Gold & Silver storage

[Paul]

Storing Gold/Silver Bullion

 

Whilst there are no right or wrong answers about what is the exact perfect solution to this area of investment, i have pieced together a 

small article that hopefully helps new stackers or even established stackers may learn a few new things to about personal storage

 

 

The physical possession and control of your bullion is one of the main benefits of investing in physical gold bullion over using electronic/paper gold/ETF's 

 

 

• Allocated Storage

 

The biggest players out there in the UK are the likes of bullionvault & goldmoney in the channel islands

 

Bullion by Post has now offered the option of using allocated storage with Brinks

Allocated storage offers investors a safe method of storing bullion. But it is an area of debate amongst forum memebers, there are pros and cons and also additional costs 

 

Whilst i have no reason to doubt everything they say is true.  Putting all your eggs in one basket with them could be risky.

But saying that i do have a proportional of my precious metals investments in both bullionvault and goldmoney

 

 

• Safety Deposit Box

 

A safety deposit box within a bank offers a gold storage solution backed by the additional security measures taken by the bank. But are very hard to get these days in the UK

 

However, safety deposit boxes require a monthly/annual fee and in the unlikely event the bank was breached and personal deposit boxes compromised, 

It is my belief you would not be insured as you do not declare what is contained. 

Whilst used to be common place safety deposit boxes are becoming increasingly scarce UK wide, sourcing one locally maybe difficult.

 

There are several safe deposit centres in London, from my searches Metro Bank offer them also Selfridges Dept Store Oxford Street

 

 

 

Safety deposit centres might seem a good option it is certainly not without risk 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1362561/Bank-gangsters-Police-open-7k-safety-deposit-boxes-discover-50m.html

 

 

• Home Safe

 

Whilst it might be the first thing to think of as the safest option home safes are a popular method of storing your gold investment. 

A dirty great big safe found under the stairs will say one thing to a burgular....... hhmmmmm ......whats inside ??

 

Older large safes can be found for very small costs.  But they 'look the part'.

 

Use this as your 'decoy' and then your stack could be stored in your chosen concealment spots, 

A 1oz gold coin measures about the size of a £2 coin, but hold a near £800 worth of value.  use the bulky large safe as the decoy to so they take their "eyes off the prize"

 

Discrete safes can also come in the form of much smaller floor safes, wall safes, or hiding your safe in the loft or basement of your home. 

 

It is also a bone of contention about whether it is wise to insure your gold/silver bullion at home, declare it on your home contents 

insurance and it adds another set of eyes who know you have bullion stored at home.  However on the flip side you know you are covered 

in the unfortunate event your property was burgled. 

 

You would also expect an additional premium to be added to your insurance 

 

It has been said on several USA forums that gun cases offer a good solution for silver storage, given silver by its nature ofg being bigger than gold

the amount of cubic inch space available in a gun safe is much bigger

 

However, with home safes it is important one other person has the information to access your bullion if anything ever happened to you.

 

Again, it is crucial you are discreet, keep the number of people aware to the very minimum. 

If you maybe be doing something you should include your wife !  

You don't know what a women is really like until you divorce/cheat on her !

 

 

It is advised that you don’t share this information freely with people including family members, friends and acquaintances. 

Really the fewer people who know you are in possession of bullion, the better. 

 

 

• Creative hiding places

 

A USA survey said "The Chicago Crime Commission stated that a burglar spends an average of 6 minutes in a victim's home. Put the odds in your favor"

 

If you are a relatively modest investor of physical bullion bars and coins, then a popular and cost effective method of storing it is at home. 

Again, if you do opt for this method of storing your bullion at home, then be creative. 

Hide it somewhere unusual, somewhere where if you did encounter an intruder, they would not stumble across it by accident.

 

Remember gold does not tarnish or damage.  It is will still be GOLD even it is buried

 

I remember reading years ago when WW2 broke out a Jewish family man got all of his gold smelted down and had them cast as massive door hinges for the all the doors in his house

and painted them black

the Germans came and rounded them up and sent them off to the concentration camp. 

 

After the war ended and he returned to his home. The gold was all still in tact, he still had his wealth albeit in black coloured hinges instead of recognizable gold coins

 

 

• Valuable “Rocks” (taken from goldsilver.com)

 

Camouflaging your storage site into the local topography is a time-tested solution.  

Rocks typically do not draw much attention and can fit into a variety of landscapes.  

Artificial rocks with hollow storage cavities can be purchased online through a simple internet search.  

Search results will feature a wealth of shapes, sizes, and colors, ranging in capacity to accommodate a few dozen to several hundred ounces.  

This solution is essentially fireproof and can be extremely labor intensive in the event of theft.

 

• Precious Pets :  Pet Beds or Cat Litter Boxes 

 

Dog beds and cat litter boxes offer ideal spaces for concealment, typically having embedded in them several layers which can provide ample space for storage.  

The only limitation to this option are the depth and width of the litter box or pet bed.   

Ensure the storage container is reinforced for protection against your own pet and that the box or bed is reassembled properly.  

The scent and appearance of the storage site will limit the attention any burglar gives to the area.

 

• Silver Soil: Gardening Pots

 

The density and weight of larger gardening pots can make them ideal for storing larger quantities of precious metals.  Their bases can be altered to feature a spacious non-visible compartment within. 

 Larger pots can weigh several hundred pounds and require skill to successfully penetrate, reducing the probability of theft.  

The layer of soil acts as a protective fireproof barrier.  A larger base can work well for several dozen coin tubes or even bars.  

Remember to always waterproof your metals before storing.

 

• Prized Pipes

 

Pipes are both abundant and distributed throughout most homes.  

A gas or water pipe which is no longer in use is ideal.  Caps can be added to the ends of pipes to hold additional metals.  

