FallGuy
Senior Member
Cut as close to the coins as possible and put them in acetone. Some other idea's here:
http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n04a22.html
http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n04a22.html
Torn about what to do with Lucite encased US silver coins.
- Thread starter GillyWI
- Start date
Sounds like you ultimately aren't to keen on the idea of taking them out if you ask me... Several good ideas that would work have been mentioned. Take a band saw and go to town. Once they are in small blocks getting them to break from the lucite should be easy. I wouldn't think there would be any damage done to the coins. In fact, being hit with the air will probably tone them faster than they would be otherwise.
Gilly I'm a Plumber. please don't destroy that thing! It's art. An artist made a urinal artpiece for our shop where the urinal actually is two arms reaching the floor. Freaky. But only a Plumber would understand that art. Give me a holler if you want to part with it. I got a BH505 and some $ if you got a kid needing a detector. But man don't destroy that one!
Doubt the value of the coins, either as melt, or collection, would be worth as much as the item as it is. It's unique, find the right buyer, and you could do much better. If there were cracks, gouges, deep scratches, chips in the plastic, yeah, I could see scrapping it. Looks like it's in pretty good condition. Might want to make a rough estimate on how much silver is there, and what you might expect to get as melt value. Think about the time, and the tools you might need to invest in freeing them from the plastic.
Yeah the coins aren't gonna be pristine. So you are basically talking 85% of melt for ARA or hope some non coin collector looks at them.
FallGuy
Senior Member
This is not a unique item and it is not art. These have been mass produced for years and sold as a novelty item. Coins are best handled and displayed in their natural state. I own some but aren't even a big fan of slabbed coins because I like to physically be able to hold them. Free those coins without a second thought!
Steve77
Elite Member
You could clamp it to a drill press table and drill it without needing the pilot bit in the hole saw. If you use a hand held drill or skip the clamps you will need to use the pilot.
If done carefully, all the "plugs" would make nice containers for your coins.
MD-Mainiac
Forum Supporter
You know, I have been looking at the images...
I don't think, if you popped them out with out damage, i don't know if collector could tell the difference.
There appear to be some very nice examples of some of those coins in the Lucite.
IF it were me and some Plumber/collector didn't want the whole thing, I would pop them out.. Like you said, you got it for less then melt.
I don't think, if you popped them out with out damage, i don't know if collector could tell the difference.
There appear to be some very nice examples of some of those coins in the Lucite.
IF it were me and some Plumber/collector didn't want the whole thing, I would pop them out.. Like you said, you got it for less then melt.
Last edited:
I 100% guarantee you I could put that on a wall in any Plumbing shop in town. Are these just urinals
Attachments
FallGuy
Senior Member
I 100% guarantee you I could put that on a wall in any Plumbing shop in town. Are these just urinals
Nice
GillyWI
Elite Member
Those are some pretty pissers!
Porsche914
Elite Member
I actually posted a thread about this same issue several years ago. I purchased a desk pen and pencil set at a yard sale and it contained a set of silver Canadian coins. Here is what I did.
Hit it with a Hammer. Virtually no damage
Tried to cut it with a jig saw. The Lucite melted and gummed things up
Cut with hack saw on the same plane as the coins and split it with a chisel. The Lucite splintered and was dangerous.
So what worked? I used a small propane torch and almost immediately the Lucite caught fire and continued to burn on its own until it was all gone but a little residue. It burned with very little smoke and the surface appeared to bubble right under the flame. Some of the residue was attached to the coins and it rendered them scrap value only.
Hit it with a Hammer. Virtually no damage
Tried to cut it with a jig saw. The Lucite melted and gummed things up
Cut with hack saw on the same plane as the coins and split it with a chisel. The Lucite splintered and was dangerous.
So what worked? I used a small propane torch and almost immediately the Lucite caught fire and continued to burn on its own until it was all gone but a little residue. It burned with very little smoke and the surface appeared to bubble right under the flame. Some of the residue was attached to the coins and it rendered them scrap value only.
Porsche914
Elite Member
GillyWI
Elite Member
Maybe she'll forget I have it, LOL. Guess I better put it back in the box though!
I had read about this before and looked because I could not remember the name of the acid. There are several ways to do it. These guys hold Phd's and other degrees in mining and other things.
ONe guy freezes it overnight, cracks it with a hammer and then carefully removes the coins with a dremel. This seems to be a big problem in the Medal collecting field.
They use something called Glacial Acetic Acid because it's freezing point is only 16.7 C.
You can buy it on Amazon but it's $50 a bottle. But you will notice one Chemist recommends trying Ethyl Acetate (Nail polish remover).
I would suspect freezing overnight, cracking followed by melting down with Ethyl acetate might do the trick without doing damage if your careful.
There are numismatists and even a recomendation from a DuPont Chemist.
http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n04a22.html
ONe guy freezes it overnight, cracks it with a hammer and then carefully removes the coins with a dremel. This seems to be a big problem in the Medal collecting field.
They use something called Glacial Acetic Acid because it's freezing point is only 16.7 C.
You can buy it on Amazon but it's $50 a bottle. But you will notice one Chemist recommends trying Ethyl Acetate (Nail polish remover).
I would suspect freezing overnight, cracking followed by melting down with Ethyl acetate might do the trick without doing damage if your careful.
There are numismatists and even a recomendation from a DuPont Chemist.
http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n04a22.html
MD-Mainiac
Forum Supporter
acetone ( or nail polisher remover) will melt plastics however it does zero damage to coins. This i know as fact.
MD-Mainiac
Forum Supporter
i think you would need a gallon or more to do what you want.
KT votes to leave it alone! That is very unique and some crazy old bachelor coin collector may pay good money for it intact!! Put it on the john in your guest bathroom!
KT votes to leave it alone! That is very unique and some crazy old bachelor coin collector may pay good money for it intact!! Put it on the john in your guest bathroom!
I'm thinking he has a vintage one worth some $.Not one of the knock offs. Most don't have all silver coins if you look on fleabay. What you think?
