Looking for Hints on Cracking Coins Out

124Spider

Hi,

I'm an album-collector at heart, but I have lots of slabbed coins, for a variety of obvious reasons.

As many are, I'm in the constant process of upgrading my various collections. I had been looking for some MS63+/- buffalo nickels, in fairly common dates. It happened that I just found four of them at a dealer I like, but all are slabbed in NGC slabs.

I have never cracked out a coin before, but these are not particularly valuable (US$100 on average), and I would rather have them looking pretty in an album than taking up space in a box.

So I'm going to crack them out.

Any hints on safe and effective ways to do so would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Mark

gumby1234

If you have a dremel tool, you can cut the slab open easily without damaging the coin.

david3142

NGC slabs are pretty easy to crack. Hammer hard enough to get a little crack at a few places along the long edge and the corners. It should open like a clam shell.

olah_in_MA

I have successfully cracked out many coins from their holders. I put 2 hand pliers on the plastic end of the holders and try to snap off each corner by holding 1 plier closer to the coin and twisting the 2nd plier on the corner until it snaps. After breaking the 2nd corner off, you have access to free the coin. Havent scratched a coin yet. The SEGS holders are the hardest to dislodge its coin from. good luck

124Spider

@gumby1234 said:
If you have a Dremel tool, you can cut the slab open easily without damaging the coin.

I do have a Dremel; how does one attack the slab with a Dremel?

PeakRarities

I haven't done it a lot, but i hear that one cut on the side of the slab with a pair of tile nippers normally splits a pcgs slab in half, they say the sweet spot is about halfway up the gasket.

gumby1234

@124Spider You put a cutoff disk in the Dremel. Then if you have a vise you can put the slab into you secure it firmly. Not too tight as not to crack it. Then you cut around the seam. An alternate method is to hold it securely on a work table and cut out the face of the slab being careful to stay away from the coin as you cut.

gumby1234

124Spider

@gumby1234 said:

Perfect; thanks!

gumby1234

@124Spider You're welcome and wear safety goggles

OAKSTAR

JMO if you're new to the game. No hammers, no drills, no heavy equipment.

Steps 1 thru 3, be gentle.

OAKSTAR

P.S. You might consider saving the labels and bar codes and put them in the back of your albums.

124Spider

@OAKSTAR said:
P.S. You might consider saving the labels and bar codes and put them in the back of your albums.

Yup; that's the plan. And I have "before" photos.

Tom147

Easier, safer way with the Dremel. Cut a 1/2" across the top all the way across the short end of the slab. The end furthest away from the coin. Fingers will pry it right apart.

MICHAELDIXON

Herb_T

I use my mill….

OAKSTAR

@124Spider said:

@OAKSTAR said:
P.S. You might consider saving the labels and bar codes and put them in the back of your albums.

Yup; that's the plan. And I have "before" photos.

You're talkin' my language.

OAKSTAR

@Herb_T said:
I use my mill….

Now that is cool!! OUTSTANDING!! You obviously know what you're doing.

jmlanzaf

@OAKSTAR said:

@Herb_T said:
I use my mill….

Now that is cool!! OUTSTANDING!! You obviously know what you're going.

Be careful not to heat the plastic and cause it to outgas.

OAKSTAR

@jmlanzaf said:

@OAKSTAR said:

@Herb_T said:
I use my mill….

Now that is cool!! OUTSTANDING!! You obviously know what you're going.

Be careful not to heat the plastic and cause it to outgas.

Don't tell me, tell @Herb_T

I don't have a drill-press.

Jacques_Loungecoque

I’ve always preferred wrapping the slab in a soft, thin towel, then place in a bench vise, with the long sides against the inside of the vice. Crank slowly til you hear a crack. Then after finding the cracked spot GENTLY insert a flat head screwdriver and begin working around the slab til separated.

No vice? Then wrap in towel and place a long side on hard surface like a bench or countertop. Then hammer down on the upside long side of the slab. A ton more things can go wrong using this method but I have done hundreds in this manner and never damaged a single coin. If you feel comfortable knowing your strength and get some experience you’ll be good. Start with something you don’t care that much about to get a feel for it.

All that said the bench vice is the way to go if you have access.

Herb_T

@OAKSTAR said:

@Herb_T said:
I use my mill….

