Abstract: A coil lifter (26) adapted for being suspended from an overhead crane for lifting a coil (10) of strip material having a central opening (14). The lifter includes a vertical lifting arm (28), an upper portion (34), a lower portion (36), a lifting surface (42) on the lower arm portion for being inserted into and contacting a curvature (44) of the central opening of the coil. The lifting arm includes a facing surface (30) adjacent to a coil edge (16, 18), side surfaces (32, 33) and a pair of spaced apart rollers (46, 48) made from an elastic laminated material (72) for preventing damage to the edge of the coil. The rollers are rotatably supported by the lifting arm so that an annular outer surface (50) of each roller extends to a position between the coil edge and the facing surface.