Going to Crack Out My First Coin

Word to the wise...don’t mix a whole box and put it in a washing machine. Don’t ask me how I know.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Does this look familiar?

 

lol.

actually there was no visible flash that I saw and it actually blew the skin off of it.

 

No tannerite, bitonimight or sledge hammers here but good luck!

 

I could always use one of my Sig 9mms on a slab. Is that better than pliers, bolt cutters, firecrackers, or hammers?? LMAO

 

Get a Channellock 148-10 end nippers or similar. See pic. About $23 on Amazon. Safe for the coin and very useful tool for other things. Only thing that might be safer for the coin is a small band saw.

Cal

 

I don't know but for some very odd reason when I see this image...the first words out of my mouth are..."Well....hello Clarice" <Hannibal Lecter> from Silence of the Lambs. O.O

 

It is really very simple, safe and easy. I un-slabed a very rare gold medal this way; firmly put holder in vice with a corner on top. Notch the corner slightly with a hack saw then put a regular screw driver into the notch and twist. Once the seam cracks the rest is easy.

 

Sounds simple enough. I will do that.

This is not a high dollar coin. So...it's a good one to try with.

I assume different brand/generation slabs are sealed differently and thus different to open. Is that true?

 

way back in the day when opening proof sets, i used to use a pair of plyers and bend, once a corner got free, would insert a small flat bladed screw driver and pop up the plastic (or whatever the correct term for the clear stuff is)

 

I rarely buy a slabbed ancient, but when I do I bust 'em out of jail!

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/tonight-theres-gonna-be-a-jailbreak.334749/

 

I would never crack a certified coin what a shame and waste of money as it cost to slab at least in a slab it is somewhat protected and I have lots from many many years ago and yes lots of rattlers

 

One more thing when using my method make sure you saw along the seam and not across it. And to Stu the medal I unslabbed was mis-attributed as to the gold weight and finess! Who ever had it slabbed wasted a lot of money. Also with a grading scale of 70 points how can how can a grader put a grade number on a medal type of which only 3 examples are known?

 

Wear goggles or eye protection whichever method you use.

The plastic parts like to fly around.

 

I’ve used the dremmel with a disc. The problem is the plastic melts and the holder material melts sending tiny bits of flying molten plastic.

Recently, I’ll hit around the edges with a hammer until I hear the cracking noises. Then carefully pry off a piece.

I’ve always worked on the ground on a towel so there is no drop risk. All the holders behave a little different. I estimate I have cracked out 100 coins with no collateral damage yet. I am sure I just jinxed it.