Now that is cool!! OUTSTANDING!! You obviously know what you're going.

I still have 10 fingers!

OAKSTAR

@Herb_T said:

@OAKSTAR said:

@Herb_T said:
I use my mill….

Now that is cool!! OUTSTANDING!! You obviously know what you're going.

I still have 10 fingers!

I meant to say: what you're doing, not going!

erwindoc

Hammer the edges and use a tool to pry open the corners. Be careful not to let the tool slip inside scraping the coin!

PerryHall

Put the slab in a poorly padded envelope and mail it to yourself.

bigmarty58

Safety glasses and gloves this tool will get it done.

OAKSTAR

There was a short video clip here once of a guy putting a slab between the crack of the 2x6 pressure treated board on his deck and stepped on it to break it open!!

Morgan13

Cracking coins is always presents a bit of danger. The safest way is by cutting into the plastic with a Drexel but still can have a bad result. If anything scratches the surface your cooked.
Time and patients is definelty the key to success!

OAKSTAR

@OAKSTAR said:
There was a short video clip here once of a guy putting a slab between the crack of the 2x6 pressure treated board on his deck and stepped on it to break it open!!

Anyone remember that??

jmlanzaf

@PerryHall said:
Put the slab in a poorly padded envelope and mail it to yourself.

Don't forget to insure it for $1000

alefzero

Always quite the endeavor to have flown to a show (obviously with no tools) and have a coin to crack out at your table. There are limits in ingenuity, but something always works. Often gets others' attention too.

jmlanzaf

@OAKSTAR said:

@OAKSTAR said:
There was a short video clip here once of a guy putting a slab between the crack of the 2x6 pressure treated board on his deck and stepped on it to break it open!!

Anyone remember that??

They aren't that hard to open... except SEGS. I knew a dealer who, at shows, would crack them out in the hotel room by just putting the edge under the hotel room chair and sitting down.

[The repeated sitting and standing was the most exercise he ever got. ]

Cameonut

Many years ago at a regional show I watched a Heritage employee crack out dozens of coins. He used an end cutting nipper like this one. I figured they knew what worked the best so I did the same. Usually one nip at 3 or 9 o'clock does the trick. I place the nipper and cover with a rag to prevent any shards from flying (normally they don't).

ndeagles

I tap edges with hammer. I would never use a Dremel for this task, way too messy

johnny9434

@gumby1234 said:
@124Spider You're welcome and wear safety goggles

Protect what you got.

alaura22

@Cameonut said:
Many years ago at a regional show I watched a Heritage employee crack out dozens of coins. He used an end cutting nipper like this one. I figured they knew what worked the best so I did the same. Usually one nip at 3 or 9 o'clock does the trick. I place the nipper and cover with a rag to prevent any shards from flying (normally they don't).

We must have been at the same show, Long Beach?
Yes, he cracked out dozens of coins in minutes.
Do I know you from back in the day?

Cameonut

@alaura22 said:

We must have been at the same show, Long Beach?
Yes, he cracked out dozens of coins in minutes.
Do I know you from back in the day?

Nope, never been to Long Beach. I cannot recall the exact venue but it would have been upper Midwest instead.
Those nippers are efficient and deadly for all slabs with the exception of SEGS.

124Spider

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Having raced cars for years (very amateur level; did all my own wrenching), I have a good set of tools. I decided that the vice sounded like the method with the least downside, and also the easiest. I like easy.

So I did that. They all gave up their treasure without a significant struggle, without damage to coin or me.

Album looks prettier now!

BTW, why do people get coins graded when the grading fee is a significant percentage of the value of the coin?

Cougar1978

I just put them on carpet hit them hard with hammer, pry slab apart. Easy!

OAKSTAR

@124Spider said:
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Having raced cars for years (very amateur level; did all my own wrenching), I have a good set of tools. I decided that the vice sounded like the method with the least downside, and also the easiest. I like easy.

So I did that. They all gave up their treasure without a significant struggle, without damage to coin or me.

Album looks prettier now!

Pictures of your process and the final outcome would be nice to see.

@124Spider said:

BTW, why do people get coins graded when the grading fee is a significant percentage of the value of the coin?

