Coin Show Security Tips - Before You Leave Home

By S. O'Brien for Bob O'Brien

There are criminals who target coin collectors, hobbyists and investors hoping to find easy targets to rob. With planning and alertness using these coin show security tips, you can increase your safety and minimize being a criminal's target.

First, start your safety preparations before you leave home to minimize your security risk.

1. Clean out the interior of your vehicle; don’t leave anything that could be perceived as valuable within view to entice unsavory or criminal characters

2. Clean out the trunk of your vehicle, especially if you will be transporting bulk valuables

3. If you have a vehicle without enclosed storage (i.e., trunk), make sure you can secure your valuables where the contents cannot be easily seen and perceived as important

4. Make sure your vehicle is in good working order with safe tires and plenty of gas – a vehicle break down makes you more vulnerable

5. If you are taking any collectible reference materials (show flyers, coin magazines, red books, etc.) with you to the show, place them in an unmarked bag or briefcase

6. If you are taking any of your coins, currency or other valuables such as bullion or jewelry to sell, trade or just to show someone, put your items in an unmarked bag or box that will securely hold the weight and not advertise the contents

7. Take unmarked containers (bags, boxes, briefcase) with you for items you plan to buy – not all dealers will have unmarked bags or boxes for you

8. Make sure your cell phone is fully charged and make sure you take it with you

9. Tell your family your plans to visit a coin show but do not share your plans with people whom you do not fully trust

10. If possible, take a family member or friend with you – multiple people are less vulnerable than just one

11. Be careful when discussing your coin show plans on blogs, social networking sites or chat rooms on the internet – you never know who is lurking on the ‘net – this also applies to your emails that could be forwarded to characters who might take advantage of you

MOST IMPORTANT, if you take all the safety precautions and are still confronted by criminals, give the criminals your valuables. Those items may be valuable to you, but they are just things. Things can be replaced. Injury, or worse - death, cannot be justified by things.

Use these coin show security tips to: Be prepared. Be alert. Be aware. Above all, be safe.

Click on this link:  Coin Show Security Tips before You Leave Home for an Adobe Acrobat version of this article.