Breaking a Slab without damaging coin?

So i have a few coins that i would like to get out of their slabs.. NGC slabs to be precise.
Has anyone done it before?
Anything that i should be worrying about before i attempt to brake them free?
Tried searching through the forum before i made this thread but nothing came up so sorry if this has been asked before!

 

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Bandsaw is pretty effective. Just bandsaw an inch, (2.5 cm) or so away from the coin, and it will come out fairly easily.

Oh, one thing. Try to keep the blade moving since if you keep it there too long and its hot it will start melting the plastic. If the plastic starts melting, you will get a mess to get the coin out. After each slab spray some water on the blade to cool it off. Just a tip from a slab destroying pro.

 

I used pliers, cracked it at the top and peeled the top off. Never touched the coin. Works for me.

 

Simply out of curiosity, what are the coins and grades that your going to be attempting to " crack out " ?

 

Vice grips pliers with cutting jaws--very effective!

 

True, and they will give your forearms a workout too! I used this method when I would crack one or two. I moved to the bandsaw if I get quantities.

Btw, remember I mainly break out ancients, as I feel the grading system employed is erroneous and do not want any slabbed ancients at all if they are not going to use ancient coin grading scales. I have only ever cracked out a few US coins to put into Danscos, and still own a few in slabs I believe are fairly graded.

 

Thanks for all the info guys i shall attempt to brake them free tomorrow !

All my slabbed Australian coins, simply because, we here in Australia do not like the way they grade them in the US. The grading system doesnt work with us and it lowers their value. I prefer them in the slabs for safety reasons etc but a few need to come out because they are going to be auctioned soon.

 

I have used a small screw driver on the end away from the coin. Slip it between the two peices and pry it off.

 

Aside from permanent and devastating damage to the coin if something goes wrong? Nah.

I've busted out a lot over the years using the hinge of my safe. Stick the tall end in it and open or close further, depending on how yours works, but very slowly and it simply breaks the seal without breaking the plastic into a million shards. I'd try it on an inexpensive coin first just to make sure you do it right.
Guy

 

With NGC slabs, I put it sideways in a table vise, and twist the handle until I hear a popping noise, which will crack the slab mostly apart along the edge, and the rest can be done by hand.

 

I take a dremel tool with a tiny saw blade on it and go all the way around the edge. Never had a problem that way after hundreds of coins.

 

Someone posted the other day wrap ngc slab in towel and tap along the edge with a hammer.

 

Thank you for your answers. It sounds as if there is a wide open market down under for an accepted grading service.

 

Haha , try convincing them here... its like talking to a brick wall!

 

Be careful as the edgeview holders can bend gold coins if you have trouble pulling them out. Especially odd sized foreign gold.

 

This is how the pros do it.