Qusetion: Mint Sealed Bags

pandaman

Let me start by saying these are Canadian bags but qustion can be answered by experts here. I have teo (2) sealed bags of Canadian coins (1 cent & 5 cents). Problem is that no dates are stamped on bag. My father thought were 1963 but one shipping label says 1965 5 cents so probably 1965's. The cent bag has no date.

Question: If I put tiny slit in bag to get out one coin, will that totally ruin "sealed" bag? How about if I slit & reseal in front of notary (I work w/ a notary) who certifies that? May sell on ebay & really would like to know what I am selling. Stupid canadian mint does not Date their mint bags!! I think my father had planned to just open bag way back when so never dated it. Thanks

oreville

panaman: If the Canadian mint sealed bags have an area in which the bags are stitched just as in the US Mint bags then you can use your fingers to slide a coin's date with the small separation between the stitches to peek at each number of the date. It takes a bit of practice to do it but you DON'T want to slit the bag open.

pandaman

Bags are not stiched shut. They are tied shut w/ string & lead seal clamps ends of string. Not sewn like US bags

BigE

Maybe a dumb idea, but could you get it X-rayed at the doctors?------BigE

misterR

Try making a small hole in the cloth, way too small to remove any of the coins. You will be surprised that you can read the date/mintmark through an extremely small hole. A small flashlight helps. Shine it through the cloth to illuminate the date/mintmark. I can't take credit for this helpful hint. Dealer Julian Jarvis told me how to do this a long time ago.

oreville

pandaman: The bag is not stitched anywhere on the sides or bottom?

pandaman

These canadians are tricky!!! The top of bag is accordian folded & I thought maybe could force coin through but the Canadian mint out foxed me...the bag is double bagged. The bag inside feels like another mint sealed bag (I can feel lead seal). I then thought maybe someone opened bag & resealed it in a "fake" mint bag but lead plug that secures string at top of outside bag is stamped "MINT" & "TAW". I think couble bagged because coins may be able to be squeezed through top. Maybe open outside bag to get to inside bag but that would be like breaking the seal espcially if dougle bagging was standard practice. Bag has tightly sewn seams on sides & bottom.

pandaman

I do like idea of making small hole to look into bag. I may try it on the seam but then would have to do it twice to get past the second bag!! Maybe if poked hole through both bags with a screwdriver, I could push coin to opening & see a date? Such a hole could be from wear & tear over the years & too small for coin to fit. Think worth try?
My father says they are most likely 1963 but will check for any record of year. Actually it may be all for nothing because looking up coin values all 1963 - 65 cents are pretty much same value...maybe I'll have a mystery date sale!?!? He just wants to get rid of them...tired of moving heavy bags of coins!!!

Outhaul

A fiber-optic scope, such as a borescope, will do just nicely.

Dog97

If you cut or open & reseal the bag, even with a notary, it is no longer an original mint sealed bag.

pandaman

Hey, my father is retired eye doc...could use a little scope thingy to peer into bags, if he still has a scope.