"Cracker" poll!!!!!

keets

Earlier this week I cracked my first SEGS holder and my first PCGS "ol' rattler" holder, good examples for me of the hardest and easiest. I wondered what other more experienced crackers thought to be the extremes. Any tips on ease of cracking the particular toughies would be helpful, also.

Thanks for any/all replies.

Al H.

tlhoy

I've never cracked a coin out, YET.
Keets, I meet Ali when I was living in Louisville, KY. Never seen him fight though.

Baley

I votes SEGS and see by the poll that others have had the same difficulty with their holders (does that make them best? They are good looking holders; not crazy about some of the paper inserts )

For the tough holders, I'll saw, carefully pry, wiggle, cut, pry some more, etc..
I've found SEGS and newer PCGS the hardest to open, NGC not too bad

for the easy ones, a quick tap with the hammer on the edges does the trick (ANACS, PCI)

I've broken out probably a couple of dozen coins total, from all the major holders.
In fact have a couple more that I've been meaning to do!

paigowjohnny

I haven't done SEGS....but using my simple "hammer out on the patio".....PCGS holders (except for the rattlers) are a BEAR. I've gotten pretty good at cracking NGC and ANACS with some patience. If I'm looking for a coin that I know I'm gonna crack for an album or something, I'll look for ANACS first and then NGC.

mgoodm3

I haven't cracked any out. So I have no useful opinion. I chose the last answer for the lack of a no crack's answer.

JMOORE

Same as Mark.

Jim

nwcs

All of them. None are easy for me. But then again, I've only cracked 3 or 4.

BigAl

ICG. never cracked a segs, i hear they're difficult. pcgs (old and new), anacs, & ngc are the easiest (especially the rattler). pci is a little more difficult because the plastic bends and shatters, it doesnt crack in a streight line--probably cheap plastic.

I suppose it also depends on your crackout method.

here's a nice clean break,

291fifth

I've found the SEGS holders are by far the most difficult to crack.