Hey All - Ok, so I may be a bit different than most, but I actually prefer my copper and brass coins to be super shiny and new looking. I have a Lassen set I’ve been working with for years, I think it’s the Ultimate Wild Coin set maybe. Regardless, I was recently polishing the copper shell with some metal polish and a paper towel, and accidentally got a very small piece of the paper towel pinched between the shell and inner coin!! I know, dumb mistake. Now I can’t get the inner coin out of the shell.

Has this ever happened to anyone and if so does anyone have a solution? I’ve tried everything I can think of - water, heat, cold, magnets. I’m going nuts here!

Thanks,

Rob

Shake it in a shot class or plastic tumbler (glass) until they come apart.

The paper towel withstood flame?

Magic...

Thanks, yeah I tried the glass method and it didn’t work. I think the problem is the fit is so tight with the lassen stuff, it’s really wedged in there. The part of the paper towel that was sticking out burned off easily, but there’s got to be some still in there because the inner coin won’t slip free. I guess it’s so tight it can’t even burn. I was thinking of sending it to Todd, but that will probably take for ever. Maybe there is a chemical that will dissolve or eat away the paper towel? Just looking for options at this point. Thanks again!

I’m wondering if some canned air could work. Aim the air tube at the edge and see if some air blasts will separate the two. Be cautious though, the canned air can cause frostbite on exposed skin.

Good idea - I’ll try that! Thanks!

Try a loop of strong tape - like carpet tape - around your fingers, sticky side apply to coin and pull.
Remove any tape residue with cigarette lighter fuel. Worked for me when I had a similar problem.

You can apply heat to the shell with the help of a hair dryer, when the shell is hot enough, carefully use a needle to prick and pull out around the edge of the inserted coin. I had success using this technique in the past when I had similar problems.

Cold can work also. Find a pill container a bit smaller than the insert and freeze. Apply to the coin a minute and shake,
or apply the sticky tape first. That metal duct tape is very strong and will conduct the cold.

Just wondering if there has been any success yet.

Hi Rob

I have had my coin stuck, same exact set, as well as others. I tried all the methods.
The only thing that worked well, for me, in the end was to:

1) If you wish to protect your coin during the process you can use some tape or something of your choosing
to place on the unopened side of the shell.

2) Hold the coin tightly face down between your left hand pointer finger and thumb.
Try not to block the coin, with the pads of your fingers from releasing.
This can be done by holding the coin somewhere below the middle of your finger tips, while maintaining a good grip.

3) Take another "real" same coin, in your right hand between pointer finger and thumb with the edge pointed to the ground and tap solidly, in a hammering motion around the middle of the coin, in areas that have the most thickness, so as to not dent your coin. If this doers not work you can tap on the less dense areas of the coin.

Between five and twenty solid taps should release the coin.

Hey All,

Thanks for all the tips. So I tried heat, even got as far as a plumbers torch - but that did not work. All I managed to do was burn off the tiny bit of paper that was sticking out. I also stuck it in the freezer for a while, but that didn’t work either. @Riley and @TheClaw - I will try tap and your methods next. I’ll also see if I can post a picture that shows the problem.

Thanks again for the help! That’s why I love this community!

Rob

I've done something similar with the edge of an X-acto blade. The key words are "edge of the inserted coin" you don't want to be prying between the stuck coin and the rim of the shell... You'll bend it out of shape. You're just using the pin/blade to get a grip on the edge of the stuck coin.

If all else fails, I'd try super-gluing "handles" onto both sides... Preferably in two different spots so you can "wiggle" the two coins apart. When they're separated, soak in Goof Off to dissolve the super glue.

When you're heating it up or cooling it in the freezer you're likely affecting both pieces of metal in the same way, keeping the fit roughly the same. Try heating it only on the shell side, then quickly give it a blast of cooling spray or (compressed air with the can held upside down) on the opposite side right in the center of the coin, to try to shrink the insert a bit while the shell is still hot. Then a quick drop and rattle in a glass.

Bang ring

Did you ever tried?

The shaking in a large thick glass should work. How long did you try. It has to rattle around inside, and use different angles. Don't shake to hard, as you may crack the glass or damage the coin. You hold the glass with you hand over the mouth of the glass, but you don't want to have the coin hit your hand, just the sides of the glass and the bottom of the glass. It can take a while, as it sounds like you really jammed it. If after an hour of rattling, then you can give up.