I understand burying silver is a risk due to the probability of it tarnishing. What I want to know is how long this takes, and is it easily reversed? Do the air tight containers made for stacking silver not prevent this, when buried? I want to have this figured out long before I start digging. Burying is what I want to do. I have ample land to choose from and do not want to entrust my wealth to any 3rd party. I understand it makes sense to convert silver to gold for burying but my financial faith is entrusted more in silver than gold, and I can't afford to buy much gold currently, though I do plan on investing in that too eventually.
As folks have said on this forum. If you are burying silver, buy cheap blobs of silver...the cheapest you can find...then it doesn't matter if it tarnishes...you buying and selling based on spot, period. You can always melt it and come up with your own bar or round...but burying anything more than a 'cheap' buffalo or generic round...I'd say you're nuts.
Google the following: Which chemicals do not react with silver? As a short cut...The Perh Mint have encapsulated coin holders made from Acrylic which is Poly(methyl methacrylate). If you are going to store silver, pick a day that has low humidity before sealing your chosen container. The Bureau Of Meteorology provides a ten minute update for most locations, for example Melbourne currently has a humidity reading of 38%. http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/observations/melbourne.shtml Hope this helps in some-way.
Dude, you made me literrally laugh out loud. I was taking notes, I might take all mine out, and wait for the right humidity time and day to arrive, and put them back in...I'll feel better.
I have a lot of paper collectables, trade cards, stamps on envelopes etc. and yes, I pack them all on dry days and I have the air conditioning and a dehumidifier on while I am double sleeving them and putting them in airtight long term storage. For silver bars, the tarnish only affects the top microns of the surface, a quick wipe over will cleaner will remove it, it isn't like rust or verdigris which goes all the way through. If you are that bothered find a nice inert oil and submerge the bars in that, it will keep the air and moisture out and you can just wash them off in soapy water afterwards.
I guess I'm nuts for buying silver eagles and maples then. Oh well, it's not like I've invested that much yet. I could keep that as my 'above ground' stash. I actually plan on keeping all of my maples in a Crown Royal bag just to keep with the whole Canadian thing.
I put few packs of silica gel in my silver cointainer, before I seal it, to dry any moisture inside. Then I put that container in another container and seal it too. And I put that in yet another sealed container, and it is triple waterproof and sealed, with packs of silica gel inside first container. Every container has the waterproof lid, but I aditionaly seal it with extra layer of silicone. + some extra 2 layers of top secret material outside outer container.
Kam, vacuum sealing was my original thought on this but for some reason I was afraid I might get laughed at. Looks pretty good though. I think that would do well for burying since I will have several different stashes. I'm not going to put all my eggs in one basket/monster box or something.
So just to be clear any tarnish will only be on the most superficial outer later correct? Also what are the best methods of cleaning silver and getting it looking like new again? Is it always possible to make it 100% again or does it depend on the damage and for how long?
Put a sheet of aluminium foil in boiling water, put your silver on top of that aluminium sheet, add few spoons of baking soda, let it boil 2 minuters, and it is clean as new! (dont do it with numismatics)
I did it many times, and while it's doable, it's still a damn lot work / mess, and you have to be quick in processing the coins, because the sulfur doesn't fly out the door or so, it stays there, and if you are too slow it reattaches itself and you can start over those. I ceased doing this, instead I bought what they name 'Silver Dip', which is much easier, put them in a bottle with some of it, and after atime depending on how badly they were tarnished, you can just pick them out clean. Still needs washing/drying afterwards. It still takes quite some time but less than with the aluminium foil and boiling water, and also much less hurry and redo's needed. Things often sound simpler than they are. Just this and that, but words are quick.
