Precious Metal Safes for Home Storage

Published Sep., 18, 2020 | Last Updated Jan. 28, 2025

One of the most important things to think about when investing in precious metals is how to store them safely. This includes gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion.

There are three common ways to store precious metals, including:

• Bank Vault or Safe Deposit Box

• Third-Party Depository

• At Home

While we aren’t safety deposit experts, we have been selling the region’s best selection of high-end safes since 1988. Our passion is giving you the best tools to protect you and your loved ones. Whether you buy a precious metal safe from us or elsewhere, use these insights to narrow down your option.

This post includes:

• • Why Store Your Precious Metals at Home

  • 6 FAQs About Storing Your Precious Metal in a Safe

    • How Easy is it to Break into Your Safe?

    • What is the Fire Rating of Your Safe?

    • Do You Need a Safe with a High Fire Rating?

    • Is the Safe Big Enough to Store All Your Precious Metals?

    • Where Will Your Safe Be Installed?

    • Do You Need to Take Additional Precautions When Storing Precious Metals?

  • Is a Bullion Safe Different?

  • Best Precious Metal Safes

Why Store Your Precious Metals at Home

Each of the solutions above has its own benefits. However, many precious metals investors prefer to store their assets at home. Storing precious metals, like gold coins, in your own home gives you the highest level of control and access to your assets.

Safety deposit boxes and third-party depositories require you to contact the institution in order to access your wealth. With an at-home safe, you can access your items whenever you need or want. This level of access is particularly ideal in the event that banks and financial institutions close, limiting your access.

6 FAQs About Storing Your Precious Metal in a Safe

1. How Easy is it to Break into Your Safe?

Not all safes are built equally. The materials used, how a safe is constructed, and the locking mechanisms utilized all play a role in how difficult it is to break into a safe.

One thing you need to know is that no safe is un-crackable. With enough time, resources, and expertise, any safe can be broken into. That being said, some safes take substantially longer to breach than others.

For instance, American-made Liberty safes use a unique and secure 2-piece design. This design means that Liberty safes do not have seams on the front, sides or top of the safe - the most vulnerable places for prying or breaking welds.

Commercial safes, like the American Security safes, are considered almost impervious to burglary attacks. The walls are made of strong steel. They are also filled with high-strength concrete. This makes it harder for thieves to drill or weld their way in.

2. What is the Fire Rating of Your Safe?

Gun safe fire ratings can be misleading because fire ratings are not regulated in the gun safe industry. A safe manufacturer can assign any fire rating they want, regardless of testing.

On paper, an imported Costco gun safe may seem just as reliable as an American-made Liberty safe. But when the heat meets the steal, there’s often a different tale to be told.

Safe manufacturers like Liberty do in-house testing to provide their fire-ratings. And, they are transparent about their results, showing the testing process and outcome on their website. This means you can trust Liberty’s 2-hour fire rating.

Fort Knox is another manufacturer with exacting standards and transparent testing procedures. Nine different sensors are placed within a safe during a Fort Knox fire test. The furnace temp is raised to 1200 degrees within the first 10 minutes.

It is then steadily increased to 1680 degrees over the duration of the test. (That's roughly 480 degrees hotter than other manufacturers’ tests.)

3. Do You Need a Safe with a High Fire Rating?

How high of a fire rating you need depends on you. Like investing in the stock market, you need to consider what’s an acceptable level of risk for you personally.

How likely is it your safe will be exposed to fire? What will it cost you if you lose the contents of your safe to a fire?

Generally speaking, we recommend that the more expensive the items you are storing, the higher the fire rating you want. If you consider this in terms of risk: the higher the fire rating, the lower the risk. Get the skinny on fire ratings and which one is right for you.

4. Is the Safe Big Enough to Store All Your Precious Metals?

We rarely hear customers complain. When they do, it’s usually because they wish they had bought a bigger safe. As a rule of thumb, we recommend looking at all the items you want to store and then buying a safe one size bigger.

Learn more about how to decide what size safe you need.

5. Where Will Your Safe Be Installed?

In order for the contents of your safe to be as secure and protected as possible, your safe needs to be properly installed. Three of the most important aspects of installing your safe include:

1. Level Your Safe — This helps the door swing properly. It also prevents extra stress on the hinges and lock.

2. Create Airflow Around All 6 Sides — Airflow on all six sides of your safe, including the base, helps prevent moisture. This reduces mold and mildew that can damage your valuables.

3. Bolt Your Safe to the Floor — Bolting your safe to the floor gives you the most security.

Our professional delivery and installation team moves and installs thousands of safes a year. Learn more about our exclusive delivery and installation process.

6. Do You Need to Take Additional Precautions When Storing Precious Metals?

Some precious metals can become damaged when exposed to elements, such as water. For example, many investors have both gold and silver bullion. Silver bullion needs be kept in a dry space in order to maintain its integrity.

To minimize moisture in your safe, we recommend using both a dehumidifier rod and a rechargeable desiccant device. Learn more about how to minimize moisture in your safe.

Is a Bullion Safe Different?

There are no specifically designed “bullion safes.” Depending on the manufacturer, you may have the option to configure the safe’s interior based on your specific needs. But when you’re searching for a ‘bullion safe,’ you’ll be looking at high-end safes. Typically, these safes will feature a TL rating. There are six different TL ratings:

• TL-15 - Door is rated to withstand a tool attack for 15 minutes.

• TL-30 - Door is rated to withstand a tool attack for 30 minutes

• TL-30x6 - All six sides of the safe are rated to withstand a tool attack for 30 minutes.

• TRTL-30x6 - All six sides of the safe are rated to withstand a tool and torch attack for 30 minutes.

• TRTL-60x6 - All six sides of the safe are rated to withstand a tool and torch attack for 60 minutes.

Best Precious Metal Safes

The following list has been ordered from most secure to most affordable. Whenever you’re storing high-dollar amounts, we always recommend considering the total value you want to protect. A safe isn’t just a box. It’s your own insurance policy.

• ISM Safes — Manufactures the world’s only TRTL-60x6 safes.
• American Security Safes - The best American-made TL rated safes.
• Fort Knox Safes - American-made safes offering the most customizable security packages and finished in the industry.
• Presidential Liberty Safes - Liberty’s premier line of American-made safes.
• Magnum Liberty Safes - A premium American-made safe.