Safety Deposit Boxes

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Posted By: <b>John S</b><p>Just a reminder to those of us that keep some/all of our collections in safety deposit boxes. It has been quite damp here in Ohio this summer. I dropped off a few new acqusitions this morning and was greated with quite a musty smell when I entered the vault. All was well in the box itself but I changed the desiccant to be safe. My bank is on relatively high ground.

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Posted By: <b>Bob</b><p>John- Are you cards raw or slabbed?

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Posted By: <b>John S</b><p>25% slabbed, 75% raw.

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Posted By: <b>E, Daniel</b><p>Bob, does the holder help keep out damp?<br /><br />Daniel

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Posted By: <b>Gilbert Maines</b><p>I don't believe that any slabs are air tight. But I think that air tight holders are available commercially (no grade tho).

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Posted By: <b>cmoking</b><p>I would have never thought this was a problem. But now that you mention it, you've got me thinking maybe I should put in some precautions.<br /><br />"I changed the desiccant to be safe"<br /><br />What is a desiccant? Is it something that absorbs humdity in a closed space? Thanks in advance

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>They are little packages that are used to prevent things from getting damp. They are often put in clothes closets to keep clothes from damaging. But I think the area of the bank with safe deposit boxes often goes to some lengths to keep the room dry and at the proper temperature. They are aware they are a repository of valuable objects and that they have a responsibility. I would ask them if they keep track of temperature and humidity in the room.

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Posted By: <b>John S</b><p>If the slabs are not 100% air tight I would think that the slabbed cards would be in greater danger in a damp environemnt than penny-sleeve top-loaded cards. Once moisture would enter a slab it would be almost like a terrarium...very difficult to escape. Thankfully I have yet to see a scan of mold/mildew growing on the inside of a SGC or PSA holder.<br /><br />Barry, I was very disappointed upon entering my bank as they had obviously not prepared adequately for extra humid weather. I might have to consider a move...my third in three years.

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Posted By: <b>steve f</b><p>Last year I had opened a package and being the dufus left the SGC slab on the kitchen counter and after a small spill I noticed water migrating between the seam. I immediately vacuumed the edge and removed the small amount that had seeped onto the black gasket. No card contact was made. No harm no foul <i>whew</i>. <br /><br />I imagine the other Co's slabs aren't airtight either.<br /><br />And I now open packages in the parlor.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>I remember speaking to the people at my bank and they said they monitored the temp and humidity. I would talk to your bank about it. When I go to my vault it is always air conditioned and it doesn't feel humid, though I'm not sure I would be able to tell.

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Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>This has been a concern of mine, too, because it's been very wet in NYC lately. I had spoken to the folks at GAI, and they tell me the holders are not air-tight and that it would be worse if they were. Not quite sure why that's the case, but I do think it's worth taking precautions. Not being paranoid, but trying to keep things dry to the best extent possible. Dehumidifiers really work, for example.

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Posted By: <b>Rick</b><p>I thought once a CU member did an experiment with a PSA slab ..where he left the graded card in his pool for a few days and nothing happenned?<br /><br />he also did some experiments with sunlight ..those were awful results...the plastic should really be UV protective

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Posted By: <b>Cobby33</b><p>Does anyone know where to buy desiccant in quantities less than 500?<br /><br />Also- do you just put them randomly in the safe itself or should they go in each box in which you store your cards?

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Posted By: <b>Gilbert Maines</b><p>Cobby - look on eBay for Silica Gel.<br /><br />It comes in bags of white crystals or for a little extra money you can get the indicating type which changes color when used up.

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Posted By: <b>ralph</b><p> baseball cards in bank vaults !, baseball cards in thick slabbed holders !, baseball cards in air tight sealed plastic !,baseball cards in saftey deposit boxes !,....I cant believe this stuff...what has happened to the real baseball card collectors out there ?

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Posted By: <b>Jeff P</b><p>The REAL baseball card collectors want to protect their be-loved collections.

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Posted By: <b>steve f</b><p>Ralphy, Do you seek P-F quality to be a true collector?

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Posted By: <b>Gilbert Maines</b><p>I imagine that it is not a happy moment when you realize that your collection has become so valuable that you can no longer provide it the fire, theft, and other damage security that it warrants.

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Posted By: <b>John S</b><p>Ralph,<br /><br />It is definitely a paradox being a "collector" nowadays. This has been discussed numerous times on the board. I believe that I collect for the right reasons but also am aware of the value of my collection...hence the safety deposit box. Basically, I simply cannot keep my T and E cards with my cap-gun, marbles, and toy soldiers anymore. My collection is scanned so I can enjoy it to some degree at all times even if the actual cards are not always in my possession.

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Posted By: <b>ralph</b><p>Steve F,<br /> What would make you think i seek out Poor or Fair condition cards to justify me being a true collector.

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Posted By: <b>Alan</b><p>Putting cards in a safety deposit box is like owning a boat - you're only happy when you buy it or sell it... (LOL)

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>I know a lot of collectors don't like keeping their material in a safe deposit box and not be able to look at it, but unless you have a really good safe at home, it's not a bad idea. A robbery, fire, or flood could be awfully devastating.

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Posted By: <b>jackgoodman</b><p>Leon, seems this question comes up fairly frequently. I know I've posted these sites a couple of times. Maybe you could add them to the links page (no I do not have an interest in either site). <br /><br />Try these sites for archival supplies:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.archivalware.com/" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.archivalware.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://archivalsuppliers.com/shop/" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://archivalsuppliers.com/shop/</a>

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Posted By: <b>Cobby33</b><p>Thanks Gil & Jack.

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Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>You can insure a collection but even if it was paid 100% without question, imagine how bad you would feel if some of your rarest cards were lost? I almost feel like I am in some small way a custodian of historical artifacts with an obligation to the future to try and insure their survival. That's why a safe deposit box makes sense. <br /><br />Most banks have climate controls in their vaults BUT they don't promise storage conditions will remain good. If you want climate-controlled storage, you would probably have to rent a vault with a film storage company (we have lots here in L.A., nsturally) where they are used to dealing with deteriorating film stock. <br /><br />I am glad slabs aren't sealed air tight. If there was moisture in there, exposure to temperature changes could cause condensation to "rain" on your cards. I once saw (in the pre-slab days) a screw-down card holder that the owner had sealed around the edges with glue that had obvious moisture damage to the card. <br /><br />As far as true collectors go, let's not go that route again. Suffice it to say that anyone who goes to the trouble of amassing and worrying about storing a collection is a "true" enough collector for me.

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Posted By: <b>Gilbert Maines</b><p>I agree that it would be pointless to have an airtight holder which would seal in a high humidity atmosphere. I would hope that the manufacturer of that product would be smarter than that.

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>I come out somewhere in the middle on this one. The thought of putting my slabs in a bank vault makes me cringe despite the fact that some of them are worth more than they should to be housed at home. I think a home safe is a good alternative because if you can't check out your cards whenever you want, at your own convenience, what's the point in having them? They just become another investment protected by a bank.

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Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>Nice suggestion...I have added those two links to our links section....regards (don't ask how to get the bottom two BST lines out of there.....it's blank where I put the little bit of code in)