Need instructions on cracking a PCGS slab

jbsteven

I am going to send some coins in to try for upgrades and need to know a safe way with common house tools of cracking the slabs.

Thanks for the help.

Cowbilly

I'm real new to here and all this, but I think If you search you'll find something posted here in the last two weeks. To sum it up... snip the corners open with wire cutter and be careful with the rest. Check it out before you proceed.

paigowjohnny

Find a friend with a bench vise if you don't have one...and go very slowly. CoinWorld had an article about that some time ago. I think it was coinguy who recommended pliers/vise grips and a real hard slow squeeze....which IMO might work on ANACS and NGC, but don't know about the PCGS just by the way they're made.

Russ

Hammer. Results:



Russ, NCNE

jbsteven

russ

where and how do you use the hammer

Russ

Tools needed:

Hammer
Cloth
Flat head screwdriver
Eye protection

Put cloth on table. Put on eye protection. Lay long edge of slab on cloth, holding surface of slab tightly between thumb and a couple of fingers. Smack a few times across "up" edge until the slab seperates. Lay flat on cloth, work screwdriver in to edge and pop open.

Russ, NCNE

ClausUrch

All the above tools are important; mainly the eye protection!!! Do yourself (and your eyes) a very big favor and wear something!

jbsteven

i will put on my clear Oakleys, thanks guys

OnlyBuffalos

Strongly recommend putting a thin cloth on top of the slab. This reduces the amount of flying debris.

freezer

I put the slab in a vise and saw off one end with a fine blade hack saw.Then I pry it open with a flat blade screwdriver.Also, once you saw off one end its easier for the vise to loosen up the seams.

ricardouno

I have sent coins to PCGS for upgrades by NOT cracking them out but just re-submitting them in their original holders.

PCGS will crack them out for you when they get them and then submit these "raw" coins for evaluation by their graders.

Using this method, PCGS will return you each coin "slabbed" at its original grade or higher.

I have had some good experiences using this method on high-end-coins-for-the-grade with several nice (and appropriate) upgrades in the past.

Good luck!

Nysoto

I asked this question a few months ago, a person replied that PCGS uses a type of band saw to cut a periphery around the coin. I use a large hammer, then a screwdriver for prying - but I would not try this method on an 1804 dollar!

LanLord

Use a couple cherry bombs but good luck finding the coin when you're done.

Sorry, I had nothing helpful to add to this thread, so I thought I'd be a smart arse instead.

Bikingnut

I've never cracked a PCGS slab but I have cracked others with ease. I have found the best method is to hold it on edge in one hand on a hard surface, (my garage floor), and firmly hit the edge with a hammer like you going to drive a nail with a hammer. You may have to hit it a few times, but eventually it will crack the slab at the seam. Works great on NGC and NTC slabs. On a PCGS slab I would only hit it only in the label area as the PCGS slab doesn't have that nice cushion insert that the NGC slab has.

MastaHanky

presleyh

Don't crack them out, pcgs isn't going to increase the grade anyway. You may even go down a point or two.

Mike921

I droped one on the concrete floor in the garage and it cracked itself out. It's not very hard

mbbiker

<< <i>i will put on my clear Oakleys >>



make sure you have the heater lens, i had a pair of pro M-frame safety glasses with the sweep lens and some debries came under the lens but with heaters i havn't had any problems.

relayer

I put the slab in a vise and saw off one end with a fine blade hack saw.Then I pry it open with a flat blade screwdriver.Also, once you saw off one end its easier for the vise to loosen up the seams.

Sawing takes a little longer, but is safer for both your eyes and your coin. Also if you saw an angle on the corner it's easy to open. Prying works better than smashing.

Barry

<< <i>i will put on my clear Oakleys, thanks guys >>


Do yourself a favor and get a real set of safety goggles with a polycarbonate face at Home Depot. They're a lot cheaper than Oaklies!
I've seen too many disasters, though admittedly none from slab cracking.
Barry (ophthalmologist)

dorkkarl

russ's picture is still the best 1 ever posted on this forum!

K S

jbsteven

barry, thanks for the advice

TONEDDOLLARS

A pair of diagoninal cutting pliers and you just snip the case at the edge. approx. 1/2 inch in next to coin, this splits the case in half no damage seen it done and also have done it many many times 100% failsafe.
this is the safest way to crack PCGS cases

BowAxe

Band saw, if you have one. Cut off all 4 edges, lift off one side. Hold insert over soft cloth and twist to make coin fall out onto cloth. Quick and easy, but during cutting the plastic sawdust flies all over the place so you still need eye protection, and obviously take great care with your fingers near the blade. It helps some with the sawdust if you can mount a vacuum crevice tool an inch or so away from the blade.

Dell

Zerbe

I have an PCGS 1895PR67 DCAM Morgan, and I want to crack it out, because I think it will make PR68DC at NGC. Do I use a ballpeen hammer or a regular claw hammer??? ZERBE

Russ

Zerbe,

I'd imagine a ballpeen would be great if you really like smashed fingers.

Karl,

BTW, that pile is even bigger now.

Russ, NCNE

Zerbe

That was a joke, of course. Every time I read about people breaking slabs with hammers, I cringe and just hope the coin is not valued at more than $50. The side cutters, bandsaw, or the fine tooth hacksaw, I can see, but not the hammer and screwdriver.

Russ

All that other stuff takes too long. I have no patience.

Russ, NCNE

Zerbe

My wife told me to place the slab on the toilet rim and drop the toilet seat on it. It works, but is kinda messy.

Russ

That would be a good method for NTC and ACG slabs. If they fell in the bowl, they'd feel right at home.

Russ, NCNE

gemtone65

If you intend to resubmit a PCGS slabbed coin back to PCGS for regrade, it makes no sense to crack it out yourself. Your risk damaging the coin; the reassessment by PCGS will not be affected. My experience confirms this, and Homerunhall has stated so unambiguously.

Russ

<< <i>the reassessment by PCGS will not be affected. My experience confirms this >>



My experience is the opposite. A couple of cases in point:

1964 slabbed by PCGS as 67CAM. I thought it should be a DCAM. Sent in for designation review, came back still as a cam. Cracked out, submitted, now in a 67DCAM holder.

1965 SMS slabbed by PCGS as MS67, no designation. I thought it should be a CAM. Sent in for designation review, came back still as a no cam. Cracked out, submitted, came back as 67CAM.

Russ, NCNE