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What is the best method of reducing the bend of a coin?

STONESTONE Posts: 15,275 ✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
I recently bought a coin with a somewhat slight bend in the planchet (a half-dime). I knew it was bent when I bought it, and I only bought it because it is a rarer die marriage. I would like to reduce much of the noticable planchet bend, and make it as flat as possible, but I don't want to compromise the integrity of the coin (i.e. breaking it, or being further damaged) if there is/are method(s) of re-flattening the coin.

Does anyone have a sure-fire method of reducing a bend on a coin?
If so, could you share your experience, and the steps you took to un-bend your coin.

Comments

  • fcloudfcloud Posts: 12,133 ✭✭✭✭
    Squeeze it between the original dies being careful not to scratch it. image

    President, Racine Numismatic Society 2013-2014; Variety Resource Dimes; See 6/8/12 CDN for my article on Winged Liberty Dimes; Ebay

  • PatchesPatches Posts: 1,700 ✭✭✭
    Do not use a vice is the only advice I have...personal experience gone wrong image
  • ormandhormandh Posts: 3,111 ✭✭✭
    Use two pieces of wood and a vice. I think Lord M has used this process successfully in the past. -Dan
    Numismasource ebay store
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,947 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've seen people put a bent coin between two pieces of wood and then whack the wood with a hammer and successfully flatten the coin.

    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

  • notwilightnotwilight Posts: 12,864 ✭✭✭
    I would try this:

    Cut a slot in a piece of yellow pine or birch (moderately hard wood) about 2/3 the width of the coin. Do not use end grain.

    Fashion a point on another piece of wood about 1/8" wide, trapezoidal prism would be the shape. Again, don't use the end grain.

    Cut the edges of the pieces of wood so that the line of the top of the prism lines up with the slot.

    Lay the coin on the slotted wood with the ridge up. Place the point of the trapezoid on the top of the ridge. Tape the blocks together so that everything is fixed.

    Tap with a hammer or squeeze gently in a vice, taking it all apart to check frequently. The wood will probably dent more than the coin but as it forms to it, a nice cradle will be made making it easy to reassemble for each adjustment.

    Silver is pretty ductile so I don't think you have to worry about breaking it. Just go very slowly so you don't overdo it.

    --Jerry
  • PlacidPlacid Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Use two pieces of wood and a vice. I think Lord M has used this process successfully in the past. -Dan >>



    image
  • savoyspecialsavoyspecial Posts: 7,316 ✭✭✭✭
    vice may work if the bend is not extreme.......cushion the coin with a scrap piece of leather at both sides


    if the coin is especially valuable, send to NCS

    www.brunkauctions.com

  • fcloudfcloud Posts: 12,133 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Use two pieces of wood and a vice. I think Lord M has used this process successfully in the past. -Dan >>



    Don't use wood. It can leave traces of the grain.

    If you must do it use thick stack of soft top grain leather rather than wood. Use the smooth side. You may wind up in increasing the diameter of the coin.

    President, Racine Numismatic Society 2013-2014; Variety Resource Dimes; See 6/8/12 CDN for my article on Winged Liberty Dimes; Ebay

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Get two sheets of 1/32 lead, adhere one each to two pieces of oak wood. Secure the coin in between these (wood, lead, coin, lead, wood) and place in a vise. Tighten vise until wood just starts to 'give'. Each day, for the following six days, tighten the vise approximately one quarter to one half turn. At the end of six days, release from the vise. The coin may adhere to one (or both) lead sheets. In that case, one of two methods works well. Either use a hair dryer to heat up the lead (it will expand and release the coin) or immerse the lead/coin in hot, soapy water for an hour or so, and it will release. The coin should be without bend at this point. If not, repeat the process - sometimes a very slight bend will need more than one treatment. Cheers, RickO
  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,750 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Stone - you must have something in the university's laboratories that you can use! image
    Notwilight - this sounds like a good method - thanks for sharing. I recently bought a large size bust dime at a good price, then didn't realize until I got it home that it is very slightly concave. I may have to try this technique and see if I can correct it.
    Successful BST transactions with 171 members. Ebeneezer, Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
  • BarndogBarndog Posts: 20,516 ✭✭✭✭✭
    for a half dime, just press it with your thumb
    JR Newsletter Online Edition
  • notwilightnotwilight Posts: 12,864 ✭✭✭
    The problem I see with squeezing between two flat items is that you won't yield the coin. The coin has been subjected to a stress beyond yield to bend it and now what you have is a flat spring. Flattening it will likely not yield it and it will spring back to it's bent shape. The temptation would then be to squeeze harder between the two flat pieces which would damage the devices or increase the diameter. To make it flat you have to yeild it in the other direction which will require you to bend it slightly the other direction.

    Just my thoughts as a physicist/engineer. I've never tried to straighten a coin.

