Questions for coin guys who also do slabbed comics...

MrEureka

Would you ever crack a comic from its slab and resubmit for a higher grade? If not, is it because you can’t know what’s between the covers? And if that’s the case, do you think PCGS should use opaque slabs to end the crackout game in the coin business? Yes, I’m serious.

CoinJunkie

Provocative questions. Wouldn't using opaque slabs for coins probably end the "collecting game" as well? I, for one, would lose all interest.

291fifth

Comic books in slabs has always struck me as odd. If you cant read them why bother ... and then there is the issue of the pulp paper over time and in different storage environments.

Bochiman

From what I recall, a lot/many/most of the comic slabs have more information on the slabs than the coin slabs do. People do crack them out, a lot, and resubmit...usually getting them "pressed", I believe. I don't have any, though there are a few I would want.

scubafuel

Why would PCGS want to end the crackout game? I’m pretty sure crack outs are fairly important.

vplite99

@MrEureka said:
Would you ever crack a comic from its slab and resubmit for a higher grade? If not, is it because you can’t know what’s between the covers? And if that’s the case, do you think PCGS should use opaque slabs to end the crackout game in the coin business? Yes, I’m serious.

I can't imagine what an opaque slab would look like. It it obscures the coin, that is crazy.

MrEureka

@vplite99 said:

@MrEureka said:
Would you ever crack a comic from its slab and resubmit for a higher grade? If not, is it because you can’t know what’s between the covers? And if that’s the case, do you think PCGS should use opaque slabs to end the crackout game in the coin business? Yes, I’m serious.

I can't imagine what an opaque slab would look like. It it obscures the coin, that is crazy.

It would probably suffice to hide just the reverse. Nobody would crack out a coin and risk finding an unexpected problem on the unseen side. And hiding the reverse is no great loss. After all, we used to enjoy collecting coins in Whitman folders, right?

CoinJunkie

@MrEureka said:

@vplite99 said:

@MrEureka said:
Would you ever crack a comic from its slab and resubmit for a higher grade? If not, is it because you can’t know what’s between the covers? And if that’s the case, do you think PCGS should use opaque slabs to end the crackout game in the coin business? Yes, I’m serious.

I can't imagine what an opaque slab would look like. It it obscures the coin, that is crazy.

It would probably suffice to hide just the reverse. Nobody would crack out a coin and risk finding an unexpected problem on the unseen side. And hiding the reverse is no great loss. After all, we used to enjoy collecting coins in Whitman folders, right?

It would almost certainly increase the revenue to PCGS for Reholder requests with "Reverse side up"!

scubafuel

I think it’d be easier to just hide the label. At least that way you could still enjoy the coin.

Lakesammman

If you're not sure what's between the covers, you need a divorce .....

Stork

Hmm, I don't get the whole slabbing a comic thing, those are for reading (okay maybe a few of the extreme rarities for 'protection' I suppose and it's not like there's not an online version for actual 'reading'). But you don't get to enjoy the comic.

A coin in the slab can be 'read'. An opaque slab would ruin that and make photography difficult. Though I guess one could argue there are online photos of coins too. But I like staring at coins even through the plastic.

And, as mentioned, I sincerely doubt the TPG would like to discourage the crackout game. They make money on it and it's kind of fun those times you find a variety not on a label.

ricko

I cannot imagine who would want an opaque coin slab.... or any item so concealed.... one would have no idea what was contained within...Ridiculous.... might as well have an imaginary collection... Ah yes, now I am viewing my 1913 nickel... Oh yeah, my PR70 Octagonal PanPac is lovely today.... People are jealous of my collection of extreme rarities... Cheers, RickO

Eagleguy

I have no plans to crack my graded comics. I collect them for the cover art and/or the signatures. I trade wait any series I actually want to read.

amwldcoin

Youse guys + gals think slabbing comics is bad. What about the vintage video games???

shorecoll

The funny thing with video games is that the material does degrade with time, so that rare slabbed whatever may actually not even work, or eventually won't.

jkrk

I collected vintage comics until 2013.

I was always concerned about adding to the wear by reading the books. They were made of paper. Bend the spine a bit and perhaps you created a lower grade copy?

The crack out, press, and resubmit the book became the rage. Probably still is. I can't tell you how many times I would look at an auction archive and see a book in a current auction living in a new higher graded slab. I would attend a Heritage viewing and see some dealers studying each book in detail trying to determine which would be helped by pressing.

Most books I dealt with traded from $800-$4000.

I remember buying a book on E-Bay for $3600 and resold the book for $4000 in short order. It was a beautiful looking book but had a crease through the middle.

I next saw the book in a Heritage Auction around 9 months later in a much higher graded slab selling for $10,000.

Surprise.

amwldcoin

Yeah, I just Popped a VCR tape in the other night I had only watched 2 or 3 times. I guess it's 15-20 years old. Thought it needed to be run back and forth...didn't work. Then I was like crap...finally my bad ass top of the line double deck VCR had finally given up. Then I got an older tape out and plugged it in and it worked fine. I will say I am surprised as it was a top of the line release and stored the same as all my others!

@shorecoll said:
The funny thing with video games is that the material does degrade with time, so that rare slabbed whatever may actually not even work, or eventually won't.

ShadyDave

Who would have the confidence to purchase a coin in an opaque slab??? Many collectors don't trust coins that they CAN clearly see in a PCGS/NGC holder, never mind being traded pretty much sight unseen...