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Author Topic: How to Break Open NGC Slab  (Read 611 times)

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Offline Meepzorp

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How to Break Open NGC Slab
« on: March 08, 2023, 05:49:33 am »
Hi folks,

I just ordered 3 coins from owner Joe. One of those coins is in an NGC slab. In all the years that I have been collecting ancient coins (since 1998), I have never purchased a slabbed coin. This is the first time for me.

I'd like to break open the NGC slab and remove the coin. Obviously, I have never done this before. Is it as simple as using scissors and pliers to pry open the plastic case? Or is it more complicated?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Meepzorp

Offline Pekka K

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2023, 08:17:14 am »

One possibility here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH0g1u6rfYg

Pekka K

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2023, 11:00:22 am »
I believe there are two styles of NGC slabs.   The one in the video appears to be an "older" style, where the seam between the two halves runs around the edge.  These are easier to open, IMO, as shown in the video.

Somewhat recently NGC switched to a newer style slab where the top half fits down inside the lower piece.  This makes it a bit more difficult, in that you basically have to destroy the edge of the slab to open it.

In addition to the hammer method, I know some people who use a tile nipper or pliers to cut away the edges of the slab.  I have never tried this method.  I know of one collector who says they use a small band saw to cut open the slab.....scares the $#@& out of me to even think what could happen doing it that way!

Regardless, the only thing I saw on the video that I don't really like is that he taps the slab on the lower half where the actual coin is.  I avoid tapping there because one slip of the hammer, and you could damage the coin.  And if the coin is silver and has begun to crystalize at all, the impact could cause the coin the break.  I work with the upper 1/2 to 2/3 of the slab and then simply pry the lower seam apart.  Again, this is just my personal "phobia".


Craig

Offline Callimachus

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2023, 11:51:31 am »
I've opened several slabs.

I had a slab with a penny of Cnut in it. These pennies are very thin and fragile. I put the slab in a vise and used a small hand saw with a very thin blade to saw off one end, sawing just inside the raised rim of the slab. I then rotated the slab in the vise and sawed off the other end. Still the slab would not open. So I rotated the slab again and sawed off a side. At that point I was able to open the slab enough to get the coin out of it. A hand saw is much easier to control than an electric saw, and I really had no problem. Saw slowly so that heat from the friction does not melt the plastic and gum up the blade.

On another slab I used the hammer method. I wrapped the slab in a small towel, held it with one corner on the cement floor of the garage, and hit the top corner with a hammer. It took one fairly hard hit and I heard a cracking sound. For good measure I did the same with another corner of the slab. The slab cracked in a number of places, but stayed in one piece. I was then able to easily pry it open to get the coin out. Wrapping the slab in a towel softened the blow a bit, and also would have prevented pieces (and the coin) from flying all over the place if the slab had totally shattered. Wrapping the slab also was also for safety -- I would not want a piece of the slab to get in my eyes.

Hope this helps.

Offline Curtis JJ

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2023, 11:55:00 am »
Craig makes an important point -- some slabs can be MUCH more difficult to open than others, and, at a glance, it's not always obvious which. There are lots of videos and discussion threads out there. Best to check out several to get a range of techniques, and hopefully get a sense of which is right for your slab(s).

Hopefully yours is a candidate for this method (is this an example of what Craig described, "the top half fits down inside the lower piece"?)  https://www.reddit.com/r/AncientCoins/comments/sjwy6n/easiest_way_ive_found_to_open_a_ngc_slab/

You'll find numerous relevant discussions & photos/videos if you google (or click "LINK"): "how crack slab site:cointalk.com" [LINK] or "how crack slab site:forumancientcoins.com" [LINK] or "how crack slab site:reddit.com/r/ancientcoins" [LINK]. Notice this one: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=91147.0

They can be of dramatically varying quality. Not all focus on ancient coins, which doesn't always matter, but sometimes it does. The thing I worry about is that 1,500-2,500 year old silver flans can easily crack or shatter, or thin coins (gold or silver) could easily bend. So a method that gets a fresh 28g American Silver Dollar out may not be appropriate for an Archaic Greek AR Hemiobol or Byzantine AV Tremissis or crystallized Cnut AR Penny.