    --Jerry
  • SaorAlbaSaorAlba Posts: 7,593 ✭✭✭✭✭
    When I was about 10 I tried to take a bend out of an 1899 Barber quarter with my teeth. Needless to say my tooth was chipped big time and I put a bit of a scratch into the coin. I still have it in a Whitman folder somewhere some decades later.
    Tir nam beann, nan gleann, s'nan gaisgeach ~ Saorstat Albanaich a nis!
  • COALPORTERCOALPORTER Posts: 2,900 ✭✭
    I would try the wood and vice method. Just make sure you can see the coin edge to watch it bend and don't over do it. I don't think you can smash a coin with a small shop vice- coin screw presses generated much more force.

    Let us know how things come out. image
  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,750 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Heck, if I had the muscles like Coalporter's avatar, I'd just squeeze it between my palms image
    Successful BST transactions with 171 members. Ebeneezer, Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
  • itsnotjustmeitsnotjustme Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I tried to take a bend out of an 1899 Barber quarter with my teeth >>

    That hurts to just think about it.
    Give Blood (Red Bags) & Platelets (Yellow Bags)!
  • anablepanablep Posts: 5,161 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That's funny, I have a half dime from 1860 with the same problem.

    I always just figured I'd leave it alone, but these are some great suggestions that have me thinking now...

    Always looking for attractive rim toned Morgan and Peace dollars in PCGS or (older) ANA/ANACS holders!

    "Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."


    ~Wayne
  • mozinmozin Posts: 8,755 ✭✭✭
    The only method I have successfully used for reducing the bend of a coin, is to have it graded by a grading service. Once it is in the holder, the bend is not apparent.
    I collect Capped Bust series by variety in PCGS AU/MS grades.
  • RWBRWB Posts: 8,082 ✭
    What is the best method of reducing the bend of a coin?

    Usually, this only has to be done for coins that have been at depths greater than about 40 meters for long periods. If the coin is quickly placed in a hyperbaric chamber, the bend will not occur…..
  • agentjim007agentjim007 Posts: 6,256 ✭
    The only method I have successfully used for reducing the bend of a coin, is to have it graded by a grading service. Once it is in the holder, the bend is not apparent.

    holder will say bent. Just staple it in a cardboard 2X2 stash it for 10 years and when you see it again you'll forget it is bent.
  • TexasNationalsTexasNationals Posts: 3,837 ✭
    2 pieces of leather and a rubber mallet
  • mozinmozin Posts: 8,755 ✭✭✭


    << <i>The only method I have successfully used for reducing the bend of a coin, is to have it graded by a grading service. Once it is in the holder, the bend is not apparent.

    holder will say bent. Just staple it in a cardboard 2X2 stash it for 10 years and when you see it again you'll forget it is bent. >>



    You are assuming the grading service will catch the bend. This is not always the case.
    I collect Capped Bust series by variety in PCGS AU/MS grades.
  • GoldenEyeNumismaticsGoldenEyeNumismatics Posts: 13,187 ✭✭✭
    I've heard that placing a bent coin within the pages of a book, then slamming the book with a hammer, works pretty well. But it probably ruins the book.
  • habaracahabaraca Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sure sounds like Coin Doctoring to me.

    maybe braces like a doctor does for bent legs and such
  • lkeneficlkenefic Posts: 8,656 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ok... first you take a hammer... image
    Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;

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  • JRoccoJRocco Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Try to bend it with your fingers.
    Nothing else will work without doing more OBVIOUS damage to the coin.
    Some coins are just plain "Interesting"
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,821 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I like the original dies idea and RWB is on the right track with a
    hyperbaric chamber. There's also the possibility of getting one
    of the numerous Enterprises of flying it into the sun real fast so
    you can go back in time before it was bent.

    I've tried similar methods to Ricko's lead and vice with rather
    poor results. I'll have to try his exact method sometime.

    One thing I always considered vital was heat but I never had
    any success with this either so take it for what it's worth.

    Once or twice I got decent results with silver using as much heat
    as the coin could take and using leather tipped pliers and just
    eye-balling straight.

    I've never seen a coin that was really straight after it had been
    bent. Sometimes even approximating straight is a waste of
    effort.
    tempus fugit extra philosophiam.
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,821 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's good to see you around Stone.
    tempus fugit extra philosophiam.
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Spoon Bending Telekinesis! image
    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
  • GoldenEyeNumismaticsGoldenEyeNumismatics Posts: 13,187 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Try to bend it with your fingers.
    Nothing else will work without doing more OBVIOUS damage to the coin. >>



    With small coins (i.e. dimes, gold dollars), they can be unbent and subsequently even straight-graded by TPGs without further damage.
  • eggboneeggbone Posts: 615 ✭


    << <i>2 pieces of leather and a rubber mallet >>


    This works probably as good as anything(I used a leather mallet).
    Probably will not pass muster with TPGs, but should improve eye appeal.

    image

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