FREE THE PIGGIES!

I thought New Year’s Day would be an appropriate time to liberate Antoninus Pius and his piggies.



This was my only slabbed coin, and in some weird way, this coin never really felt integrated into my collection; it was always kind of an afterthought kept in a box separate from my Lighthouse trays.

So I watched slab-busting videos all morning on YouTube. There seem to be two schools of thought.

1. Take a hammer to the edges and crack it open.

2. Take tin snips or wire cutters to the edges, clip them off, and then pry the slab open with a knife or screwdriver.

Guys who had slabbed sports cards tended to prefer the latter option, perhaps because it seemed safer to the more delicate object inside.

I was afraid to take a hammer to my slab because the bottom of my coin has a pretty significant crack on the edge--probably one reason why it was affordable for me, and possibly why this coin was slabbed in the first place—to hide the crack a bit and to keep the coin stable. I was afraid that the blunt force of the hammer could turn that crack into a chip.



So I took wire cutters to the corners. The plastic was too tough for my first cutter’s efforts, so I had to go to my heavy duty clippers, which worked just fine. After that, prying open the slab with a screwdriver was no problem.

The flan crack, once fully revealed, was pretty significant, but seems stable.

And now Antoninus Pius and his piggies can play with his friends!

 

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A very nice selection of coins which I would definitely welcome into my own as well.

 

Very nice AP / Piggy!!!

 

Just broke my first coin free last weekend. It’s a great feeling.

 

Very nice and a cool selection of coins to keep him company!!

I wondered about that 'snipping technique' but your explanation makes perfect sense to me

 

Cool. I'll bet the coin is glad that it is free.

 

Mmmmmmm... BACON!!!!!!




Thanks,
Jacob

 

Antoninus Pius' piggies are freed!

A nice way to start off the New Year!

 

I have only opened two slabs and have no intent of buying others. One was done with a bandsaw (overkill!!!) and one with a 5" bench vise which has been in the family for nearly 100 years. Looking into the used prices and shipping for such things made me think the saw would be cheaper. They don't make them like they used to! If you find a cheap and solid vise in a local yard sale, consider the purchase.

 

This info came just in time since I have a slabbed coin on the way and have never had one and wasn't sure how to free them safely. I know it has been discussed before and was going to do a search on it but here is some good info. I do have a large bench vise so maybe I will go that way. Been looking for one of these beauties since @Ed Snible(thanks Ed) listed one on his top ten. This one has some discoloration of the silver but it is all well positioned on the flan. Nothing came up that was nice and affordable until I found this by chance on ebay: Thanks for the advice @dougsmit

 

Cracking the slab was easier than I thought. I didn’t feel a vise was necessary; my dining room table did just fine, but to each his own. I *did* need some high-leverage cutters though. My regular wire cutters weren’t doing the trick.

Actually, upon further review, if you own a vise, that might be the simplest option to try. Again, I was worried about the crack in my coin flan, which made me opt for cutters.

 

I love the A-Pi piggies reverse and am sure yours are now glad to be roaming free.

ANTONINUS PIUS
AE As. 11.02g, 28.6mm. Rome mint, AD 140-144. RIC 733; Cohen 450. O: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head right. R: IMPERATOR II, Sow of Lanuvium seated under a holm-oak suckling three piglets, another one in front of her, SC in exergue.

 

He looks very happy snuggled up there between Hadrian and old SS!

 

PIGS:




RI Titus 79-81 CE AR Denarius Sow piglets


RR Victoriatus 206-195 BCE AR 16-5mm 2-61g Jupiter r Victory crowning trophy sow r in ex ROMA Syd 253 Russo RBW 554 Cr 121-1


RR Veturius 137 BCE AR Den Mars X Oath Scene pig S 111 Cr 234-1


Marsic Confederation denarius 90-88 BCE Italia-Corfinium Oath Ceremony over pig Sear 227 SCARCE


Ionia Klazomenai 480-400 BC AR Drachm Pentobol 3.5g 13mm Forepart winged boar r gorgoneion incuse sq Cf SNG Copenhagen 12 Rare


Campania CAPUA AE Uncia 216-211 Diana Boar Hannibal capital Italia SCARCE


RR C Hosidius C F Geta 68 BCE Diana bow quiver Boar Hound spear Sear 346 Craw 407-2


Mysia Kyzikos AR Hemiobol 480-450 BCE 0-4g Boar-Lion Sear 3850


Iberia - Castulo AE14 Quarter Unit Bust - BOAR w-star Obv-Rev 2nd C BCE

 

To be eaten, bacon must be released from the package.

 

Alegandron, my wife is an Arkansan; I have to endure her "calling the Hogs" every football season, so she will appreciate that first WPS graphic.

 

I grew up summers in the Ozarks, working my tail off for family.

Actually encountered razor backs out in the woods a few times. You get quiet, and get out of there!

 

That reverse die cutter was an artist for sure. Nice.