How many of us are there?

hfjacinto

Hey all, happy Saturday,

Looking at the postings on here, I see what to me looks like a majority of peeps buying high end slabbed coins.

I recently posted a raw album and several people commented that it was nice to see old school collecting. So the question is how many of us still collect raw coins?

Do you put the coins in flips with coin information?

Do you put the coins in albums?

Or are you a purely slab collector?

bronzemat

The majority of my coin collection is raw. I am not one of these high end collectors who can drop 4 figures on a single coin. Mid 3 figures is a struggle, but not out of the realm. I enjoy holding and looking at my coins. Having them in plastic takes some of the joy away from it. most of my collection consists of VF - Low AU

BUT, I do see it as important for at least Mid-AU and higher coins, or some special error/pattern.

I have purchased coins in slabs and they have remained in their slabs. The only ones I crack out are Ancient coins. It's pure blasphemy to put ancients in slabs!

Of course, raw coins are usually cheaper than slabbed, which is important, when on a collecting budget. I've also reached a point that I am very happy with my collection. Last year I only added 6 whole coins, where before, I could do 6 a week, but Covid and "inflation"....if you want to believe that, changed my collecting habits and avenues, mainly overseas purchases, stopped.

JBK

Mostly raw and OGP for me.

seatedlib3991

I am a slab guy for many reasons. I like that I can show one of my eight year old nieces a coin and not care they are covered in jelly or what they do with it. I like that my family doesn't have to know a thing about coins if I die because all my coins are pre set to auction at G.C. I like that I don't have to hold my own breath and sweat bullets when I am looking at my coins less I harm them. James -temporary custodian of a few time travelers.

Walkerguy21D

Mostly slabs at this stage for my collection.
I will buy nicer or early date raw coins for resale when I can find them, as there is still a good market for them.

The last raw album I put together was buffalo nickels, last purchase was >10 years ago, and I still have it.

My beloved 7070 was just broken up, not to sell, but to get some of the more valuable coins certified at PCGS.

sellitstore

I have no problem buying raw or slabbed. I don't pay extra for the extra opinion. I'm 100% confident in my ability to grade and authenticate, and if I'm not (rarely), I'll seek other input. A TPG holder is nothing more than another respected, expert opinion, to me.

I buy the coin (or note), not the holder, really.

Manifest_Destiny

My complete seated quarter set was in a Dansco, including many crack outs I started slabbing them last year to make it easier for my kids to sell when the time comes. I prefer album collecting though and may start a low value set sometime, like Buffalo nickels.

Smudge

Both, better coins are slabbed.

rte592

@Smudge said:
Both, better coins are slabbed.

Same here. I pretty much just stick with the gold and silver variants.

johnny9434

im back to collecting raw about a month ago. im old school as well and the slabs are good to have as well

Mr_Spud

Of course I still collect raw coins and put them in albums. I even make virtual coin albums to display my slabbed coins in because I like how coins look in albums more than in slabs.
Heres some of my albums, mostly Wayte Raymond type, but also some Dansco, Whitman and others

And here’s some examples of my virtual album pages where I put the images of slabbed coins into the virtual albums

hfjacinto

@Mr_Spud

🥰

Walkerguy21D

@hfjacinto said:
** I recently posted a raw album and several people commented that it was nice to see old school collecting. So the question is how many of us still collect raw coins?**

I actually thought of your set at FUN. There was a dealer I chatted with that had one full case devoted to raw walkers in 2x2s, top to bottom, 1916-1947, every date and mm, in avg circ grades. I’m relatively jaded, but it was still impressive to see…..I commented he must really like them, but as there were no gaps, he must not have sold many. Not true, he said, I have boxes of duplicates (he pointed to crate size containers) when one sells, I put another in its place.

Catbert

I'm glad that there are collectors of coins in all conditions and packaging. No look down the nose from me.

My choice is to collect coins that I like that also happen to have good market value. As such, my coins are in TPG holders. They are easy to store and easier to sell for when that occurs.

