ANACS slab needs cracked

Bochiman · June 30, 2005 1:39PM

Bought a shield nickel from BigD5 on ebay, for my son's type album.
Got the slab/nickel in today and wondering best/safest way to crack it....like, what might we have around the house that could safely crack it.

Thanks

dthigpen · June 30, 2005 1:39PM

Vice

goose3 · June 30, 2005 1:40PM

I've always wrapped the top portion with a rag and smacked the very top with a hammer and then broke the rest of it open.

lordmarcovan · June 30, 2005 1:40PM

Bochiman · June 30, 2005 1:42PM

Believe it or not, I don't have vice grips ... yet.
I do have the hammer though...hmmmmmmmm....are you saying crack it across or from the top down?

Craton · June 30, 2005 1:43PM

Hammer. Wear safety glasses!

goose3 · June 30, 2005 1:47PM

I always bust up the very top portion that contains the paper insert because if you break that, you can pull the white insert and coin out the top.

mirabela · June 30, 2005 1:50PM

ANACS are the easiest ones to get into. Wrap it in a rag, stand it up vertically, and bang holy heck out of the top (the end with the cert) and it will pop right open. Then just pull out the flexible white insert, bend it a little and your coin should pop right out. ANACS certs are nice too, because you can peel it up from the white insert and stick it somewhere new, like on a flip or in a type album. Then you'll still have it if you ever go to sell.

lordmarcovan · June 30, 2005 1:53PM

<< <i>I do have the hammer though...hmmmmmmmm....are you saying crack it across or from the top down? >>

Just wrap it in a rag like goose3 said, hold it on the edge of a sturdy table or countertop with the label portion (top) of the slab stickin' out, and whack the top off the slab. Since you have the slab wrapped and you'll have your hand over the part with the coin while you're holdin' it down, you won't have to worry about damaging the coin. Just knock the top off of it. Easy as can be. If the inner insert part doesn't come free, you should be able to crack it the rest of the way easily enough, using needle-nosed pliers or something. But I can usually crack an ANACS slab in one hit, with the insert comin' out cleanly.

'Taint rocket science. Very easy.

Note: Craton's suggestion about safety glasses is a good one. You don't want plastic shrapnel in your eye. I speak from firsthand experience. (Though wrapping the slab in a rag first like goose suggested should keep most splinters from flying around.)

CoinOnTheCob · June 30, 2005 2:25PM

You can try shooting the plastic apart, but …

(Thanks Mr. Paseo)

Craton · June 30, 2005 2:27PM

<< <i>

<< <i>I do have the hammer though...hmmmmmmmm....are you saying crack it across or from the top down? >>

Just wrap it in a rag like goose3 said, hold it on the edge of a sturdy table or countertop with the label portion (top) of the slab stickin' out, and whack the top off the slab. Since you have the slab wrapped and you'll have your hand over the part with the coin while you're holdin' it down, you won't have to worry about damaging the coin. Just knock the top off of it. Easy as can be. If the inner insert part doesn't come free, you should be able to crack it the rest of the way easily enough, using needle-nosed pliers or something. But I can usually crack an ANACS slab in one hit, with the insert comin' out cleanly.

'Taint rocket science. Very easy.

Note: Craton's suggestion about safety glasses is a good one. You don't want plastic shrapnel in your eye. I speak from firsthand experience. (Though wrapping the slab in a rag first like goose suggested should keep most splinters from flying around.) >>

I have cracked many a slab with a hammer and that plastic can fly a good 20 feet easy!

Barry · June 30, 2005 8:21PM

I saw another forum member take an ANACS slab and just smack it a few times on the concrete floor of the Baltimore Conv Center and it cracked open.

ksteelheader · June 30, 2005 8:41PM

I opened one at last summers ANA show in a few seconds with my pocket knife!

BAJJERFAN · June 30, 2005 8:56PM

Use a vise or wrap it in a paper towel and tap on the edges with a hammer or mallet like you were cracking a hickory nut. Be easy and careful so as not to do smoething stupid like knock the thing out of your hand.

pharmer · July 1, 2005 12:18AM

Endcutters are fast, efficient.

Tonelover · July 1, 2005 12:54AM

Something like this with sharp edges is extremely quick, clean, easy and safe to use. Just snip one of the edges along the long edge of the slab and it will crack right in half. With a little luck it will take all of about two or three seconds.

marmac · July 1, 2005 1:25AM

I use Sheet metal cutters (tin snips). Make my cut half way in just under the insert, another cut half way in on the other side and then pull the slab apart.....takes about 10 seconds.