a "fireproof" safe as they release chemicals to keep the contents from burning, but it does damage the contents - they are readable, that is the intended use.
Neither will protect stamps from flooding (yes, banks flood once in awhile).
The important question is what would you do if the stamps were stolen or damaged? If you would replace them then by all means insure them - if you would not replace them then why would you pay to insure them ??
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Also, with a safe or storage locker, you have to be sure that it is humidity controlled. If not, then humidity levels could rise inside the safe/locker to where the stamps will eventually just turn to mold and be totally ruined.
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Years ago, in Popular Mechanics or one of those rags, there were plans on how to turn a closet into a vault....
The interior drywall was removed, holes were drilled through the studs and rebar (round steel lengths) were inserted. Rebar kept a chain saw from going through the wall. There are also steel straps that run the length of the studs.
The author used drywall but managed a longer fire rating...... I'm thinking refractory clay would work between the drywall.
Add a high security steel door....
Myself I would probably spend more than my collection is worth....
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Sadly, the "monetary value" of a collection equates to it's liquidity potential. Let's say that you have a large collection accumulated from various sources over the years and when you run through Scott values you come to $100,000 counting everything, even the stamps under $1.00. I would guess that if you broke down the typical collection/ accumulation and sold it the total amount taken in when all was said and done would be somewhere in the $10,000 to $15,000 neighborhood. Selling to a dealer would result in substantially less.
That's because the "catalog value" that a dealer is interested in paying for are the sound items without defect that are salable with minimal work. The rest is used as filler for box lots or to spice up some "classic" mixtures ( the $10,000 cv collection of old British stamps that has languished on a dealers table for years at $275, for example). Some dealers will look for fly specks and other items they may have customers for but only as time allows (breaking up a stamp collection is VERY labor intensive).
So take a good look at how you are determining catalog and "actual" market value in determining it's "worth"......
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"Sadly, the "monetary value" of a collection equates to it's liquidity potential...
....So take a good look at how you are determining catalog and "actual" market value in determining it's "worth"......"
So true.... to extrapolate, I see catalog, fair market, wholesale value....
can't place a dollar on worth, what's your time and enjoyment worth?
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I wasn't thinking of liquidation value of our collection, more the time, money, and even more so, the together time My Father and I have spent putting our collection together. It is far from being the most "expensive" collection around, but to me it is priceless. Our safe has a desiccant to remove moisture and I check it often. I am more worried about the oil permeating the air and getting into the stamps. Is this possible? I'm assuming there must be others who store other items in gun safes.
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"I am more worried about the oil permeating the air and getting into the stamps. Is this possible? I'm assuming there must be others who store other items in gun safes."
Oil won't permeate the air, unless you're spraying WD-40..... I'd be more worried about incidental contact.....
If a gun is in a safe in should be greased....
I don't mix anything with stamps.
A good alarm system.... leave a few dollar bills and a big gold filled bracelet in obvious spots, and you're reasonably safe from theft. So unless you have a collection that has been featured and a pro is going after them.... there's ways to make it so the neighborhood thieve won't get your good stuff.
Fire/flood/storm damage which is more likely, storm most likely, there's only limited ways to keep stamps protected without spending big money
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If you have a few big dollar items you could put them in a bank safe deposit bank. Then I'll tell you the story about how a bank lost my in-laws box content.
Keeping your collection in a bank box would keep you from enjoying it. You could build a fireproof room, doors all have fire ratings and a standard sheet of drywall has a 1/2 hour rating, and you can double up on that to achieve a higher rating. Keeping your collection in a room furthest away from fire sources (kitchen, furnace, fireplace) would add to your safety.
In my experience of managing office buildings, the loss in a fire most of the time isn't from the fire, but from the water used to put out the fire. We kept vital records in fireproof file cabinets, or in file systems covered with plastic. The last resort was to put record books in sealed plastic bags.
Code here in Pennsylvania for residences of a certain size is a sprinkler system, so my house has one.
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After doing an inventory of what we have, there seems to be considerable more value than I expected. Right now, our collection is on the bookshelves in the den. A house fire or burglary would wipe it out in seconds. Where do you(all) store your collections? We have a gun safe with enough room to store the important parts. Is it safe to store stamps in a safe containing oiled items?
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re: SAFE STORAGE
Nothing is 100 percent.
