Removing Coins from Slabs

I set the coin on a towel on the ground. I then take a hammer and thwack the slab around the edges to break the seal, while carefully holding the front and back pieces together. Once the seal is broken, you should be able to pry the pieces apart, and if you do it very carefully the coin should be safe. It won't usually come out of the inner plastic insert on its own.

 

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I have some corroded large cents we could use.

 

Here is the little beauty that's coming out of its slab tomorrow.

 

I voted for Nixon in 68 & 72, but the FBI didn't put me on their "10 Most Wanted" list.

Chris

 

So you were the one.

 

No, there were nearly 59,000 of us. I had a friend who was a socialist, and I guess I wanted to please my friend:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1972

 

I probably would have voted for Nixon had I not voted for the socialist. I came from a Republican family. I was only 19.

 

First of all why would you want to break a certified coin out of its holder? Since your going to do so I think an M -80 would do the job works on mailboxes LOL

 

2 things...

1. LMAO to the Mythbuster quote, love that show!
2. Why buy a slabbed coin to only break it out anyway?

 

I was waiting for someone to ask that question. Slabs are ugly, but more importantly, I don't want any empty spaces in my coin albums. I was thinking I might put the slab on the freeway and let a few semis run over it.

 

I wanted the coin very badly, an affordable 1843 silver dollar (F-15) for my type collection. Couldn't help that they had it in a slab.

 

I clamp the slab to a porch railing, use a hacksaw to saw off the end with the label, then pry the slab open.
Wear goggles if you do this.

 

Its not something that I do often - I've only done it a half dozen times. 3 of those times was because I bought a coin for an album, and the certified coin gave me assurance the coin was real, properly graded, and problem free for an issue that I was unfamiliar with. The rest of the time was to resubmit to another service.

 

Why ?

 

Because it is getting so hard to find a nice coin that ISN'T in one of those solid hydrocarbon tombs.

 

Adjustable speed Dremel tool with an abrasive cutting wheel will do the trick. Adjust the speed to low and you can gently cut the edges off.

 

Just did 5 exactly like this last week. I also wear cotton gloves, as my impulse is to grab the coin after freeing it.

 

I got you all beat, these are actual plastic trimmers. We use these to cut those blue electrical boxes in tight areas... They work great on slabs and lessen the odds of damage to you or the coin.... My kids seem to like them for their arts & crafts lol....
Specialty item that you can order online

 

Well, I got the coin out. I got a blood blister on my finger when I pinched it with the wire cutter while I was cutting through the slab. The wire cutter went through the slab quite easily. Accidentally cut through the back label, though it didn't matter. Used my small screwdriver to pry it open afterwards.