When to Rotate a Metal Seed Backup
Signs that your stamped or engraved seed phrase plate needs replacement, and how to schedule rotation without exposing your words unnecessarily.
Metal backups outlast paper, but they are not permanent. In our Yongin sessions, we encounter plates with illegible characters, incorrect word stamps discovered only during recovery drills, and plates stored in environments that accelerate corrosion.
Legibility checks
Read every word on your metal backup aloud once per year, in private, without a camera present. If any character requires guesswork, schedule a rotation. Common failure points are the letters B and R, the number 8, and words seven through twelve where attention drifts.
Environmental damage
Basement storage in Gyeonggi Province often means higher humidity than holders expect. Even stainless plates can develop surface oxidation that obscures stamped letters. Inspect the plate under direct light at a slight angle.
Rotation without exposure
The safest rotation happens during a custody review session. We provide a private room, witness the stamping of a new plate, and verify the new backup against your device before the old plate is destroyed. Doing this at home is possible but increases the window during which both plates exist simultaneously.
How often
Most holders need rotation every five to seven years, or immediately after any legibility concern. Holders who move residences should inspect within thirty days of unpacking.