Personal Safety

[joshuanip]

Although I live in a good area with a crime rate among the lowest in the city, I am 15 minutes away from an adjacent city among the highest. The burglaries in my neighborhood are all transient crimes, especially given the contrast in neighborhoods.

I had a neighbor whose housekeeper stole a couple hundred grand in gold and antiques because they cased her joint while cleaning and knew when she wasn’t at home. Poor lady was widowed and an antiques dealer, which left her broke.

That said, my wife doesn’t work and always home with the kids. Which concerns me more than my cards. In this case, a bolted safe for my valuables susceptible to common theft and a safety deposit box for my higher dollar stuff that could put my family in danger. For those not with me, I take a picture of them as Leon suggested.

Works for me. Allows me to look at my cards while also knowing there isnt anything too big in my house.

[kailes2872]

That said, my wife doesn’t work and always home with the kids. Which concerns me more than my cards

This

I could handle the loss and use milkshake’s advice (although my wife wants to get a Yorkie and I am not sure that helps much). I’ll take my chances when I am home. But the family is always on my mind.

Thanks for the feedback. It had given me a lot of ideas and security measures that I had not considered

[calvindog]

Safe deposit box for the best stuff.

Giant home safe for the next most valuable stuff: http://www.libertysafe.com/safe-fran...afes-ps-6.html

And many of these around your house: https://www.sigsauer.com/store/p320-...full-size.html

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Safe deposit box for the best stuff.

Giant home safe for the next most valuable stuff: http://www.libertysafe.com/safe-fran...afes-ps-6.html

And many of these around your house: https://www.sigsauer.com/store/p320-...full-size.html

Will a sigsauer open the safe if I forget the combination?

[joshuanip]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

Will a sigsauer open the safe if I forget the combination?

Not if you leave the gun in the safe...

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by joshuanip

Not if you leave the gun in the safe...

But Jeff said just leave the sigsauers around the house. This conceivably could help the thieves open the safe, so they wouldn’t risk back injury trying to remove it.

[DaveW]

I've solved this problem by not having any high value cards. Seriously though, the thieves really are mostly interested in quick money - so cash, gold, etc. Most people wouldn't know a valuable card if they saw one. My home was burglarized several years ago. My Gold coins were gone but all my cards were layed out neatly by the thieves on the sofa and coffee table like they enjoyed looking at them, but they didn't take any of them.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

Will a sigsauer open the safe if I forget the combination?

No but 1 or 2 $30 magnets will.

[Paul S]

Originally Posted by bnorth

No but 1 or 2 $30 magnets will.

I collect those too!

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Paul S

I collect those too!

You collect hockey puck magnets or are you a asset relocation specialist?

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

Will a sigsauer open the safe if I forget the combination?

No but it will help a home invasion robbery crew convince you, your wife and your children to open the safe: once they overpower you and get hold of one of the guns, they just put the muzzle to the nearest skull and you open the safe for them.

A safe deposit box for the hard to replace stuff is the way to go. Yeah, it is kind of like visiting your cards in jail, but that's the trade-off. The stuff that can be replaced easily, just insure it and don't sweat it. It's just stuff. If someone breaks in and steals those cards, my insurer pays for them. Or refuses to pay and then eventually pays for my new house with the bad faith judgment I'll nail them for. I'm flexible on that point

[packs]

I'm going out on a limb here but my guess is that if some home invader forced his way into my house because he heard I have a safe, he's probably going to be pretty disappointed when he sees its full of baseball cards.

[samosa4u]

It looks like some of you folks on here have been watching too many Clint Eastwood movies lately! If somebody does break into your home, chances are it will probably be empty. Majority of thieves out there do not want any confrontations. In other words, they want to go in, take the stuff, and go out.

Originally Posted by kailes2872

The joy that i receive my from my collection is looking at it, touching it, smelling it, showing it to friends.

That's a problem right there. When you show off your collection to your friends, then they are going to go out there and tell others (and then those people will tell others). Do you want 200 people to know that you own a valuable collection? Best thing to do is never share it with anyone except for a few very close family members. I always show my cards to my mother.

[Leon]

I think they would just pay you, Adam. No one wants a bad faith judgment lawsuit against them!!
I will reiterate how stress free having a bank safe deposit box is.

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

No but it will help a home invasion robbery crew convince you, your wife and your children to open the safe: once they overpower you and get hold of one of the guns, they just put the muzzle to the nearest skull and you open the safe for them.

A safe deposit box for the hard to replace stuff is the way to go. Yeah, it is kind of like visiting your cards in jail, but that's the trade-off. The stuff that can be replaced easily, just insure it and don't sweat it. It's just stuff. If someone breaks in and steals those cards, my insurer pays for them. Or refuses to pay and then eventually pays for my new house with the bad faith judgment I'll nail them for. I'm flexible on that point

[mantlefan]

I keep mine in the vault at the bank. They're all pictured on my PSA Registry sets so I can look at them anytime I want. A home safe is just a way for a crook to hold a gun to my daughter's head and demand the combination.