People get their coins graded for many different reasons. Getting coins graded adds value to the coin, sometimes it doesn't.

ChrisH821

@124Spider said:
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Having raced cars for years (very amateur level; did all my own wrenching), I have a good set of tools. I decided that the vice sounded like the method with the least downside, and also the easiest. I like easy.

So I did that. They all gave up their treasure without a significant struggle, without damage to coin or me.

Album looks prettier now!

BTW, why do people get coins graded when the grading fee is a significant percentage of the value of the coin?

I would guess either due to inexperience or wanting a coin graded for a set.
Glad to hear you got them out without incident.

opportunity

@ndeagles said:
I tap edges with hammer. I would never use a Dremel for this task, way too messy

This is the answer. Tapping away with a hammer along the sides and top while resting on a hard surface, just hard enough to make "progress" with each few taps is the way. I actually just cracked out a 5 figure coin just like this...as it's extremely valuable, I took my sweet time and finally had it out in about 15 minutes.

Respectfully, in my humble opinion, using a power rotary tool is way overkill and is actually a bad suggestion, because if it were to go wrong, it would entirely destroy your coin.

124Spider

@OAKSTAR said:

Pictures of your process and the final outcome would be nice to see.

I didn't take photos as I did it, but here's a re-enactment:

Place coin in vice:

After squeezing, gently but firmly, a seam gives way. I then take it out of the vice, and insert a screwdriver into the opened seam:

Prying all around results in the top popping off; all four show little or no damage (which, by itself, is a little scary, and explains to me how people swap coins in slabs; the empty slab pictured is one of the four):

lablover

Wrap the holder in a kitchen towel and tap the sides of the holder with a hammer. Works like a charm. Pops that bad boy right open.

Tom147

@124Spider said:

BTW, why do people get coins graded when the grading fee is a significant percentage of the value of the coin?

A difference of 1 number grade ( ie : 64 - 65 ) can sometimes be substantial. A 64 not worth grading, a 65 could be quite profitable. Look at our hosts price guide. You'll see multiple examples. For instance - ms60 $ 30, ms62 $ 45, ms63 $ 60, ms64 $ 85, ms65 $ 200. Thus, the crack-out game. Individuals will crack out and resubmit 64's multiple times trying to get that 65 grade.

124Spider

@Tom147 said:

@124Spider said:

BTW, why do people get coins graded when the grading fee is a significant percentage of the value of the coin?

A difference of 1 number grade ( ie : 64 - 65 ) can sometimes be substantial. A 64 not worth grading, a 65 could be quite profitable. Look at our hosts price guide. You'll see multiple examples. For instance - ms60 $ 30, ms62 $ 45, ms63 $ 60, ms64 $ 85, ms65 $ 200. Thus, the crack-out game. Individuals will crack out and resubmit 64's multiple times trying to get that 65 grade.

Good answer!

Not that I understand the "thinking" of those doing it. To me, that game would take all the fun out of this hobby.

Tom147

I agree. I don't play that game. It could get very costly. My grading skills are " slightly " above average. Not good enough to pick out an undergraded coin every time. This may be a little off topic but, here's a little game I play. As I have close to 2,000 PCGS slabs, I'll reach in to my Intercept box, pull a slab and cover the info at the top with my hand, where I can only see the coin itself. My own little game of " GTG " Guess the grade. Been doing this for a few years. Maybe someday I'll be able to say " that's undergraded. Needs cracked out and resubmitted "

CoinHoarder

@lordmarcovan

The LordM "No Tools" slab crackout technique. Simple. Primitive. Effective. Safe.

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1021424/the-lordm-no-tools-slab-crackout-technique-simple-primitive-effective-safe

OAKSTAR

@OAKSTAR said:
There was a short video clip here once of a guy putting a slab between the crack of the 2x6 pressure treated board on his deck and stepped on it to break it open!!

@CoinHoarder - YOU FOUND IT!!! I know it was out there!!

Namvet69

Kinda reminds me of an episode of Mr Wizard, ya know Don Herbert.

Bikergeek

First, sign up for karate class. Spend two years "wax on, wax off." Meditate until you can cross the hot coals barefoot. Breathe through your chakras until the leaves shake in the aspen trees when you exhale. Then, and only then, may you be ready to crack the sacred plastic.
Video for reference