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Yesteryear Slabs with Exonumia

ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,125 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited April 15, 2020 2:25AM in U.S. Coin Forum

It's fun seeing old slabs to relive the early days of slabbing.

It's even more interesting when the encapsulated material is unusual.

This is a thread for old slab tokens and medals.

Here's one I just ran across. There's a collection of these on eBay.

Comments

  • JimnightJimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don't have any slabs that look like that.

  • Timbuk3Timbuk3 Posts: 11,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yup, I remember those ACG slabs !!! :)

    Timbuk3
  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Never seen that one before. What was the lifespan of ACG? Peace Roy

    BST: endeavor1967, synchr, kliao, Outhaul, Donttellthewife, U1Chicago, ajaan, mCarney1173, SurfinHi, MWallace, Sandman70gt, mustanggt, Pittstate03, Lazybones, Walkerguy21D, coinandcurrency242 , thebigeng, Collectorcoins, JimTyler, USMarine6, Elkevvo, Coll3ctor, Yorkshireman, CUKevin, ranshdow, CoinHunter4, bennybravo, Centsearcher, braddick, Windycity, ZoidMeister, mirabela, JJM, RichURich, Bullsitter, jmski52, LukeMarshall, coinsarefun, MichaelDixon, NickPatton, ProfLiz, Twobitcollector,Jesbroken oih82w8, DCW

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,144 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I believe ACG was the first third party grader that slabbed coins. Anyone know of any TPG slab that preceded ACG?

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I recall seeing a couple of those at coin shows in the PNW..... This was in the mid to late nineties...Not with that particular HTT though...Cheers, RickO

  • BuffaloIronTailBuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,480 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I remember ACG. They were around for awhile but never made the big time. I stayed away from them, thinking they were a lower tier fly by night outfit.

    Pete

    "I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
  • U1chicagoU1chicago Posts: 6,034 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I’ve seen a few of these (don’t have the reverse image). It’s called First Token Grading Service and they used the ACG style holder (probably licensed it from them).

  • tokenprotokenpro Posts: 877 ✭✭✭✭✭

    FTGS was out of the NYC area (Long Island?) and only lasted a couple of years. The accuracy of the grading was about what you would expect from a somewhat experienced collector but the accuracy of the labels was often a crap shoot -- typos galore, mistaken identifications, quality control, etc. They (he) also had a bad habit of slabbing items with which he was not familiar so some unidentified restrikes, fakes, etc. made it into holders as well. Despite the mentioned problems, I think the bottom line was that FTGS was just too early into the game with no acceptance of the concept of exonumia in slabs in the market.

  • oih82w8oih82w8 Posts: 12,213 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Neat Hard Times Token! I only have one Accugrade slab, 1957 50C MS65


    oih82w8 = Oh I Hate To Wait _defectus patientia_aka...Dr. Defecto - Curator of RMO's

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  • 09sVDB09sVDB Posts: 2,420 ✭✭✭

    ACG. They were the stepchild of the day. Wonder how many original slabs are still around? Noted for waaaay overgrading . For those who don't know.

  • GRANDAMGRANDAM Posts: 8,518 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I believe that ACG invented the "SLAB" holder and patented it and later sold the rights to PCGS & later NGC.

    GrandAm :)
  • koynekwestkoynekwest Posts: 10,048 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Did ANACS precede them? At any rate they were a horrible grading service.

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,144 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @koynekwest said:
    Did ANACS precede them? At any rate they were a horrible grading service.

    No. ANACS started slabbing coins in 1979.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,338 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I got one acg with an ike dollar. I never saw the other one

  • tokenprotokenpro Posts: 877 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Don't forget the ACG Midwest Division that set up at larger local and smaller regional shows throughout the Upper Midwest for a couple of years. They offered on-site grading & a walk-through service, sometimes hiring a local dealer as a "finalizer" when needed. They got uninvited to a number of shows due to the squeal of the slab sealing machine on the bourse floor (among other reasons).

  • BStrauss3BStrauss3 Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:
    I believe ACG was the first third party grader that slabbed coins. Anyone know of any TPG slab that preceded ACG?

    South African Gold Coin Exchange in 1975+

    -----Burton
    ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
  • BStrauss3BStrauss3 Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @GRANDAM said:
    I believe that ACG invented the "SLAB" holder and patented it and later sold the rights to PCGS & later NGC.

    Conder101 says that there were rumored to be some kind of agreement between Accugrade and PCGS, but neither party has ever confirmed it and in fact, PCGS denies it.

    Based on the ads from that era, I would have to say it didn't happen ... certainly, ACG wasn't hesitating to throw names around and they didn't mention PCGS other than the label tint.

    And of course, the list of dealers, let's just say many of them would rather forget their involvement...

