My coins are stuck!!!

RiotAct

OK, so I buy a roll of uncirculated 1958-P Lincoln cents today at a coin show. They're in one of those plastic coin tubes. I get home and try to get them out so I can inspect them further, but they seem to be stuck inside the tube! I was able to coax the first one out, but the other 49 are wedged in there pretty good. I'm a little leery about smacking them against a hard surface... anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

Russ

Put the tube in the freezer overnight.

Russ, NCNE

gtstang

I remember hearing somebody saying that putting the roll in the freezer for a while might work.

ormandh

Throw it against the wall as hard as you can and it should crack the tube for easy removal of the coins. Or you could fill the tube with oil to lubricate the sides.
























No, gently tap the tube on the table, upside down. -Dan

Sorry, I am trying to be funny, but I know it is a bummer when you have coins that you are concerned about.

30AnvZ28

Step 1. Place roll on hard surface... preferbally one you would not like to destrly. (i.e. front porch, driveway, garage floor, ect)

Step 2. Retrieve 5 pound sledge hammer from garage.

Step 3. Aim sledge hammer directly over coin tube, pull over head, and swing. (CAUTION!!! There may be flying debris, please use eye protection)

Step 4. Retrieve coins from surrounding area.

ormandh

Is it a good thing to put coins in a cold damp environment? Will it cause spots or any other problems for the coins? -Dan

sellsatan

Freezers are just cold - not damp.

numonebuyer

Freezer works like a champ.

100proof1957

wont the freezer shrink the tube ?

how bout the ole pan of almost boiling water trick ?

Craton

I'll bet the roll has a name such as "Mehger and sons" on the bottom right?
I had purchased a roll of UNC franklins and had to pry the roll bit by bit with pliers to get the coins out. I sure wish that I would have known about the freezer trick! It took me two days of working on that roll!

BAJJERFAN

<< <i>wont the freezer shrink the tube ? >>




No, the coeffecient of expansion/contraction of metals is quite different from that of plastics which is zero or nearly so. The coins shrink in the cold while plastic does not.

Conder101

If you have access to liquid nitrogen it works much better and faster. Just put the tube into the liquid nitrogen. The intense cold will caus the plastic to break up into small pieces like safety glass (Takes less than 10 seconds). Then just let the nitrogen boil off and let it come back up to room temperature. (If you just leave the coins in the nitrogen container until it is back up to temperature the container will still be filled with nitrogen which will have kept water vapor out and you won't have to worry about condensation forming on the coins as they warm up.)

Outhaul

#1: Remove the cap

#2: Using an electric drill with a #3 bit, Drill straight down
through the middle of the coins all the way to the bottom

#3: Using a 1/4-28 tap, thread the hole

#4: Turn a 1/4-28 X 6" bolt straight through to the bottom

#5: Once bolt is bottomed out, pull on the head while
gripping the coin tube with Visegrips™

Coins should slide out easily in one piece.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

Bob

Shamika

Very carefully back over it with your truck.

cho10

putting the tube in your freezer should do what you want.

Most tubes are **exactly** the size of the coins they'll contain with a very small amount of margin to spare.

If the person who put the coins in the tube inserted them in a hurry, there could be an air pocket that creates a sort of vacuum. Another possibility is that the coins were not inserted properly and so they are really stuck.

The low temperature of an overnight stay in the freezer should do the trick.

You might consider inserting the roll in a "ZIP-LOCK" or similar bag. Even if the humidity level is low, the closed zip lock bag will keep condensation out when you remove the roll from your freezer.

PerryHall

<< <i>Very carefully back over it with your truck. >>

SmallSizedGuy

<< <i>You might consider inserting the roll in a "ZIP-LOCK" or similar bag. Even if the humidity level is low, the closed zip lock bag will keep condensation out when you remove the roll from your freezer. >>



Keep the coins in the zip lock bag until they warm up to room temperature. The cold coins will cause condensation on the surfaces if you remove them too soon.

Colorfulcoins

Heat works too!

As stated above, its probably a Melrig roll. Take off the cap, place the roll in hot (almost but not quite boiling water - don't want water in the roll) and let it set for 5 minutes. Take it out, turn upside down and use a hammer or rubber mallot to tap on the bottom of the roll. The coin will come out. You only have a minute or two for this to work before the plastic cools. Its worked everytime for me on some old dimes rolls.....

Course, getting any coins back into the roll also presents (sometimes) the same problem!

pharmer

I've used the heat method also, just under hot tap water down the sides for a while. I lay a towel down and slap the tube down on the side, the coins pop out until the tube cools. Repeat as needed. The real question is why anyone made tubes that are so tight, then why anyone used them, and finally how they got the coins in, if they're so hard to get out. Sounds like lots of people have had experience with these ridiculous tubes. I'll try the freezer method next time if I'm unfortunate enough to get another one of these.

-------------------------

PerryHall

pharmer---My understanding is that the tubes shrank over a period of a few years.

Merch

Just get it warm, it doesnt take much.....roll it in your hands for a minute or two. I t will loosen up

RiotAct

Okay thanks everyone, I'm gonna try to freeze 'em for a while then gradually warm them back up.



<< <i>I'll bet the roll has a name such as "Mehger and sons" on the bottom right?
I had purchased a roll of UNC franklins and had to pry the roll bit by bit with pliers to get the coins out. I sure wish that I would have known about the freezer trick! It took me two days of working on that roll! >>



Yep - M. Meghrig & Sons.

cladking

If you're in a hurry then pop it in a vice and cut through with a hacksaw along its lenght. Stop when
you're nearly through and finish it off with pliers.

If you do freeze it, please let us know how well it works. It may well be easier especially if you have
several and aren't in a hurry. There might be a little concern if they're uncs with warming up too quick-
ly and having water condense on them. If you're concerned just lay a towel over them until they get
back to room temperature. It shouldn't matter with circs probably.

BAJJERFAN

Warming the tube with a hair dryer is probly a better choice than using hot water.