Yes, and that is its very principle: you rent a space inside a vault room, you do not deposit value in the banking sense of the term. At Gold & Silver Company in Dottignies (Mouscron), the contents of a box are known only to the tenant and, where applicable, to the proxy he has chosen: the operator does not know, by construction.
01 · First formulaDoes a rented box preserve full ownership of the metal?
Yes, and that is its very principle: you rent a space inside a vault room, you do not deposit value in the banking sense of the term. At Gold & Silver Company in Dottignies (Mouscron), the contents of a box are known only to the tenant and, where applicable, to the proxy he has chosen: the operator does not know, by construction1.
A valid identity card or passport, nothing else. No proof of address, no bank statement and no file to build: the rental contract is sufficient in itself. Signing takes twenty to thirty minutes at the counter, and the box can be used straight away.
Access is then self-service: access card, key and personal code, the latter keyed in away from prying eyes. Inside the vault room, a confidentiality booth, out of the cameras' reach, lets you handle your valuables without witnesses.
02 · Second formulaWhat is custody "under number"?
It is the non-nominative formula: the client does not rent a space in their own name; their valuables rest under a number, in a shared custody area, protected by the same security arrangements as the individual boxes. As for any rental, an identity document is presented at subscription. At Gold & Silver Company, this custody is insured up to 10 million euros, for 10 euros a month, payable in advance.
03 · Third formulaAllocated storage, and how it differs from unallocated
In allocated storage, your metal is identified: numbered bars, a nominative inventory, physical segregation of the lot. In unallocated storage, you hold a right over a quantity of metal, with no pieces assigned. What that right is worth, notably if the custodian fails, depends on the contract and the applicable law, not on the brochure.
In a so-called allocated offer, check that the contract precisely identifies the metal, prohibits its reuse and organises its restitution. In an unallocated offer, check the exact nature of your right and its treatment in the event of insolvency. The checks that follow hold in both cases: a written contract naming the formula, a detailed inventory with numbers and weights, proof of insurance, a right to visit or verify, the procedure and delay for restitution, and the exact legal identity of the counterparty. Only the contract and the applicable law allow you to conclude.
In metal custody, the price is read on the quote; ownership is read in the contract.
04 · The simple arrangementCan buying and storing happen under the same roof?
Gold & Silver Company is a Smelter-Refinery approved by the Royal Mint of Belgium: what is bought there can stay there, in the same vault, without leaving the building. In 2012, Gold & Silver Company opened the first private safe deposit vaults outside the banking system in Belgium.
A rented box or contractual custody can separate ownership and place of keeping; check the identification of the metal, the insurance and the restitution. The sizes, prices and access arrangements of Gold & Silver Company are on its official page.
05 · The decisionHow to choose between these three formulas?
By the contract and the level of service expected. To choose between numbered custody, an individual box and allocated storage, compare the contract, lot identification, insurance and return terms; confirm the formula and size with the provider. For allocated storage with a dealer, add the checks listed above.
And for what is not metal but stems from the same reflex (a digital key, a recovery phrase), the rented box has a specific use detailed in our page on crypto wallets in a private safe deposit box.
Framework. For tax or inheritance questions tied to your situation, speak to a notary or a tax adviser.