I may start a 7070 someday with very worn or details coins.

ElKevvo

I collect both raw and slabbed. World is mostly raw, I like them in an album where I can flip through them. A number of Danscos, mostly for Modern (Sackies, Ikes, Kennedy's etc.) and then for my colonial and type sets slabbed. As well as a number of other interesting coins slabbed.

K

JeffersonFrog

Both, sort of. I like the accessibility of 1.5 x 1.5's in the boxes. I have some albums, but generally don't like the risk the coins face with my clumsy fingers trying to put them in the album. I get the tight fit aspect, I just don't care for it. I also like the security, authenticity and marketability of slabs.

SurfinxHI

My collecting is mostly slabs, but I am putting together albums of all sorts based on what comes in the door -- buy a collection, piece out one or two things and put them in a raw album. I think future me will be very happy someday. I don't feel the price today, and tomorrow it might be worth something! Ha!

joeykoins

Yep, put me in the "both" group.
Raw,
Esp in Bullion! Bars, auctions, winnings...
Slabs,
popular classics, VAMS...
My Libertads are in both options.
I used to collect raw for sets. I once filled a Buffalo Dansco album. Way back in 2000. Sold it, I think for $850?
My last raw collection was the unfinished Silver Eagle set, in a Dansco album. 20 Eagles. All Toners! I think that was at the 2022 ANA Chicago Show? Sold that for $800.
Now, I don't chase sets. Just collect, buy, cherry pick and flip.
Thanks 😉

oldabeintx

My medals are raw. Pretty large collection of foreign medals. Everything else is slabbed.

OPA

Graded ... non graded are in capsules.

coinkat

Fun thread... I will never be too old or too rich to enjoy coins that really represent and capture what is important regardless of whether slabbing is part of the story.

nwcoast

I have collected and enjoyed mostly raw and love the feel and look of a Dansco collection.
That said however, as I’ve purchased and added more expensive key coins, I’ve purchased graded specimens and haven’t been cracking them.
Moving forward, I’m going to be submitting many of my better album coins in for grading.
It’ll be tough seeing all those holes in the albums but I think it’ll be much better when it’s time to sell.

slider23

I like both slabs and raw coins.

BryceM

I do not think the population here on the forum is an accurate representation of those who collect coins.

hfjacinto

@BryceM I agree.

BECOKA

For business I have both.....if everything is in slabs then I lose the community that collects raw which is more than 50% of people who come to local shows.

For personal collection, I have a bit of OCD. I have mostly PCGS slabs and if I get a different TPG slab or raw coin they are out of place so I have to crack out and send in so the new coins match the holders I have. Even if the cost of slabbing is more than the coin is worth. OCD is expensive.

lcoopie

Slabs
Bullion most naked.

If interested adding more detail to your thread title, may get more hits of those interested and less of those not interested.

gumby1234

Mostly raw and in albums.
Still about 100 in slabs.
I but what I like whether raw or slabbed.

OAKSTAR

I guess both but I consider myself an album guy, I like complete/full albums. Which means I full the key date holes. I have bought "some" key date coins to ensure they are legit, broken them out and filled the holes. Others, like an S-VDB or 55DDO NO!

TheGoonies1985

Both graded and 2 by 2's. I prefer graded for my main series and 2 by 2's for my 2nd series I collect.

TimNH

Cheaper stuff that probably wouldn't get counterfeited, or wouldn't kill me if there were a fake or two, raw, and generally bouncing around in bags, not even in flips.

Expensive stuff, all slabs, all day. Fakes are getting better and better and they terrify me.

originalisbest

Expensive stuff, what few gold items I have, etc. are slabs. Lots of cheap but fun coins, 2x2's. Prefer 2x2 mylars but dislike their tendency to get scuffy. Albums I love to collect for themselves, but dislike coins tending to rotate, pop out of place, potential slidemarks, so generally don't actually use them, I just like some of the vintage ones.

alaura22

Only slabs

124Spider

My collections total something over 2000 coins. I have a bit over 150 slabbed coins.