Coins can easily be hidden either within a non-functional pipe or within a pipe cap you may easily purchase. 

Pipe storage also is a theft deterrent because of the unlikelihood that a time-constrained intruder will have time to scan your entire plumbing or gas pipelines system.

 

• Golden Flames: The Fireplace

 

Incorporating your storage site into a living space is one of the best solutions for concealing your stash. 

Rooms associated with leisure are often the last location a culprit would search. This solution may require some masonry work in creating a compartment within the base or along the walls of the fireplace. 

The compartment can be customized to meet your storage needs.  Once finished, seal the compartment, and you now have a sturdy, fireproof storage solution.

 

Final Thoughts on How to Hide Your Gold Silver

 

Almost any storage solution can be customized to meet your unique security and living configurations.  As with any investment choice, diversification of risk is an important part of the process.  Using multiple locations will not only mitigate your risk but alos give you peace of mind.  Do not limit yourself to your own dwelling; there is a limitless array of options in the outdoors.

 

Your own creativity is the only limitation in finding the ideal storage solution(s).  

Flexibility is critical, and most importantly, use diversification of location to safeguard your metals against the most probable and improbable scenarios.

 

 

Search terms for creative hiding places from google yield several excellent sources to helped me pen the above  :

 

http://www.stashvault.com/

 

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/8-secret-spots-to-hide-valuables-at-home-190982

 

http://www.pinterest.com/fbeaulieu1/hidden-storage-spaces/

 

http://www.pinterest.com/tammyklick/secret-hiding-places/

 

http://cdn.preterhuman.net/texts/survival/Connor,%20Michael%20-%20How%20to%20Hide%20Anything.pdf

 

http://www.familyhandyman.com/home-security/20-secret-hiding-places/view-all

 

http://www.misdefenseproducts.com/Hiding-Places-for-Valuables-p-1-c-272.html

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HIDDEN-COMPARTMENT-Secret-Silver-Jewellery/dp/B008GDD6KY

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Imitation-Double-Plug-Socket-Security/dp/B00G2MNR5U/ref=pd_sim_kh_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BTE581RKHFM1TD98YA2

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/DREAMdirect-63581-Safe-candle/dp/B000FO6MS0/ref=pd_sim_kh_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BTE581RKHFM1TD98YA2

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sterling-801CD-SafeCan-Collins-Dictionary/dp/B002FGCB5E/ref=pd_sim_kh_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BTE581RKHFM1TD98YA2

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Helix-Paperback-Concealed-Security-W61022/dp/B000WTXEIE/ref=pd_sim_kh_10?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BTE581RKHFM1TD98YA2

 

Google terms to search out :

 

secret stash

Secret safes

Secret wall safes

Key stone Safe

Safe key hiders

Stash boxes

Hollow books

[HighlandTiger]

You forgot........"Under the bed"   

[Paul]

I hide all my fiat notes in little shiny gold and silver coloured circles that loose you 40%+ of their value in under 3 years, at this rate another 5+ years and i will have to pay people to take them off my hands !

[silversword]

Well, if there was anything a burglar had neglected when searching for your stash, they now know what they missed. Of course a lot of this is already in the public domain so nothing new.

If you are storing metals at home, don't tell anyone you have them, and just as importantly, don't post about your ingenious hiding place online.

[Kman]

Another benefit of gold > silver, can hide a lot of wealth in a small space

 

 

I suppose the only problem is the more creative you are and the more hiding places, the more likely you are to forget 

[BaldyBob]

I got my wife to store them under the stairs. If a burglar can find anything amongst all that accumulated crap, they deserve it.

[Paul]

for dexter on TV he kept his blood slides safe and sound in a false air vent, as well as shed, lock up unit and boat

[CatStudent]

I think that it is interesting to have some amount of PM at hand, but in case one surpases some figures it is better to store in a safe box, but not from a local bank (government can change laws in case of seize) but in a foreign bank, eg. Switzerland.

And about the home hides, I would choose any brick up solution (hole + mortar), but it should be near pipes to prevent metal detectors to find them.

[HighlandTiger]

Another benefit of gold > silver, can hide a lot of wealth in a small space

 

 

I suppose the only problem is the more creative you are and the more hiding places, the more likely you are to forget 

 

I would never forget where I've hidden my stash............(says the man who still cant remember where he put any of his gold jewellery that he amassed over his life)

 

[Cointreau]

Just to let you know, three tubes of coins, and I mean the tubes that hold 21 ASE'S or Brits.

Three of these tubes fit as snug as a bug in a rug inside a tin of Farrah's toffees. Link provided.

You can get these toffees from John Lewis. I got my tin from Millets. I'm looking to get a couple more

these tins myself. An elegant storage solution to be sure.

 

http://www.johnlewis.com/farrah%27s-olde-english-toffee-assortment-275g/p158453

[HelpingHands]

....and then put in all in a safe.

[BaldyBob]

Anything that can be carried in one hand is a non starter.

[HelpingHands]

...and you then have to find somewhere to hide the toffees.

[silversword]

Store them in a big iron crate with "I'm a paedophile" written all over it in bright pink paint. No burglar will walk down the road with that.

[MickB]

Store them in a big iron crate with "I'm a paedophile" written all over it in bright pink paint. No burglar will walk down the road with that.

No, but the Police might take it away..!

[mr-dead]

I like to store my gold inside one of my mules -

 

 

Really well hidden but a pain in the ass to round them up to check my stack

[bones]

buy a cheep safe and leave it some where visible with a bag or two of coppers inside . that will be the first thing they grab and hopefully vacate your house sharpish  .if your lucky leaving your tv , laptop , pms in the toffee tin and daft dog behind