Stash cans are hollowed out cans meant to resemble household products. The idea is that a burglar is unlikely to check a can for a false bottom, so your stuff will be safer in a diversion stash can than in an actual safe.
Yes, a diversion stash canister can be safer than a safe box in the right conditions.
For example, the first safe I ever bought was a small SentrySafe:
While a SentrySafe may be good for organization or keeping my coins safe from small fires, if a thief saw this safe, they could easily pick it up and walk away with it! If anything, a small safe like this only draws attention to the fast that there are valuables inside.
There are other small safes with cords that can be attached to the wall, but a prepared burglar could easily cut through the cord.
The best part about a diversion can is that a thief is unlikely to check all the cans in your house for fakes. If you are smart enough to store your diversion can with real cans, it is unlikely to be found. Most burglars are only in a house for a few minutes looking for easy to grab valuables like TV’s and jewelry.
Best Diversion Cans for Storing Gold and Silver:
The two most important things to look for in a diversion can for gold and silver storage is how accurately it resembles the product it is meant to emulate, and if it can hold 1oz coins.
Below are my top picks of diversion safes. All have their strengths and drawbacks, but fit the criteria of looking accurate and being large enough for one ounce rounds of silver or gold.
Peanut Butter Stash Safe:
I like this Peanut Butter stash safe for its size and because it is weighted. This safe would be great for storing gold and silver because it could hold more than the average hollowed out Coke can.
The best part of this safe is the wide lid. You could fit your entire hand in this safe and easily get all of your gold, silver, and coins.
I wish it had a more recognizable brand, but it does look like a peanut butter jar from a discount store. The label even includes nutrition facts!
I think the size and quality of this safe are quite good. Someone scanning your pantry is unlikely to pick this out as a safe. Although, it may not be good for hiding valuables from anyone looking for a midnight snack 😉
Water Bottle Diversion Safe:
This Dasani Water Bottle Diversion Safe has some of the best reviews on Amazon.
It is wide enough to hold several 1oz rounds, but it is fairly short since most of it is filled with water. You could hold at least 5 or 6 single ounce rounds of silver in this can.
This canister definitely is the most realistic out of any of the diversion safes I found, unfortunately it is not very large. Luckily, you could purchase several of these Dasani water bottle diversion cans and it would create an even more realistic illusion.
The Classic Book Safe:
The book safe is a bit overdone, but can be effective. The problem with most book safes is that it is that many of them are poorly made. The best part about these book safes is that they use real paper instead of plastic. If someone quickly checked the sides of this book it would not be easy to tell it was fake.
Get a book for the cover that is usually large. The dictionary and Bible are too commonly hollowed out, so I would stay away from those for storage. I like the Les Mis option with this brand since Les Miserables is already a very large book.
You can also pick Pride and Prejudice or Alice in Wonderland, but since neither of those books are usually very large it may make the diversion safe stand out more than it should.
A Fake Vent Safe:
The fake vent certainly beats all the other safes in terms of size. This could store all your silver and gold and likely much more.
This safe does require installation, so make sure you have a spot in your house between two studs where this can fit. It may also be beneficial to put it behind a small shelf or nightstand to make it less visible.
Someone may be able to realize this vent is fake if they are looking closely enough, but since it requires a RFID card to open, they will be unable to open it without removing it from the wall or likely making a lot of noise.
The Corn Can Stash Safe:
This one is great cause you could easily grab 2 or 3 and keep them in the back of your pantry with some other corn cans and no one would ever know.
It is not weighted, but if you are storing heavy items like gold and silver, that is likely not an issue for you. You can put cloth or packing peanuts around your coins to prevent them from rattling in the can when lifted.
Unlike hollowed out Coke and Pringles cans, the corn can is easier to get your hand inside.
I hope this article was helpful! Leave a comment and vote in our poll below!
I am an Amazon Affiliate, so I earn a commission on sales made through my links. This does not increase the price of any item linked through my site. My main goal is to inform. Thank you for supporting my website!
American Coin Stash 