Never, ever, ever. Not for any reason.
Got it? Never.
Why? Nothing is absolutely safe. Chance of confiscation or chance of fire, theft, gun to the head to open safe etc etc.
During the Roosevelt Administration bank safe deposit boxes were searched without the consent of the owner and any gold was seized without the slightest shred of due process.
If I had any, and I'm not saying I do or don't mind you, I'd rather have it in the fire resistant safe that's bolted to my floor in my home than in any bank.
What do I care if it melts? It's still gold or silver.
Theft? They're going to have to bring in a crane, rip out a couple of walls, and then pull up a substantial piece of concrete slab.
Gun to my head? Possible I suppose. Not very probable. And the outcome wouldn't be what the thieves were counting on. They'd need to get past the Neighborhood Watch, some alarms, a couple of dogs, and a video surveillance system to pull it off.
There are softer targets right up the street.
I ain't Ft. Knox, but anybody f****** with me has a way better than even chance of ending very dead very rapidly.
Safe Deposit box -
upon your death, the bank is required to have a representative of the IRS present when your box is opened to make sure you are not passing on your inheritance via prescious metals to avoid taxation.
Why no safe deposit boxes (for other than family papers etc)? Because in 1933 when FDR outlawed most private gold, a clause in that law ordered banks not to open “your” safe depostit box except in the presence of an IRS agent, by appointment.