# Will anything Dissolve "Castolite" Plastic Resin?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anything-dissolve-castolite-plastic-resin/655540>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 12, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anything-dissolve-castolite-plastic-resin/655540 "2013-04-12T20:18:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anything-dissolve-castolite-plastic-resin/655540/1 "2013-04-12T20:18:18Z")

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My grandmother gave me a old US coin many years ago. It was (unfortunately) encapsulated in castolite plastic resin. The resin is quite clear-but I would like to remove the coin. This plastic is incredibly strong-and I dod not want to hammer it (it might damage the coin). Are there any solvents that will dissolve this?

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**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anything-dissolve-castolite-plastic-resin/655540/2 "2013-04-12T20:28:11Z")

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Contact [Castolite](http://www.castolite.com/). If anyone will know, I’d imagine it’s going to be them.

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anything-dissolve-castolite-plastic-resin/655540/3 "2013-04-12T20:32:03Z")

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I’d give hot [N-Methyl Pyrrolidone](http://www.p2sustainabilitylibrary.mil/P2_Opportunity_Handbook/5_10.html) a try.

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anything-dissolve-castolite-plastic-resin/655540/4 "2013-04-12T21:21:39Z")

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Of things you’d be likely to find at Home Depot, epoxy remover, MEK or methylene chloride paint stripper are your likely options. These are all rather toxic, so use them outside or with a proper solvent respirator.

If possible, saw away as much of the plastic as possible before attacking it with solvents so there’s less to dissolve.

If you’re trying to recover a Bicentemnial quarter, there are easier and cheaper ways. 😃