nailed-on mailbox numbers - how to remove?

[vavet]

Our wooden mailbox post needs a fresh coat of white paint. I cheated a few years ago and just painted the areas where I didn't have to remove the numbers, but it's obvious and that area really needs a fresh coat.
I've done this before (not on this mailbox post) and I know the cheap metal numbers are highly likely to get broken during the removal process. They seem quite brittle.
Not a big deal for me to just buy new numbers for our mailbox....but....

my 9 year old son needs community service hours for Cub Scouts. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant, but I thought it might be nice if he (I'll help) went around and painted mailbox posts for some of our neighbors (with their permission). After all, once you've got the paint and brushes/rollers out, it's not that big of a difference between doing one mailbox and 6. I don't want to break the neighbors' numbers and I don't want to buy new numbers for the whole block either.

So how do we remove and reattach these numbers without damaging them?

 

[cvairwerks]

Metal putty knife with a notch cut into it and the edge sharpened. Slide under the letter and work the notch around the nail and pry up gently.

 

[The Cobbler]

agree with above.
but, what if he accidentally breaks or damages a number? should you think about asking them to buy new numbers that he can install after he's painted?

Kudos to you for getting him involved !

 

[mike93lx]

The numbers I have used have all been screwed on. But if nailed, I'd probably use the putty knife suggestion.

Painting mailboxes counts as community service though?

 

[Sumboodie]

Masking tape them

 

[no704]

Putty knife and a tube of super glue.

 

[larry_g]

Grind the heads off the nails?

 

[four.cycle]

^ thin-bladed putty knife and maybe a pair of Vampliers is how I would go at them.