Also, look at the dates on the discussion. Slabbing tech has changed a lot, so if you have an older slab, newer advice may not work. One of mine was in a 2002 ICG slab (one of the first-ever batches of ancients slabbed). Extremely difficult, time-consuming, and terrifying to remove. Luckily it was a big coin with good metal; I can imagine a fragile coin being destroyed by the process. [Coin in Gallery: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=174610. Reddit discussion with video of aftermath: https://www.reddit.com/r/AncientCoins/comments/l9pv2l/finally_the_price_of_freedom_for_my_tarsos_stater/]

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Offline Meepzorp

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2023, 04:10:33 pm »
Hi folks,

Thanks for all of the advice.

Joe described the slab as an "NGC Lookup". I haven't received the coin yet to look at it.

Of all the methods described above, the "vice and hand saw method" sounds the most appealing to me.

Meepzorp

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2023, 05:11:01 pm »
I believe "NGC lookup" in Joe's description is an embedded link that will take you out to NGC's website and show you their "official" image of the coin in their slab.


Craig

Offline Kevin D

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2023, 06:27:20 pm »
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=126132.0

from reply 19 on the above linked thread (this is how I do it):

"Some people literally use a hammer (or a vise) to crack and open the holder. I have never tried this method. I use an electric band saw to trim the side and bottom edges of the holder to weaken it (but I leave some of the hard plastic edge on these three sides to prevent 'plastic dust' caused by the band saw's cutting action from ending up on the coin), then on the top edge I cut off the entire hard plastic edge (furthest from the coin so that no 'plastic dust' reaches it). Then from the top I insert a small standard screw driver and 'pop' the holder. I then lift out the insert that holds the coin and label. At this point, simply twisting the insert slightly will often free the coin from the prongs, but I take the additional step of cutting the insert with a small wire cutter to weaken it. Then I gently pull the insert with both hands so that the coin hole expands and the coin drops out.

My procedure is relatively quick and easy, after having done a few removals, and I've never damaged a coin (or even felt I had been close to damaging one). I don't know how many coins I've removed from holders over the years, but it has to be more than 50 (world and ancient). I feel I have good control with this method, but perhaps a better way of doing it will be posted on this thread.

If you can acquire the type of machine that NGC uses to seal and open their holders, that would obviously be an improvement over my method. Still, it only takes me five minutes to safely remove a coin from a holder."

Offline Meepzorp

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2023, 07:14:50 pm »
I believe "NGC lookup" in Joe's description is an embedded link that will take you out to NGC's website and show you their "official" image of the coin in their slab.


Craig

Hi cmc,

Thanks for the advice. I wasn't aware of that.

Unfortunately, the listing is no longer in Joe's shop (probably because the coin is now considered "sold"). Consequently, I can't click on a link that no longer exists.

Meepzorp

Offline Curtis JJ

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2023, 11:04:03 pm »
Quote from: Meepzorp on March 08, 2023, 07:14:50 pm
Unfortunately, the listing is no longer in Joe's shop (probably because the coin is now considered "sold"). Consequently, I can't click on a link that no longer exists.
Meepzorp

In my experience, the listings always remain available on Forvm's archive of sold coins (minus the price) and/or using the same link, or your past purchases in My FORVM. It's worked with all my ex-FAC coins and literature so far, going back at least 10 years ago, about half of which were purchased by someone else, then I acquired them later at auction or directly from the collector.

