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JRH

Placid

I would crack it out as long as the coin is without a doubt NT.

CarlWohlforth

I'd send it in the ICG slab as "Cross and any grade". I crossed an ICG 3 cent silver to PCGS that way and it stayed the same grade. I don't like cracking the slabs because I worry I will scratch the coin.

JRH

Also, do I need to request the "star" designation or do they do that automatically if appropriate ?

GoYankees

<< <i>I'd send it in the ICG slab as "Cross and any grade". I crossed an ICG 3 cent silver to PCGS that way and it stayed the same grade. I don't like cracking the slabs because I worry I will scratch the coin. >>




I've been doing an experiment in crossover crackouts, with old green PCI slabs, which I got cheap, to PCGS and I figured out how to crack them out w/o damaging the coin. I hold the old slab down and use a hammer to gently whack away the raised edges of the plastic. The edges will chip away while the plastic surrounding the coin reamins intact. Then, after bushing aside the shards, I pull the front and back sides apart with my hands. Then I use two clean mylar flips: one to put between my thumb and the coin to press the coin from the insert and the other filp I place on top of soft surface and have the coin rest once it's freed from the old insert. Keep a portable vacuum cleaner handy becuse the plastic shards will fly all over the room. I cracked out five slabs within an hour and if my wife had seen the mess I had made, she'd have a cow. Once in a while, I still find a stray shard. If you have small children, crack the slab in a safe place like a garage or basement.

CarlWohlforth

I tried asking NGC for a star, they declined to give it to me They will give it out when they want to, you don't need to ask.

I have cracked several slabs. I tried the dremel mototool and also the hammer approach. I liked the bolt cutter technique. Still I worry about hurting the coins...

GoYankees

<< <i>I tried asking NGC for a star, they declined to give it to me They will give it out when they want to, you don't need to ask.

I have cracked several slabs. I tried the dremel mototool and also the hammer approach. I liked the bolt cutter technique. Still I worry about hurting the coins... >>



Carl, I don't blame ya, I feel the same way. That's why I've been practicing on cheap slabs.

Thanks for letting me know about the other techniques.

Catch22

Anybody else ever notice the smell that comes from a newly cracked slab? Personally, I use the hammer method, but I always get a hint of a strange odor when I pop 'em.

By the way, I place the slab on one of it's long edges and firmly pop the right corner with a hammer and have never had one break past the edge of the slab. I then use a screwdriver to carefully work it open.