[ALR-bishop]

I have an ungraded 52 set with in mid range with both Mantle versions in sheets in binders. Maybe I should take the 52 Reprint set I also have and put it in a binder next to it. Then, if a thief looks them over he will think, " Wow, I am taking the good looking shiny one"

[joshuanip]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

I have an ungraded 52 set with in mid range with both Mantle versions in sheets in binders. Maybe I should take the 52 Reprint set I also have and put it in a binder next to it. Then, if a thief looks them over he will think, " Wow, I am taking the good looking shiny one"

Al, this should be moved to the divorce poll!

Originally Posted by mantlefan

I keep mine in the vault at the bank. They're all pictured on my PSA Registry sets so I can look at them anytime I want. A home safe is just a way for a crook to hold a gun to my daughter's head and demand the combination.

+1. Someone needs to invent a fire/water proof cereal box

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by mantlefan

I keep mine in the vault at the bank. They're all pictured on my PSA Registry sets so I can look at them anytime I want. A home safe is just a way for a crook to hold a gun to my daughter's head and demand the combination.

As soon as the security alarm goes off, what they will be doing is looking down the barrel of a .357 magnum. I sleep lightly, and in Michigan, at least, a homeowner has every right to plug an intruder in the night.

Regards,

Larry

[joshuanip]

Originally Posted by ls7plus

As soon as the security alarm goes off, what they will be doing is looking down the barrel of a .357 magnum. I sleep lightly, and in Michigan, at least, a homeowner has every right to plug an intruder in the night.

Regards,

Larry

I prefer a 9mm. Less recoil, more accurate and less deadly. But also less stopping power. So, yes if you want to plug the intruder, a 357 mag is a beast.

[esd10]

Originally Posted by joshuanip

I prefer a 9mm. Less recoil, more accurate and less deadly. But also less stopping power. So, yes if you want to plug the intruder, a 357 mag is a beast.

9mm hollowbpoints work just fine

[esd10]

First thing is to get insurance on them and then get a fireproof safe that bolts to the floor then a 9mm just for a little extra protection.

[dabigyankeeman]

I keep my most valuable cards off site however before I take them away I make a copy of them life-size on good photo paper and that copy goes in my plastic sheets in my albums. You would be amazed at how lifelike the copies are, they look exactly like the card, my card, with every little crease and flaw. Works great!!! This way your cards are safe, but you can still "look" at them.

[insidethewrapper]

At what value does the Safety Deposit Box kick in ? Value a Safe kicks in ?

[BruceinGa]

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

At what value does the Safety Deposit Box kick in ? Value a Safe kicks in ?

I don't have any of what most here would call "high dollar" cards but some are in that category to me . A couple of years ago I asked for insurance quotes for my collection and found that a safe deposit at $120 annually is a much better option for me. True, it will hold only a finite number of cards so I only keep my better ones there.
As for safes I remember that most have a limited length of time protecting it's contents from heat from a fire.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

At what value does the Safety Deposit Box kick in ? Value a Safe kicks in ?

The safe deposit box kicked in for me when I picked up a T206 Plank. But with the current rise in prices, I would start when I got a Cobb Green.

[ALR-bishop]

I was once the executor of an estate where estate papers were in box in a bank vault that flooded. Fortunately when water receded the box in question was above the water line. But half the boxes were flooded for an extended period and all paper items in them destroyed. Fire and earthquakes can be other issues. FDC and banks typically exclude coverage of box contents such that you need separate coverage if you want/need it.

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geJ...1CbPsLVSWZau8-

[BruceinGa]

I wonder if there are statistics as to the number of bank vaults that have suffered fire, flood and/or earthquake damage.
ALR-bishop, thanks for reminding us of the pitfalls with safe deposit boxes.

[jsq]

someone mentioned being worried about a flood at their banks safety deposit box. this is a valid concern.

we put our safety deposit box items in the large 2 or 5 gallon size ziploc type plastic bags. i think they are sold at target and walmart as bags to put clothes in?? or??? i forget exactly. are they water tight? i think so.

a friend lost some important and valuable papers via flood of their banks safety deposit box. they had no protection.

water in banks happens more often then you would think. just because your bank is on a hill doesn't protect you from a broken pipe!! in the building. or a fire that triggers the sprinklers in the buildings.

large plastic zip locks are cheap and easy to use and take up very little space in your box when your items are inside the bag.
good luck

[conor912]

Originally Posted by joshuanip

That said, my wife doesn’t work and always home with the kids.

As a stay at home dad, I can assure you that your wife works plenty. 🙂