How many coins have you killed with staples / which ones?
Azurescens
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I think I have a very low number because of my ocd and planning the removal like I'm doing heart surgery. I use an exacto and cut the layers of plastic as I rotate the coin grasping both corners. Sometimes I can get a small slit in for larger coins and peel it away with tweezers.
It's been a long time since I've had to go through a lot, but I think I got through the last collection successfully. I think I nailed some 90% a few years ago, but with the amount I had to do, a couple was a very small percentage.
I can't give a number and have never ruined anything worth anything, circulated change from when I was a kid, I'm sure.
There's nothing devastating, but what about you folks? What staples have cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars?
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Super OCD so Zero.
I need to take photos right now for my auctions so I just freed this one. It will get a new 2x2.
A few Lincoln's. Nothing too expensive as a youngster.
Zero. I’m on a campaign against freaking staples. Staples are the leading cause of problem coins due to scratches. So stupid that people are still using them. futhermore, there have been times I’ve purchased coins from seller without reading their return policy very well . There has been a couple of times I mistakenly purchased coins from seller that have a policy that states if I remove these coins from their staples flip the return policy will be void. Here’s the deal, you cannot judge a coin correctly through cellophane. You nor anyone else can pull that off. Cellophane will most definitely hide those cleaning lines if the coin has been wiped/cleaned . It’s a losing proposition. My advise is do NOT get sucked into these deals. Avoid them like the plague and stay the hell away from freaking staples.
Joe
@ErrorsOnCoins I saw that nickel on your eBay page. I've got a similar one from the 60s or 70s. It's a dead ringer for that one. I'll have to dig it out lol. I did a double take when I saw it. Nice coin. Exacto really is the only way to do it. Think of the amount of people who have cut their fingertips off or sliced themselves with scissors. And all the dead coins..
I have one small Mexican silver coin, ten centavos(?) either from the era of Maximillian or from the Republic just before. It has a prominent staple scratch in a focal spot. I can't remember if I did it, or if I wasn't paying sufficient attention when I bought it (IIRC, it was a $20 coin about 1995). When I see it, I feel guilty about it. I might see it in the blue 2X2 box once a year, so the guilt is minimized.
But IMHO, there is still a place and use for cardboard 2X2 holders and staples.
One Peace dollar. The devil told me to post: "Several dozen but none of them belonged to me!" just to stir the pot.
2- I don't want to talk about it. It was after one of them good nights.
Hoard the keys.
A few lower value many years ago.
I have this really nice Mint State 32-S quarter. Well, almost really nice. It has a staple scratch, a big one, across the reverse. Either I did it, or I didn't notice it when I bought it. Needless to say, I was not happy....
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1892 Barber Half AU58 TDR
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I think I lost a nice uncirculated 48 Franklin, but I may very well be confusing it with some 64 Kennedy.
When I was 6, I remember losing a mint state (!!!) bicentennial quarter that I found in change (lol) and that was enough for me. I wonder if some kid found it in change and labeled it die crack.
In all of my collecting years, I have only put some minor damage on one token. I was trying to get it out and I nicked a rim. It was really minor, and I've to point it out to most people to see it.
None - I don't pull apart the 2X2 thus exposing coin to staples. I cut them out......very carefully.
I killed a 1999 w uncirc $5 AGE with a razor knife while opening the padded envelope. Coin was loose in the envelope, not added protection.
No Way Out: Stimulus and Money Printing Are the Only Path Left
I bought an 09 svdb with unc details a guy put a staple right there the middle of the obverse
HAPPY COLLECTING
One.
None. I always use an x-acto knife.
Lance.
If you have the 50 piece set of attachments there's a very long and thin one that's squared off at the tip but all edges are sharp. There's no blade to get in the way.
Edit: I think the 25 has it but 20 doesn't.
Probably a few many years ago but they weren't worth much. These days (last decade+) I only buy PCGS and NGC slabbed coins so it's not an issue. Now I have come close to damaging a coin when cracking them out but I only crack out one or two a year. Probably need a thread on "how to crack out" coins.
I just use a toothpick to punch a few holes in the plastic window of the 2X2 along the edge of the coin. It's quick, easy, and safe.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
None.
None with staples. One with metal snips. I use them to break coins out of holders, and I had a really nice $2 1/2 Indian in one of those cheap self slab holders that I was freeing. Well, it was such a cheap holder that it did not hold the coin securely in the foam middle piece. It accidentally slid down to the edge where I was cutting, and before I knew it it was almost cut completely in half. I thought I was going to take a bath on it.. but it actually sold as-is in a no reserve auction for something like $350! I was a little shocked. Maybe I should but up some more coins??
As of yet the body count is at 0 thankfully
Long ago I put a light scratch on a well circulated common Half Cent. It was in a plastic flip that was stapled and I did not notice the staple wasn't all the way out. Created a nice pink line on brown surfaces. Thought it would stay that way, but rubbing it over a few months the color matched again and the scratch was too shallow to see as it was only enough to just change the color.
As far as 2 x 2's, I use a fingernail or sharpened pencil to cut the window, just over half way around is usually enough. Not risking having a knife next to the coins in order to avoid a staple.
I still use 2x2's and often find them easier to view a coin than some flips as long as it is large enough to show the edge also.
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
Thankfully I have not lost any. I always cut mine out now. I used to manually pull the staple out of two sides and then slide the coin out, but I've found it much quicker and easier to use an X-acto to cut the plastic.
Once, 1820 Quarter.
Interesting idea
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
I have used the toothpick method (well... early on I used a bent paper clip).. make holes and then open.... never ruined a coin - but the potential with the paper clip is what made me change to a toothpick. Cheers, RickO
By far the easiest way is to put 91% alcohol on the 2x2, light it on fire and the coin drops out. Easy peasy.
Rachel approves of the ErrorsOnCoins method above.
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Another toothpick user here. How hard is the celophane that you have to use a anything with a blade?
A Dremel with a cut off tool may not be the best choice .......
all around collector of many fine things
Haven't been down that road yet...however, some time ago I received a coin off of ebay in mail. Seller included a wheat cent as a bonus gratuity for purchase. Lucky for me purchase was under $100. I typically cut the top off my packages with shears, and accidentally put a nice wedge shaped impression on the rim...dampened the spirits none the less.
Oh so that's how you fill your inventory.
I was at a Local auction, Looked at three Gem bu buffalo's The runner stacked the coins by lots of ten or so when I got my Gem bu 1924 fully struck it had a Scratch right down and around the Nose. needless to say not very happy, but sold as is where is. It did not have it on when I looked at it during the Preview. Lesson Learned.