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Opened a box and found this.
Type2
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So how will you remove this? I remember I bought them and didn’t want to remove all the wax at the time. So I put them up till now so should I just leave them or open them and transfer them to new holders?
Hoard the keys.
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I have owned a couple of those plastic tubes that have shrunk tight against the coins. Hope this is not the case for you. IIRC, I had to heat the plastic up in boiling water and then remove the coins.
That's fun.....Maybe you have a shot at the'44 D/S.
I am not sure I understand.... Are the plastic tubes wax sealed?? Some look strange... Cheers, RickO
If the old plastic tubes shrunk and the coins won't come out, would it be feasible to soak the tubes in acetone to soften the plastic to help remove the coins or would this be a dumb idea?
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"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Won't work. Boiling them is the only viable way I know of to get 'em out. Had the same problem as @bolivarshagnasty and my first thought was acetone.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
Boiling them is probably less messy than attempting to dissolve the tubes in acetone. It shouldn't hurt silver coins but I'm not sure it would be safe with copper coins.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Unlikely. It would also risk coating the coins if it actually dissolved the plastic. As @bolivarshagnasty said, heating up the tubes will work. It's also possible to crack the tubes sometimes.
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I would probably try a heat gun.
Collector, occasional seller
A heat gun is overkill. A normal hair dryer would likely be enough... But both risk spattering the wax and making an awful mess.
I'd suggest an oven at the lowest possible heat, for a few minutes at a time. You're looking for a happy point where the wax melts but the coins don't change color.
I had a similar problem with plastic tubes not being able to open them. I've never experienced the wax problem. I resolved my problem by putting the tube in the freezer and then I could tap the plastic, it would crack and break open without damaging the coins. My coin tubes were not completely filled to the top so it made it easier to break them open this way.
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If these were mine, I would buy some dry ice to make the tubes and the wax brittle and then try to shatter the tubes.Dry ice is a hazardous substance, of course, so one would need to be careful using it. Definitely not a method for use by the garden variety coin tube cracker. Wear goggles for eye protection while shattering the tubes!
If a picture wasn't going very well I'd put a puppy dog in it, always a mongrel, you know, never one of the full bred puppies. And then I'd put a bandage on its foot... I liked it when I did it, but now I'm sick of it.
Norman Rockwell
Sell em as is, pass the buck. Shake them see if the coins rattle a little. If the plastic shrunk they will be to tight for the coins to move.
Yes they have wax on them like they were dipped in wax.
Hoard the keys.
But then you would NEVER KNOW if you passed up a rare find. Don't do it!!!
Quite interesting!
If the above methods don't work or seem too extreme. I would simply and slowly use the old pliers/razor/sheet metal snips. Once opened, then I would deal with the wax. Patience is first and foremost. In any attempt.
Good luck.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.@Type2 ... It seems the prior owner wanted to seal them against tarnish by using wax to make the containers air tight.....Not sure why else they would do that. Cheers, RickO
If they are wax sealed then I wouldn’t imagine it would be very hard to open them and that’s exactly what I’d do.
Have fun with it and good luck finding something worthwhile.
The acetone would dissolve plastic that would deposit on the surface of the coins. You would have to do several rinses in acetone once the coins were freed. I’m sure there are superior methods.
Edit: typo
The tube brand that shrank were "MEHGRIG." Everything else should be OK.
Whenever I had plastic like this I just put the tube in the freezer for a short time and the coins then slipped right out. I let them slide out omto a cotton towel that I flipped over the top of them to avoid any issues with condensation. Let them sit for a half hour or so then begin the search.
There must be some hide grade Links in there for somebody to go to the trouble of wax sealing the tubes.
Have fun and good luck!
Signed,
Jealous.
They are loose in the rolls. I’ll just need to cut the tape around the tops and try not to get any wax on them when transferring them. I’ll keep you guys up dated if I find anything good, Thanks all for some good ideas.
Hoard the keys.
Are you confessing to being the previous owner?
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
That's probably none of your beeswax... 😉
I like the freezer method. Get the wax and plastic cold and brittle and then bust it all open, or at at least chip away the wax.
Soft wax would be a mess.