If I were sure that (i) all sellers are honest and sell only genuine coins, (ii) I could tell from photographs whether a coin has been cleaned; and (iii) I could grade extremely accurately based on photos, I would always buy raw coins.

But, alas, I'm zero-for-three above, so I only buy relatively inexpensive raw coins. My raw coins generally go into albums. But that leaves some albums looking kind of funny, with the placeholders mixed in (especially my SLQ album, where most holes are filled with placeholders).

anablep

All of the above.

Most of my world coins are in flips.

Most of my US coins are in albums.

Most of my silver dollars are slabbed.

Project Numismatics

I have both - but everything over ~$250 is slabbed. There is so much joy in raw coins though. Nothing quite like holding history and art in your fingers.

DoubleEagle59

I have both, but my very favorite moment by far, slabbed or raw, is when I acquired twenty of these and I gently stacked them into a 'roll'..............................

bronzemat

@DoubleEagle59 said:
I have both, but my very favorite moment by far, slabbed or raw, is when I acquired twenty of these and I gently stacked them into a 'roll'..............................

Gorgeous looking stack!

asheland

90-95% of my collection is slabbed, but I occasionally will buy raw coins just for fun. Mostly kept in flips.

erscolo

High end slabs are way beyond my price range or collecting interest. No Morgan or Peace Dollars, 19th Century coins or gold. I have no interest in registry sets, just in beautiful coins that are all from the 20th and 21st Centuries. I have 2,874 coins in the collection, of which 424 are graded. The majority of those a nearly complete set of Lincoln Cents 1930-2023.

Tramp

I enjoy them all. Have many completed Dansco albums both in MS and VF-AU. Old school in that I really like flipping through the albums and seeing all the coins at one time.

Have many slabbed coins too but often that's reserved for the key dates or higher valued coins.

Tom147

Both. Multiple Dansco albums ( 30 something ) and way more slabbed coins than I need.

metalmeister

After decades of buying binge spending, I finally have come to terms of, too many slabbed and raw coins, coin albums, multiple coin series and Countries, Mainly USA, Canada and Mexico. I had way too much fun collecting

Steven59

Mostly Dansco album collections. All of my cent collections are in Danscos. I've only a few slabs with high grade Morgans.
A few pics that I've saved in folders.
The one in the middle is the restrike......

ChangeInHistory

My collection hits all 3 directions. I have 2 registry sets and some better coins in slabs, I have several sets in Intercept, Dansco, & Whitman albums, and I have a single row box and 3 binders full of raw 2X2'd coins - and those range from cheap novelties to $4-500 coins.

I think the balance of viewing enjoyment and proper preservation plays into how we all choose to collect.

JJM

All slabbed except for a Silver Eagle Date set in a Dansco

Jacques_Loungecoque

I’m about 50/50. I buy slabbed for two reasons: 1) it’s a great deal and I want/need it 2) it’s a series I struggle grading, so most coppers and most 19th century. I’m all about buying raw though when it fits the bill of what I’m looking for. I’m not scared when I know the series.

I should add my case is specific as I’ve recently put all my efforts to competing a 7070, finally after 30 years. So….. even if it’s slabbed the pliers are coming out.

LanLord

The majority of my set is now certified, but I do still have a few things left either in craft envelopes or albums. Sometimes you just wanna pull a coin out and hold something that is 200 years old!

Namvet69

Both for me. I appreciate a quality graded stabbed coin that I buy after doing my homework. And armed with gobs of numismatic reference and savy, I have had much fun finding raw coins that were otherwise destined for obscurity. The third category for me is to self slab, custom label a coin deserving of the treatment. Have a good day. Peace Roy

TheGoonies1985

I would think there are tons of coins out there ungraded than graded. Less so for the rare coins.

CRHer700

All raw. I don’t own a single slab.