I left collecting Moderns 30 years ago due to the ridiculous marketing ploy of slabbing. I have freed all of the very few ancients that acquired within plastic tombs. We think alike @Suarez... here is a post in my thread from a few years ago... https://www.cointalk.com/threads/alegandron-had-a-slam-dance.268286/ My last post in the thread... UPDATE: If you have a Vise, and you want to free a coin from a slab; I found putting the slab length-wise (both on end and on side), then slowly turn the handle. You will hear the slab crack and it will bow a little. Then change sides, and slowly turn again. It will crack and bow. Afterwards, the slab will easily come apart! NIRVANNA! Freed Ancient! This is the EASIEST method that I have found!
Let me restate my position. I have no problem breaking them out, I've done it for years. It's the way it was done.
I honestly didn't know this was the way everyone did it. I've seen a lot of posts over the years about how to do it correctly and this was intuitively what I figured was the fastest and easiest while still being safe. Certainly takes a lot less effort than sawing at it with a hacksaw! Rasiel
I'm sure you know what you're doing @Alegandron but this picture just looks like problems! A 3 pound sledge hammer in my right hand and a coin in my left hand would spell trouble for me!
At the time, it was a series of tappings that would break the sonic welds. HOWEVER, see my post above, as WELL as the LAST post in my original thread. It was a update to the much easier vise method. Amend it further by wrapping it with a towel. Back to Nirvanna.
There was a post here recently of a guy breaking open a slab (short video clip) with his foot. I can't find it now.
@lordmarcovan posted it. It is effective. Personally, I feel my vise method has more control for my cracking out my coins.
Interesting Avatar pic you have. I grew up raising cattle and sheep. Welcome to the Ancients threads.
I use the hammer with light taps on the edge of the slab method. I don't have a vice. PS: Am I the only one that thought of something else when they read the title. I was expecting a troll peddling illicit stuff.
My standard is 2-3 solid hammer taps on the side on a concrete counter top - seems safer than vise-style to me. No damaged or dropped coins yet.