As investors ourselves we know that our customers need absolute peace of mind and protection regarding their Precious Metals. Storage is a significant part of that and can be in a variety of forms: at home, in the office, or a professional vault. It is important that during our business dealings with you, we as a team do not to assume all of our clients know all the pitfalls of storing Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium coins and bars.

Secure and comfortable storage is as much a part of investing in Precious Metals as the purchase. So here is a list of points of which to be mindful:

Home or Office Storage

Many clients wish to store their coins and bars at home or in a secure office, for the assurance of closeness and self-determination. There are many advantages to storing at home, including privacy and assurance for family members. However, with the exception of Gold – which is one of the most benign substances on earth – other precious metals react with a variety of environmental factors.

• Humidity: Are your coins and bars stored away from natural sources of water and vapour around the home? As this is carried in the air this is hard to completely prevent. Look for containers and coin tubes that are marketed as airtight.
• Temperature: added heat will speed up the decaying process of humidity and other pollutants, while cold temperatures will help water vapour to condense onto the coin’s surface. So, keep this in mind if storing in an office at night, for example.
• Acids: Surprisingly, “over time acids will leach out of paper or cardboard and cause toning and tarnish especially on copper and silver coins. Acids can also be emitted from adhesives used in packaging, wood furniture and everyday household materials, such as cleaning solutions, including Chlorine.” (The Spruce) As some of our clients store coins and bars over many years for wealth protection and inheritance it is important to think about these otherwise slow processes.

Insurance, Flood and Fire Protection 

Never has this seemed a more portentous concern. The question remains, can I safely store my investments and valuables at home? Of course, this is a matter for you to decide. It all depends on how you perceive risk, what you can insure, how much that costs and what you have to buy or modify to comply with your insurer’s rules. Bleyer is a proud partner of Securikey safe products and offers a comprehensive range of home storage options with substantial cash and valuable insurance ratings. Please click here to visit our Storage and Security shop or call Bleyer on 01769 618 618 to speak to one of our friendly advisers.

Handling Coins and Bars for Optimum Storage

It almost feels inherent to touch a coin or bar of precious metals with care. Our fingers contain oils, for example, that will over time damage the surface quality of our coins and bars, which in turn will reduce the sale value. Buying a soft pair of gloves with do the trick.

Location

“As the old real estate adage goes “location, location, location” is everything. Where you store your collection is just as important as how you store your collection. Your basic rule of thumb should be, “if the environment is comfortable enough for a person, it will probably be satisfactory for your coins”. Extremes such as a cellar (cold and humid) or attic (hot and harsh) must be avoided in order to keep your coin collection in the finest condition possible. In a home office or bedroom away from the kitchen is the best location.” (James Bucki, How To Store Your Coin Collection Safely) 

Storage out of the Home or Office

• Bank or Post Office Deposit Box: On the one hand, this feels like it could be a secure option, especially easing any concerns you may have regarding insurance costs. On the other hand, it will also incur costs. Some of Bleyer’s clients volunteer that they prefer holding precious metal coins and bars outside of the financial system from which they are trying to protect their investments in the first place. As with all aspects of investing in Precious Metals, it is for our clients do their own research as to what option will most specifically meet your needs.
• Secure Vault: Bleyer Bullion is a specialist and leading supplier of fully insured Gold & Silver storage in the UK. Bleyer offer secure storage for your gold at one of two UK LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) approved security transporters and custodians of precious metals. Unlike other companies offering storage, where you own a percentage of a larger bar, you own your own bars, stored with Bleyer. For customers wishing to buy Silver, Platinum or Palladium in any reasonable quantities, we generally suggest they consider our off-shore Channel Islands facility. This makes for VAT free purchasing and enables the purchase of considerably more metal for the same amount of money. Again this store is fully insured and the service is provided by an insurance specialist for your peace of mind. For your peace of mind these vaults are not within any banking entity.

For more information on all these Storage Choices or just to ask about further purchases, call Bleyer on 01769 618618 or email sales@bleyer.co.uk. We hope you have a safe and peaceful week.