<VV> lifters... How does one remove them?

[Cash Case]

Now that both heads are off. I might as well replace the old steel  
head gaskets with the spiffy copper ones and replace the lifters. The  
only problem is that I can't get the old lifters out. They come right  
to the edge and then hang up. I've tried magnets and tried hooking  
the edge of a small flat blade screwdriver but no luck.
Is there a trick to removing these?
-Cash