Okay, I feel plenty stupid - can somebody tell me how to actually get a coin in a Kointain?

JeffersonFrog

I bought the 17.9 mm dime Kointains - I'm trying with Mercury dimes. The dime doesn't seat well in the bottom - even with a lot of pressure. Even when it looks like it will seat, it pops back out with the slightest movement. The instructions say to do some finger gymnastics with the thumb and forefinger of both hands. Seriously. Is there a trick? Is it supposed to be snap-tight easy? I've destroyed about 10 tops and bottoms so far. If I'm being dense, I can take it.

Paradisefound

May I see the pictures of the mess on your desk? ☺️
I guess if it doesn’t fit then don’t force it.

TomB

I don't have one in front of me at the moment, but I have used these for more than two decades. However, I likely haven't purchased a package of them in ten-years or so, which might mean they have changed their plastic.

I would take the dime and place it in the bottom half (the smaller shell if I recall correctly) so that it's on an angle or incline with respect to the shell. That is, one end of the dime is against the bottom of the shell and the other end is up in the air almost like a see-saw. Then take the upper shell and place it over top so that it's outer edge goes around the bottom shell's lip and use your fingers to more or less gently push the raised portion of the dime into the bottom shell. By doing this you will gently expand or stretch the bottom shell and allow the upper shell to go all the way around it to make a seal.

This might be impossible to understand the way I have written it, but it works.

amwldcoin

Dem thangs can be a pain! Years ago I started to work on an MS set of Lincolns. I had the bright idea to carve out the holes in a dansco so I could but them in in Kointains. Needless to say that didn't last long!

Hydrant

Don't ask me.....Several years ago I bought a Daniel Carr 1816 Bust half... It's a beautiful coin. I got it stuck in a messed up position trying to put it in one of those Kointains....half in half out....I don't want to damage it so I leave it alone.....No more Kointains for me......one was plenty....

oih82w8

When you figure it out, you need to make a tutorial video and post it for others to enjoy!

Hydrant

@oih82w8 said:
When you figure it out, you need to make a tutorial video and post it for others to enjoy!

I thought about putting the coin in the container in the freezer to shrink the silver......And then it would fall out....It's an old trick my father taught me.....He was an industrial mechanic/electrictian....and that method is great for getting out stuck bolts/pins/screws, etc out of plastic type materials.....I use it often.....But I was concerned that frost and moisture would get on the coin and damage the surface.....even if I put it in a sandwich baggie, etc. ......Hey!....Maybe Dry Ice?????....Humm......time to experiment..... On a cheap silver coin!

cmerlo1

I've only ever removed coins from Cointains, and that's difficult enough.

lilolme

@TomB said:
I don't have one in front of me at the moment, but I have used these for more than two decades. However, I likely haven't purchased a package of them in ten-years or so, which might mean they have changed their plastic.

I would take the dime and place it in the bottom half (the smaller shell if I recall correctly) so that it's on an angle or incline with respect to the shell. That is, one end of the dime is against the bottom of the shell and the other end is up in the air almost like a see-saw. Then take the upper shell and place it over top so that it's outer edge goes around the bottom shell's lip and use your fingers to more or less gently push the raised portion of the dime into the bottom shell. By doing this you will gently expand or stretch the bottom shell and allow the upper shell to go all the way around it to make a seal.

This might be impossible to understand the way I have written it, but it works.

I followed that. I have never used these and only used a few airtites. But when reading the OP I thought to do it backwards. Place the coin in the larger half flat on a table and then position the smaller half and press it into the other half and coin. But again never having used them this might not work well.

MFeld

@JeffersonFrog said:
I bought the 17.9 mm dime Kointains - I'm trying with Mercury dimes. The dime doesn't seat well in the bottom - even with a lot of pressure. Even when it looks like it will seat, it pops back out with the slightest movement. The instructions say to do some finger gymnastics with the thumb and forefinger of both hands. Seriously. Is there a trick? Is it supposed to be snap-tight easy? I've destroyed about 10 tops and bottoms so far. If I'm being dense, I can take it.

Based on the replies in this thread, it sounds like you weren’t being dense and that there was no justification for feeling stupid. So there!😉

CaptHenway

I started using KoinTains around 1970. First make sure your fingers are clean and very dry.

Holding the KoinTain bottom shell in one hand use the other hand to tip one edge of the coin down into the bottom side (towards you, or 6 o'clock) of the bottom shell. Have the thumb holding the KoinTain carefully grab just the rim of the coin at 3 o'clock, holding it against the raised lip of the bottom half. Have the other thumb carefully grab just the rim at 9 o'clock and hold likewise. Using your index fingers press in on the back of the KoinTain, slightly spreading the sides of the shell. Use your thumbs to press the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock sides of the coin down into the shell, then, with your thumbs still holding everything at 9 and 3 o'clock, use your index fingers to push the back of the shell towards 12 o'clock, and gently work the rest of the coin into the shell. Repeat for the top shell.