    -----Burton
    ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
  • Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

    AFAIK Accugrade was the first plastic slab. The rest followed. I believe there was also either a transfer of "rights" or a court fight. I don't know why any of this should be hush, hush. It is part of our numismatic history and I'll guarantee there are dozens of folks around (including Alan Hagar and probably Robert Paul) who know the entire story.

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,125 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That's a classic medal and slab @Cameonut ! I love it!

    I put the images together for easy side-by-side viewing.

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,125 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 26, 2020 8:43PM

    Here's a Civil War Token I ran acrosss from First Token Grading Service.

    PCGS has an announcement on this company from Jan 1, 2001:

    One of the year's more interesting developments was the establishment of the First Token Grading Service in Amityville, New York, a company that grades and encapsulates U.S. tokens. The company's founder, Kevin Donahue, is a coin-market veteran who hopes to attract submissions from solid collectors. I'm told that items certified by the service will soon be included on the Teletype trading network. The firm's address is P.O. Box 515, Amityville, NY 11701.

  • TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Zoins said:
    Here's a Civil War Token I ran acrosss from First Token Grading Service.

    PCGS has an announcement on this company from Jan 1, 2001:

    One of the year's more interesting developments was the establishment of the First Token Grading Service in Amityville, New York, a company that grades and encapsulates U.S. tokens. The company's founder, Kevin Donahue, is a coin-market veteran who hopes to attract submissions from solid collectors. I'm told that items certified by the service will soon be included on the Teletype trading network. The firm's address is P.O. Box 515, Amityville, NY 11701.

    Is this a recent company?

    Is it still in business?

    Frank

    BHNC #203

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,144 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Treashunt said:

    @Zoins said:
    Here's a Civil War Token I ran acrosss from First Token Grading Service.

    PCGS has an announcement on this company from Jan 1, 2001:

    One of the year's more interesting developments was the establishment of the First Token Grading Service in Amityville, New York, a company that grades and encapsulates U.S. tokens. The company's founder, Kevin Donahue, is a coin-market veteran who hopes to attract submissions from solid collectors. I'm told that items certified by the service will soon be included on the Teletype trading network. The firm's address is P.O. Box 515, Amityville, NY 11701.

    Is this a recent company?

    Is it still in business?

    The thread title says "Yesteryear Slabs" so it's safe to assume this is an old slab from a now defunct company.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:

    @Treashunt said:

    @Zoins said:
    Here's a Civil War Token I ran acrosss from First Token Grading Service.

    PCGS has an announcement on this company from Jan 1, 2001:

    One of the year's more interesting developments was the establishment of the First Token Grading Service in Amityville, New York, a company that grades and encapsulates U.S. tokens. The company's founder, Kevin Donahue, is a coin-market veteran who hopes to attract submissions from solid collectors. I'm told that items certified by the service will soon be included on the Teletype trading network. The firm's address is P.O. Box 515, Amityville, NY 11701.

    Is this a recent company?

    Is it still in business?

    The thread title says "Yesteryear Slabs" so it's safe to assume this is an old slab from a now defunct company.

    Oops!
    Thanks

    Frank

    BHNC #203

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,166 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:

    @koynekwest said:
    Did ANACS precede them? At any rate they were a horrible grading service.

    No. ANACS started slabbing coins in 1979.

    Wrong. ANACS started grading coins in 1979. It began using slabs in 1989.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • tokenprotokenpro Posts: 877 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Treashunt said:

    @Zoins said:
    Here's a Civil War Token I ran acrosss from First Token Grading Service.

    PCGS has an announcement on this company from Jan 1, 2001:

    One of the year's more interesting developments was the establishment of the First Token Grading Service in Amityville, New York, a company that grades and encapsulates U.S. tokens. The company's founder, Kevin Donahue, is a coin-market veteran who hopes to attract submissions from solid collectors. I'm told that items certified by the service will soon be included on the Teletype trading network. The firm's address is P.O. Box 515, Amityville, NY 11701.

    Is this a recent company?

    Is it still in business?

    See my comments on this company in an April 15 post earlier in this thread.

  • TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @tokenpro said:

    @Treashunt said:

    @Zoins said:
    Here's a Civil War Token I ran acrosss from First Token Grading Service.

    PCGS has an announcement on this company from Jan 1, 2001:

    One of the year's more interesting developments was the establishment of the First Token Grading Service in Amityville, New York, a company that grades and encapsulates U.S. tokens. The company's founder, Kevin Donahue, is a coin-market veteran who hopes to attract submissions from solid collectors. I'm told that items certified by the service will soon be included on the Teletype trading network. The firm's address is P.O. Box 515, Amityville, NY 11701.

    Is this a recent company?

    Is it still in business?

    See my comments on this company in an April 15 post earlier in this thread.

    okay

    Frank

    BHNC #203

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