A safe will be keep them safe from theft, as will a safe deposit box at the bank for the expensive ones. A safe may provide some protection from fire, but not for very long. Do not get a "fireproof" safe as they release chemicals to keep the contents from burning, but it does damage the contents - they are readable, that is the intended use.
Neither will protect stamps from flooding (yes, banks flood once in awhile).
The important question is what would you do if the stamps were stolen or damaged? If you would replace them then by all means insure them - if you would not replace them then why would you pay to insure them ??
Login to Like
this post
re: SAFE STORAGE
Also, with a safe or storage locker, you have to be sure that it is humidity controlled. If not, then humidity levels could rise inside the safe/locker to where the stamps will eventually just turn to mold and be totally ruined.
Login to Like
this post
re: SAFE STORAGE
Years ago, in Popular Mechanics or one of those rags, there were plans on how to turn a closet into a vault....
The interior drywall was removed, holes were drilled through the studs and rebar (round steel lengths) were inserted. Rebar kept a chain saw from going through the wall. There are also steel straps that run the length of the studs.
The author used drywall but managed a longer fire rating...... I'm thinking refractory clay would work between the drywall.
Add a high security steel door....
Myself I would probably spend more than my collection is worth....
Login to Like
this post
re: SAFE STORAGE
Sadly, the "monetary value" of a collection equates to it's liquidity potential. Let's say that you have a large collection accumulated from various sources over the years and when you run through Scott values you come to $100,000 counting everything, even the stamps under $1.00. I would guess that if you broke down the typical collection/ accumulation and sold it the total amount taken in when all was said and done would be somewhere in the $10,000 to $15,000 neighborhood. Selling to a dealer would result in substantially less.
That's because the "catalog value" that a dealer is interested in paying for are the sound items without defect that are salable with minimal work. The rest is used as filler for box lots or to spice up some "classic" mixtures ( the $10,000 cv collection of old British stamps that has languished on a dealers table for years at $275, for example). Some dealers will look for fly specks and other items they may have customers for but only as time allows (breaking up a stamp collection is VERY labor intensive).
So take a good look at how you are determining catalog and "actual" market value in determining it's "worth"......
Login to Like
this post
re: SAFE STORAGE
"Sadly, the "monetary value" of a collection equates to it's liquidity potential...
....So take a good look at how you are determining catalog and "actual" market value in determining it's "worth"......"
So true.... to extrapolate, I see catalog, fair market, wholesale value....
can't place a dollar on worth, what's your time and enjoyment worth?
Login to Like
this post
re: SAFE STORAGE
I wasn't thinking of liquidation value of our collection, more the time, money, and even more so, the together time My Father and I have spent putting our collection together. It is far from being the most "expensive" collection around, but to me it is priceless. Our safe has a desiccant to remove moisture and I check it often. I am more worried about the oil permeating the air and getting into the stamps. Is this possible? I'm assuming there must be others who store other items in gun safes.
Login to Like
this post
re: SAFE STORAGE
"I am more worried about the oil permeating the air and getting into the stamps. Is this possible? I'm assuming there must be others who store other items in gun safes."
Oil won't permeate the air, unless you're spraying WD-40..... I'd be more worried about incidental contact.....
If a gun is in a safe in should be greased....
I don't mix anything with stamps.
A good alarm system.... leave a few dollar bills and a big gold filled bracelet in obvious spots, and you're reasonably safe from theft. So unless you have a collection that has been featured and a pro is going after them.... there's ways to make it so the neighborhood thieve won't get your good stuff.
Fire/flood/storm damage which is more likely, storm most likely, there's only limited ways to keep stamps protected without spending big money
Login to Like
this post
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re: SAFE STORAGE
If you have a few big dollar items you could put them in a bank safe deposit bank. Then I'll tell you the story about how a bank lost my in-laws box content.
Keeping your collection in a bank box would keep you from enjoying it. You could build a fireproof room, doors all have fire ratings and a standard sheet of drywall has a 1/2 hour rating, and you can double up on that to achieve a higher rating. Keeping your collection in a room furthest away from fire sources (kitchen, furnace, fireplace) would add to your safety.
In my experience of managing office buildings, the loss in a fire most of the time isn't from the fire, but from the water used to put out the fire. We kept vital records in fireproof file cabinets, or in file systems covered with plastic. The last resort was to put record books in sealed plastic bags.
Code here in Pennsylvania for residences of a certain size is a sprinkler system, so my house has one.
Login to Like
this post