Best way to get stuck coins out of capsule?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Gam3rBlake, Jul 8, 2022.

  1. Gam3rBlake

    Gam3rBlake Well-Known Member

    Hey guys I have a 2 oz silver round I bought last year and I was looking at it today it seems to be stuck tight in the capsule and now I can’t get it out.

    What is the best way to get coins out of capsules if they’re stuck? I don’t want to damage the coin. Idk what to do though. I don’t know how it got so stuck. o_O
     
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  3. Omegaraptor

    Omegaraptor Gobrecht/Longacre Enthusiast

    I've heard popping it in the freezer for a bit might work?
     
  4. Gam3rBlake

    Gam3rBlake Well-Known Member

    But how? I can’t imagine how cooling down the plastic will change anything.

    It’s not like water where it freezes and expands until it shatters.
     
  5. fretboard

    fretboard Defender of Old Coinage!

    I wouldn't try hot of cold as you chance ruining the coin, the only chance I would take is carry it in your pocket. Not with other pocket change, just carry it by itself in your otherwise empty pants pocket for a couple of days. I don't know for sure if it will work but I think it's safe for a day or two. Honestly, I've never had experience with this problem, maybe someone else has and they'll chime in. :cigar:
     
  6. Gam3rBlake

    Gam3rBlake Well-Known Member

    I might need to find a way to drill a hole in the capsule and push it out from the other side.
     
  7. mpcusa

    mpcusa "Official C.T. TROLL SWEEPER"

    Long finger nails work pretty good, I dont have any so its always a challenge to get
    them apart...LOL
     
  8. Gam3rBlake

    Gam3rBlake Well-Known Member

    Oh no it’s not that the capsules are stuck closed and I can’t pry them apart.

    The coin itself is stuck in one half of the capsule and so the obverse is completely exposed but the edges & reverse are tightly encapsulated so there is nowhere for me to grab the coin and pull it out of the half of the capsule it’s tightly wedged in.
     
  9. mpcusa

    mpcusa "Official C.T. TROLL SWEEPER"

    Got a pic ? of the problem ? maybe would give a better idea of how to help you :)
     
    Mountain Man likes this.
  10. spirityoda

    spirityoda Coin Junky

    I have used an X-Acto blade on airtites to pop them open/apart. works good.
     
    NSP likes this.
  11. masterswimmer

    masterswimmer A Caretaker, can't take it with me

    I agree with the freezer. I don't see how it would damage the coin if it didn't work.

    I don't know the coefficient of expansion between silver and whatever type of plastic the holder is made from. I'm just making a guess that the silver would contract at a higher rate than the plastic and therefore just fall out when you turn it over. Or, just put it in the freezer on a dishtowel with the open side facing down and it'll just fall out onto the towel. Hopefully.

    Good luck.
     
    John Johnson, -jeffB and MIGuy like this.
  12. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

  13. calcol

    calcol Supporter! Supporter

    Typically plastics have a bigger coefficient of expansion than metals. That's why plastic electrical conduits often need expansion joints and metal conduits don't. So warming the stuck coin with a hair dryer on low heat might work. Capsule will expand more than the coin. Shouldn't need to say it but don't use high heat, heat gun, oven, propane torch, etc. :inpain:

    Cal
     
    imrich and Gam3rBlake like this.
  14. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    The freezer is the best idea, the metal will contract a bit and it might come out, no harm otherwise. What I have done is to open the capsule and, holding the plastic, bang the capsule edge on a table over a soft cloth to catch the coin IF it comes out. Best of luck...
     
    Good Cents and Cheech9712 like this.
  15. fretboard

    fretboard Defender of Old Coinage!

    Oh my, you have a problem, I never thought of that kind of stuck! :(
     
  16. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    Yeah, I thought it was the other way around, but apparently not. Looks like gently warming is the way to go. Hope the capsule hasn't squeezed the round enough to leave an imprint on the edge.
     
  17. Mountain Man

    Mountain Man Supporter! Supporter

    Sell it on Etsy for thousands as a true error silver mated with plastic.
     
    Cheech9712, Magnus87 and PlanoSteve like this.
  18. Maxfli

    Maxfli Well-Known Member

    I’d try the freezer approach first. Members here have claimed that it works for loosening coins stuck in hard plastic coin tubes, so it should work in your situation too. (I’m not a chemist, but I know silver and plastic have different contraction and expansion rates.)
     
  19. Gam3rBlake

    Gam3rBlake Well-Known Member

    My last resort solution is to drill a small hole in the capsule on the reverse side and use a pencil eraser on the end of the pencil to push the coin out through the hole from the reverse side.
     
  20. masterswimmer

    masterswimmer A Caretaker, can't take it with me

    giphy-1.gif tenor-2.gif
     
    lordmarcovan, PlanoSteve and green18 like this.
  21. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

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