Ancient Coin brethren: rejoice with me, for the Day of Liberation draweth nigh...

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by lordmarcovan, Apr 29, 2019.

  1. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

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  3. Deacon Ray

    Deacon Ray Artist & Historian Supporter

  4. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Not for much longer! ;)
     
  5. Deacon Ray

    Deacon Ray Artist & Historian Supporter

    Are you going to free them on Independence Day (July 4th) or sooner?
     
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  6. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    I came to a crossroads recently. After the recent purge and subsequent newps I made last month, I have five ancients in NGC slabs (one of them defective due to the very annoying "trapped gas" bloat problem), and five raw ones that were "needing" to be slabbed.

    Rather than spend the time and expense and hassle of grading the raw ones (and reholdering the ones in defective slabs), what's to stop me from cracking out the five now in plastic? (I'd save the labels.)

    Very, very little. If I'm to do that, now is the time. And I've been thinking of doing it for a while.

    It would save future expense and hassle, too, allowing me to spend more on coins instead of plastic.

    I could keep my ancient and pre-1000 AD stuff happily raw.

    All of my medieval and later stuff will continue to go to PCGS on the rare occasions when I make submissions rather than just buying those coins already slabbed.

    The ancient portion of my collection has dwindled to the point where this makes more sense now. The ten I have left are half slabbed and half raw.

    Indeed, once I make the transition from plastic, the ancient portion of my collection will likely grow again.

    "Too cheap to slab"? No longer a problem. "Ineligible type"? No longer a problem. NGC won't slab Axumite or Kushan coins? No longer a problem. White prongs interfering with photography? No longer a problem. Weird gas-bloated slabs? No longer a problem.
     
  7. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Sooner. The only reason you aren't looking at a pile of plastic sherds in the first picture above is because I'm waiting until I have someone to shoot video of the crackout.

    Some folks wanted to see video or animated GIFs of my crackout technique. I didn't have anything I wanted to crack until now.

    These slabs' days - maybe even hours- are numbered.

    @TIF - you'd better throw confetti, or I shall be miffed! ;)
     
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  8. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    CRACK THOSE BEAUTIES OUT!
     
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  9. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Here is my primitive but effective "no tools" slab crackout technique, described in an earlier thread. It may look funny, but is quick, effective, and relatively safe for both humans and coins. It is described at length here.

    So here are some animated GIFS.

    The first attempt was only semi-successful. The fulcrum was too high on the slab. Ideally, you should crack right between the label portion and coin portion of the slab. Snap the label part off, in other words.

    I did not have the slab far enough down in the slot between the boards. It cracked it, and this would have been sufficient, but I would have then had to get a screwdriver out to pry the plastic shell off and finish the job.

    20190429_172044_1.gif


    (It's been a few years, and I was rusty.)

    Ideally, you want a better break than that.

    So I reinserted the coin and tried again.

    *snap!* Got a good break on the second try.

    20190429_172105_1.gif

    (Enjoy the sight of me in housecoat and no socks, and the photobomb cameo by Teddy the Dog.)

    Then all that's left to do is pick up the pieces and slide the interior part of the slab right out of the broken outer shell. Easy-peasy.

    20190429_173902.gif

    Wear shoes, obviously. This protects your foot from jagged plastic. Since you're in a standing position with your eyes well above the shrapnel zone, this is safer than conventional methods where goggles are recommended.
     
  10. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Well, that works well, much easier than a hammer that I use.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2019
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  11. dadams

    dadams Well-Known Member

    FREEDOM!!!! Not only for the coins but for you as well. I've much enjoyed slab free ancients far more than I ever did chasing a numerical grade on a TPG slab when collecting US coins. Still have my 7070 and pick up a raw large cent every now and then but it's so much more fun. I knew you'd come around. Congrats!!
     
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  12. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    I remain a PCGS user for everything non-ancient, but am glad to be freed of the plastic headaches for at least part of my collection.

    Which isn't to say that slabs don't have their plus side, too, but at least as regards the ancients, I've been coming around to this for a while.
     
    dadams likes this.
  13. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

     
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  14. FitzNigel

    FitzNigel Medievalist

    I bet those GIFs would give some modern collectors a heart attack...
     
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  15. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    Heck, LordM, I thought you would at least wait until July 14th.........
     
  16. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Not the ones who wanna learn a ridiculously simple crackout technique. ;)
     
  17. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    You turned 'em loose!!

     
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  18. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    I got to crack a slab open in late 2017 after getting a slabbed coin I won in a giveaway on this forum. If I'm honest, not a coin I probably would have ever bought, but having won it in a contest I am quite proud of owning it.

    Slab O.JPG Slab done right.JPG Rhodos on Isle Rhodes AE 10.jpeg
    Rhodes AE10. (1.02g)
    ca 394-304 BC.
    P-O either side of rose, S to left / rose.
    SNG Cop 248


    It was a delightful experience, though she is now in a 2x2 cardboard flip. However, unlike a plastic tomb, I can remove her any time I want within a few seconds. I don't mind as I have hundreds of cardboard 2x2s, enough to last me for years, so it's nice to know if I ever feel the need to physically hold her, I can do so.
     
  19. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    I really love seeing coins liberated from those horrible coffins. One thing I remember from my first visit to the NYINC was a large plastic garbage can filled with the remnants of slabs. I have personally liberated 3 coins from their tombs and the longest one has ever survived was about 6 hours. I used to work nights got my coin about 10.30 AM went to bed work up and first thing broke the coin out of the slab. 20180623_ct-cracked-slab.jpg
    Saw this somewhere
     
  20. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    PS one of the coins liberated Tetradrachm of Elagabalus Emisa anttdelagabals2.JPG
     
  21. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Here's one I busted out of jail!

    Gallienus VIRTVS AVGG Emperor stg r c spear and standard.jpg
    Gallienus, AD 253-268.
    Roman billon antoninianus, 3.61 g, 21.1 mm, 12 h.
    Cologne, AD 257-258.
    Obv: GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right.
    Rev: VIRTVS AVGG, Gallienus in military attire standing right, holding spear and standard.
    Refs: RIC 58F; Göbl 8821; Cohen 1309; RCV 10413; Hunter 58; ERIC II 1030.
     
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