I finally solved a recurring coin "problem"

If any of you have ever run across this issue, you'll understand my frustration with it...as well as my JOY at finally solving it once and for all (forgive me if this problem has already been solved, which, frankly, I'd be surprised if it hadn't):

Older plastic coin tubes that have shrunk around the coins, making it impossible to get the coins out.

I've come across this every few months or so - an older roll of BU cents stuffed into a thick plastic M. Meghrig & Sons that has essentially sealed itself around the coins. Since I of course want to check the rolls for toners, gems, and varieties, I need to get those coins out. But how?

Last time, I tried the brute force method:

1) Pry cap off
2) Hold roll in hand and hit bottom of roll with hammer (maybe one or two coins will pop out, but you always end up accidentally pinching your skin on the end and getting a very painful blood blister)
3) Decide that isn't working, so pull out the X-Acto knife and tiny snips and start prying tiny pieces of the plastic away. After about an hour or two, a bunch of bruises, scrapes, and a HUGE mess, you have your coins.

Well, I just bought a few old BU rolls of Canadian cents with the same issue. There are a few "Hanging" numeral die clashes that bring a premium (especially in BU) - so I have to check.

Since I remember the agony of the process last time, I decided to sit down and think:

"How the heck do I do this quickly and without banging the heck out of my thumbs?"

Suddenly, that moment:

EUREKA!

I remember I have a smaller gauge pipe cutting tool in my electrician's toolbag. I could use it to cut the tube into sections. Maybe then I could put soft cloth on one end of the tube and use that to push the coins out!


(Figure 1: Coin tube placed into small gauge pipe cutting tool.)

After a few quick turns, the end pops off. Coins are undamaged, as are my thumbs.


(Figure 2: end of roll removed.)

As I'm looking for something to protect the coins, and trying to find my screwdriver with the replaceable tip (because the wider end will do less damage) I have another moment of inspiration:

"What would happen if I use my old vise grips to squeeze the plastic tube? Would it deform enough to allow the coins to slide out?"

So I get my vise grips out and give it a shot:


(Figure 3: As you can see, the top of the tube is deforming outward.)

Sure enough, the coins start sliding out:


(Figure 4: Coins are unharmed and ready to be checked!)

My reward for all this:

1959 BU Roll 1:
3 Hanging 9's
4 Double Hanging 9's

1959 BU Roll 2:
3 Double Hanging 9's

1959 BU Roll 3:
3 Hanging 9's
3 Double Hanging 9's

1961 BU Roll:
10 Hanging 1's
4 with PL Reverses

Good luck!

 

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Absolutely brilliant!!!! I have one of those PVC pipe cutters in my workshop from the one plumbing job I botched ten years ago. I will now re-purpose that handy little tool to my coin safe.

 

I have not run into this problem yet but I am glad to know how to before wasting a few hours of my time and ending up with nothing but dead thumbs, I will keep this info in mind if I run into the problem.

 

I just found a roll of BU Lincoln wheats I stored away years ago for the same reason bought M.Meghrig & Sons.
I see two things though:
The freezer and it's possible negative environment.
And what if the pipe cutter cuts into the rim on the best example of the roll?

 

You control the depth of the cut with those pipe cutters with a wheel. It would be quite easy to control the depth until just before it cuts into the coins.

 

Your right if I get close enough I can twist the two pieces.

 

What about a jagged edge cutting into the rims? Those shots look nasty capable of inflicting damage.

 

I would love to see an example of the hanging 9's or ones. I have no idea what they look like.

 

That's another good point. I am sure that you hope they come out the other end.

 

It's been a while since I posted this, but the coins came out really smoothly by the end - no scraping on the raised edges of the tube, as I was pointing the roll straight down and they just fell out in a gravity embracing motion.

 

Yeah, I can't get any to budge. Although the pipe cutter I used was very sharp no rim burr's. I am trying the freezer trick now. Been in there for about a half hour now.

 

Careful with the freezer method: Drastic temperature swings attract moisture to your coins. I suspect that's where the spots came from on some of the coins I've bought before.

 

Well the coins are still stuck in the tube. Neither method worked.
Back to square 1.

 

I had wondered that myself.

 

LOL, exactly what I want to do. Except as my attempts fail, I find myself obsessing that there is a few gems in there.

 

A bowl of hot, not boiling, H2O.
Place tube into the water without submerging it.
Don't leave it in the hot water too long. Don't want the coins to expand, just the plastic.
Coins should just slide out effortlessly.

 

Have you tried this? I always thought plastic contracted when heat is introduced.