That said, I have over the years seen shells that were made a bit too small.

GRANDAM

Sizes are inconsistent. Some will never fit properly. The top often pops off and won’t stay seated. They can be a PITA. Try using a pocket knife to work the top lip over the bottom shell.

WilliamF

Can't tell ya how many of these I've had to break because I got a coin stuck in it

JeffersonFrog

Many thanks for the input. Tried the @TomB method with some success, still working on the @CaptHenway method. The @GRANDAM pocket knife-near-the-coin method scares me, so I'll sit that one out. Thanks again.

Walkerguy21D

Hmm, I’ve never had any issue with using them (unless I just trimmed my finger nails), but, similarly to TomB, mine were purchased probably 20 years ago. Also, I’ve only used the half dollar size, which works for US and Canadian halves, as well as US large cents.

LanceNewmanOCC

@Walkerguy21D said:
Hmm, I’ve never had any issue with using them (unless I just trimmed my finger nails), but, similarly to TomB, mine were purchased probably 20 years ago. Also, I’ve only used the half dollar size, which works for US and Canadian halves, as well as US large cents.

sheesh. many a time i had a habit of trimming my nails on saturday for some reason, ONLY to find myself with sore fingertips come sunday's show. even short (but not trimmed) nails can be used in a myriad of effective ways at shows/shops.

perhaps that is why we have seen so many images of nasty fingernails. short term gain and all that?

i've removed MANY MANY MANY a staple from 2x2 to slide coins in and actually bend them back down as well EXCEPT i like my nails being quite short.

LanceNewmanOCC

@JeffersonFrog said:
Many thanks for the input. Tried the @TomB method with some success, still working on the @CaptHenway method. The @GRANDAM pocket knife-near-the-coin method scares me, so I'll sit that one out. Thanks again.

i did like the pocket knife method and works very well, except there are side-effects; cutting myself on a few occasions, too much pressure on a round plastic object would send it flying sometimes sending the coin flying as well as it opens as it is being launched. lol

i never really had to deal with them enough to get comfortable with the knife method although i've used a knife on 2x2 staples many a time and only had a couple scratches and several near misses. never on really valueable toners/proofs/high grade etc. not worth the risk.

GRANDAM

@LanceNewmanOCC said:

@JeffersonFrog said:
Many thanks for the input. Tried the @TomB method with some success, still working on the @CaptHenway method. The @GRANDAM pocket knife-near-the-coin method scares me, so I'll sit that one out. Thanks again.

i did like the pocket knife method and works very well, except there are side-effects; cutting myself on a few occasions, too much pressure on a round plastic object would send it flying sometimes sending the coin flying as well as it opens as it is being launched. lol

i never really had to deal with them enough to get comfortable with the knife method although i've used a knife on 2x2 staples many a time and only had a couple scratches and several near misses. never on really valueable toners/proofs/high grade etc. not worth the risk.

I have found that in 2 or 3 months the BLOOD will produce a VERY desirable toning.

amwldcoin

@LanceNewmanOCC said:

@Walkerguy21D said:
Hmm, I’ve never had any issue with using them (unless I just trimmed my finger nails), but, similarly to TomB, mine were purchased probably 20 years ago. Also, I’ve only used the half dollar size, which works for US and Canadian halves, as well as US large cents.

sheesh. many a time i had a habit of trimming my nails on saturday for some reason, ONLY to find myself with sore fingertips come sunday's show. even short (but not trimmed) nails can be used in a myriad of effective ways at shows/shops.

perhaps that is why we have seen so many images of nasty fingernails. short term gain and all that?

i've removed MANY MANY MANY a staple from 2x2 to slide coins in and actually bend them back down as well EXCEPT i like my nails being quite short.

I just keep my right thumbnail a bit longer. Sucks when I break that tool!

JeffersonFrog

Okay, a cup of coffee and some quiet time this morning has led me to a great discovery - I really don't NEED Kointains.

The @CaptHenway method worked great for the bottom, but in trying to repeat the process for the top, the need for the @GRANDAM pocket knife method became apparent. However, all I was able to do with that method was to damage the top piece.

Maybe the Kointain's size was just off, or maybe it's my lack of finger dexterity - who knows? Regardless, between fingerprints, flinging the coin across the room, knife scratches and my limited patience, I've decided Kointains don't do much protecting with me at the wheel.

Many thanks for the input.

ricko

I use the Leuchtturm capsules.... Have had no problem with them. Cheers, RickO