I keep all the links recorded in my provenance file, but if I'm in a hurry and have the tag, the quickest way I find them is usually just by googling the Forum ID number: For example, I bought this coin at Ancient & Medieval Coins Canada Auction 2, where it was consigned by "TheRed" (from Cointalk, maybe here too). The tag has the number on it, so I just google "SH36361 site:forumancientcoins.com" [LINK] and the top link is it, right here: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/catalog/roman-and-greek-coins.asp?param=36361q00.jpg&vpar=797&zpg=47237&
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Offline Meepzorp

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2023, 02:30:23 am »
Hi CJJ,

Thanks for the advice. I didn't even think of that.

I have never used that Forum feature before.

Meepzorp

Offline Meepzorp

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2023, 02:36:20 am »
Hi folks,

I found the listing and the link in My Forum.

I am attaching a photo from the NGC website.

Does anyone recognize this specific type of slab?

Does anyone have any advice for opening this specific type of slab?

Meepzorp

Offline Kevin D

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2023, 06:09:13 pm »
It looks like a normal NGC slab to me. If I couldn't use a band saw as described in Reply 7 of this thread, my next choice would be a dremel tool to weaken the edges (and gain access to the inside of the slab at the top for the screw driver). I read of someone using a hand saw to do this, but I would have to invest in a dremel tool, they are not that expensive. My band saw goes through the slab plastic like it is soft butter.

I've never tried hammering a slab, and the online videos I've seen of people doing it this way looks too risky to me. Using a hammer seems like taking a risk of damaging the coin. My method described in Reply 7 of this thread has been working perfectly for me for years, without any misfortune. I've done PCGS, NGC, and ICG slabs this way without any problems.

Offline Ron C2

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2023, 07:23:01 pm »
Have you looked at the sticky on deslabbing here in this forum?
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Offline Meepzorp

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2023, 09:43:14 pm »
Hi RC2,

No, I didn't know it was there.

I just looked at it now.

Since I have never owned (or even held) a slabbed coin, this is all new to me.

It seems to me that the slabs with a side seam are easier to open than the ones without a side seam.

Meepzorp

Offline Ron C2

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #15 on: March 09, 2023, 10:58:40 pm »
yes, they are much easier to open.
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Offline Virgil H

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #16 on: March 10, 2023, 03:32:47 am »
I got a couple coins from the ANS Barlett sale and those I believe were fairly recent slabs. They were super easy to open up, although I was super nervous and spent days agonizing over it. I just twisted a screwdriver into the seam and twisted it. Move along the seam and twist a few times and it opens easily. The slab gets messed up, but coin and tags were fine.

Virgil

Offline Kevin D

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #17 on: March 10, 2023, 03:00:46 pm »
These images are meant to be used with the text in Reply 7 and Reply 12 of this thread.

Offline Meepzorp

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #18 on: March 10, 2023, 09:00:06 pm »
Hi KD,

Thanks for the images.

Unfortunately, I saw your post after I already addressed this issue (see my next post below).

Additionally, it isn't that easy to cut the corners off the slab, especially if you don't have a Dremel tool (I don't).

Meepzorp

Offline Meepzorp

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #19 on: March 10, 2023, 09:08:08 pm »
Hi folks,

The coins arrived today, including the slabbed coin.

I noticed that it had an edge seam, so I decided to try the "screwdriver and hammer" method. It basically worked. I held the edge of the screwdriver to the edge of the slab, right on the seam. I had to give it about 50 whacks with the hammer. I also had to wiggle the screwdriver in the seam and under the plastic many times to pry open the slab.

Unfortunately, it didn't separate easily. The plastic slab broke into about 8 different pieces. Each piece was about 3/4 of an inch in diameter. But I got the coin out without any damage to the coin.

The white plastic insert is flexible. I simply bent it, and the coin popped right out.

The entire process took about 10 minutes.

Meepzorp

Offline Ron C2

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #20 on: March 11, 2023, 11:57:31 am »
glad it worked out meep - slabs are the devil.
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Offline Kevin D

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Re: How to Break Open NGC Slab
« Reply #21 on: March 11, 2023, 03:44:50 pm »
Glad you got your coin out in good shape, MZ.

 

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