Question for seasoned Slab-Crackers

My first slabbed purchase is on its way from HA, and I'm anxious to free it. I've perused some of the old threads on slab cracking and watched a number of videos.

I have a couple questions though:

The coin is a thin renaissance gold coin. I'm worried about the force required to break the slab damaging such a thin, soft coin. Has anyone ever deslabbed a coin like this? Should I be worried?

Also of note: I have easy access to a hammer, but no vice, wire/tin cutters, or dremel.

If my worries are valid can I send it back to NGC to deslab? Can I take it to a random dealer and ask them to do it?

Here's the coin in question:

Papal States. Paul III (1534-1549) gold Scudo d'Oro XF (AU50 NGC) Rome mint, 3.33g, B-905, Fr-65. S PAVLVS VAS | ELECTIONIS, St. Paul standing facing, fleur below, head slightly right with halo, epistles in right hand, sword in left / PAVLVS III | PONT • MAX, pontifical arms. Dies by Benvenuto Cellini.

Thanks, and of course feel free to post your liberated treasures.

 

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There is very little risk if you crack it out correctly. I find what works best is a ball-pein hammer. On each long side of the slab on the edge there will be a pair of triangles some distance apart from each other. I set the slab with one edge against concrete and give each triangle a good whack with the pein. Then I flip the slab to the other edge and repeat. At that point, the two halves of the slab can just be opened cleanly like a book. I can do this without any part of the plastic shattering about 95% of the time - it just releases the seal.

Having said that, this isn't an ancient. I would not crack it out, but it's your coin do do with as you like.

 

Pretty coin!

I agree with Jaelus regarding the general technique, although many swear by the vise method. Either way

I wonder if a dealer would de-slab a coin for a customer. Perhaps not-- there is a risk to it and even if the coin isn't damaged in the process, the customer might claim so.

Okay . Here are a couple:


Roman Republic, the Pompeians
L. Cornelius Lentulus and C. Claudius Marcellus
Military mint in the East (Apollonia and Asia), 49 BC
AR denarius, 19 mm, 3.8 gm
Obv: Triskeles, with winged head of Medusa facing at center; stalk of grain between each leg
Rev: Jupiter standing facing, head right, holding thunderbolt in right hand and eagle on left; LE(NT) (MAR) upward to left, COS upward to right
Ref: Crawford 445/1b; Sydenham 1029a

Looks so much better in plastic-free images, doesn't it?



ROMAN REPUBLIC, M. Piso M.f. Frugi
58 BCE (redated from Crawford's 61 BCE by Hersh and Walker, 1984)
AR denarius, 20 mm, 3.94 gm
Obv: terminal bust of Mercury right, wearing winged diadem; calix below chin; to left, star above wreath; dotted border
Rev: M·PISO·M·F / FRVGI above secespita (sacrificial knife) and patera; all within laurel wreath
Ref: Crawford 418/2b; Sydenham 825; Calpurnia 23

 

..i've been called a cracker, but not of the slab variety

 

I'd suggest asking Heritage to crack it out for you and send it in a flip. They have a vice which pops them out very smoothly. I've personally cracked out some hammered gold and felt like the coin was a bit at risk due to its thinness so I can definitely appreciate your concern.

 

Airborne slab shards can be deadly! Best to suit up before an extraction.

 

I am as anti-slab as they come, but that one I wouldn't crack out. It is your coin though, so do as you please.

BTW, the hammer method works fine on NGC slabs.

 

Agree with leave it slabbed.

If you give them a fee and sign a waiver of liability most probably would, a lot probably wouldn't want to randomly deal with it for a random customer though. Like anything else probably depends on your relationship with them.

 

Great tip! I emailed them...

 

I have used a box cutter to cut along the seam of the slab with coins i was afraid to crack out. Its really slow but very safe for the coin. Here's my favorite crack-out.

Half Shekel, Tyre LA (Year 1)
6.43 g Tyre Mint 126/125 BCE

O: Head of Herakles (Melqart)
R: Eagle standing left; ΤΥΡΟΥ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΣΥΛΟΥ "Of Tyre the Holy and City of Refuge." around; Date LA to left; Monogram FP to right.

BMC Phoenicia page 250 #213 lists one Year 1 half shekel with M monogram. DCA lists this date as R3, the highest rarity rating.
Unique with with FP monogram. Glossy, dark chocolate find patina.

 

I just use a hammer (claw, ball-peen, etc.) and gently tap the slab on its edge, moving around both long sides and the top and bottom. You can see it releasing the grip by the plastic turning more opaque. Don't hit it hard, but nice firm snaps around the entire time. Then it will come apart easily. Hold it together in the middle so that if it does pop open that the coin in the holding plastic doesn't fall out. Do this on a cement floor or stone, but not on a table or countertop.

 

I used to be a slab fan but not so much these days. If you plan to sell the coin in the future, however, it might be better to leave it slabbed. The slab will make it more attractive to the modern and world coin collecting community.

 

I've released all my slabs using a small flat screwdriver and a hammer. All of them released cleanly and will actually snap back together. I also keep the slab in case I sell the coin I the future, that way they can look it up online with NGC.

It's up to you but I also wouldn't crack this one out.

 

Beautiful half shekel, Nemo!

 

My spring-them-from-Jail methods:

A) SLAM-DANCE Method:


OR

B) VISE SQUAD Method:
If you have a Vise, and you want to free a coin from a slab; I found putting the slab length-wise (both on end and on side), then slowly turn the handle. You will hear the slab crack and it will bow a little. Then change sides, and slowly turn again. It will crack and bow. Afterwards, the slab will easily come apart!
Step 1


Step 2


Step 3


Step 4: Breath DEEP and enjoy Nirvanna:

 

I use the "hammer on edge" with a few modifications. I wrap the slab in a small towel (except the exposed edge) to provide some protection. I also start tapping lightly and build up the force until the edge seam starts to crack.

 

I was curious if anyone has opened the slabs without breaking them to a point where they can reclose it.

All I ever see is hammer attacks and cable cutters. A nice non-destructive method you have.

 

Look at the pictures I posted (and the ones Alegandron posted). After a few well-placed hammer blows, the seam separates. Shards and cracks were not produced; the slab separates cleanly if you are careful. They are reclosable, although they won't stay shut unless taped/glued/sealed. Of course, if you want a TPG-like openable slab, there are plenty on the market and some people here choose to store their coins in such containers-- sometimes after cracking them out of the sealed TPG holder.

 

Use a vice. Hammers are barbaric and dangerous! Work around the edges a bit at a time...slab will separate easily with no mess or damage.