Slabbed or Raw on ebay?

Brianruns10

I was thinking about this. One would think that selling a slabbed coin on ebay is preferable, because collectors know exactly what they're getting (Of course I'm talking about a good slab, like NGC, PCGS or ANACS), and there is little doubt as to authenticity. But, I was also thinking that raw coins could have an edge because raw coins have potential. Whereas you know what you're getting with a slab, a raw coin has the mystery of "I wonder what PCGS would give this." So which do you think is in the end the better plan-selling slabbed, or raw?
Best,
BR

kieferscoins

Slabbed. They will bring more money and most people don't want to risk getting a cleaned or problem coin. I sell mostly PCGS/NGC slabbed on ebay and they sell much easier.

Cameron Kiefer

nwcs

Slabbed by one of the big three. No question at all in my mind.

BillJones

That strategy certainly works for the large auction houses that have good reputations, but Ebay has too many sharks and barracudas in their pool to make that happen. The big houses also have a lot of people who get a live look at the coins before they are sold. Ebay does not have that. They have pictures, which are not nearly as good.

A few bidders MIGHT get turned on to auction fever, but others approach raw coins on Ebay with a lot of caution. A very honest Ebay consignor might get that to work, but it begs the question, “Why doesn’t he get the coins slabbed himself?

nOoBiEeE

<< <i>So which do you think is in the end the better plan-selling slabbed, or raw? >>



Slabbed. A raw coin will pull in less money then a slabbed coin.

1centlincoln

Slabbed. I've been burned one too many times with raw coins on Ebay, even supposed high end coins.

relayer

I think a properly hyped raw coin would bring in more money.

I recently sold a 1912 Barber 50c Proof PCGS PR62 for $600

A more common 1907 Barber 50c Proof raw with a small, dark picture (hiding hairlines, etc.) was hyped as an $8,750 coin (using the PCGS price guide of course) and it brought in $1500.

Kriek

Slabbed - PCGS.

dorkkarl

definitely raw, if it's a cheapie.

if it's expensive, then why would you waste your time ebaying it?

K S

Barry

How would you sell it, Karl? I've sold some expensive coins on Ebay and been pleased with the results, especially 2% vs. 15% commission.

dorkkarl

<< <i>How would you sell it, Karl? >>

i'd keep it!

what i'm trying to point out is, take a look at what's typical on the ebay gristmill - coins in the $1 to, let's say $50 range. if you get that stuff slabed at 15 bucks a pop, are you REALLY going to recoup that in higher bids?

your right, the basic formula doesn't apply to expensive stuff, but i always get a laugh when i see on ebay, for example, a 1857 seated dime in a pcgs vf-30 holder. i mean, c'mon....

furthermore, i totally agree w/ brianruns10 premise, that on ebay, where you are dealing also w/ non-savvy buyers, there is the appeal of a coin maybe grading higher. a slab, otoh, limits the perceived upside potential of a typical coin.

just my opinion.... which i might try selling on ebay someday

K S

MacCoin

I don't know much about selling on ebay but I have brought alot and won't ever buy anything raw coin. I have been burn to many times

GoYankees

I have two raw coin eBay stories for you all...

Before I started collecting or knew anything about slabbed coins, just before I got married, I wanted to have a "last fling" in the form of a old, rare, key date coin. I did some research and I decided on the 1913-S Barber Quarter. Don't ask me why. So I looked on eBay and found one that looked affordable. After checking out the seller, I wound up buying it for around $350. About six months later, I decided, with my wife's approval of course, to have another "fling". This time I was seeking the coin of my childhood dreams the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent. Moreover, at this time I started to collect slabbed coins from PCGS. Since the 1913-S turned out to be genuine, I decided to go to the well once more with the same eBay seller. This seller had a raw 09-S VDB graded VF-30. I was outbid. However, the winning bidder had negative feedback (would soon be NARU'd) and figuring that the seller would never conduct business with such a person, I sent an e-mail with an offer. She let me have it for $450. This coin was also genuine. The seller was since (NARU'd). I wanted to know why, from the feedback forum it looks like she either died or pulled out suddenly for some reason - I think I have a good idea . I did do a thread search on this forum looking for answers and found one hit.

Now for the conclusion...

1913-S Barber Quarter - PCGS AG03
1909-S VDB Lincoln - PCGS VF35

eBay seller: billings13

dorkkarl

even though i think ebay has turned into a fetid swampland of low-grade sludge & slop, the bottom line is i did very well on ebay buying coins, just about all raw. i really wonder if SOOOO many people have gotten ripped off SOOOOO many times as always seems to be implied on this forum. i have no doubts at all that if i could sweep up everything i bought on ebay & sold it at a more typical numismatic venue, say a heritage auction, i'd make a pretty decent profit.

granted, i'm talking 3 years ago or so, when ebay was still decent. & the best thing about it was cherrypicking....

K S

Placid

your right, the basic formula doesn't apply to expensive stuff, but i always get a laugh when i see on ebay, for example, a 1857 seated dime in a pcgs vf-30 holder. i mean, c'mon....


They probably bought it raw on eBay as a ms63


Yes ebay is a good place to try to sell your raw coins dishonestly if your that kind of person.

rhedden

PCGS does great on ebay. ANACS doesn't do well. NGC is somewhere in between. Raw coins only do well if they have decent photos; sometimes they sell for too much.

DorkGirl

Almost everything I buy and sell are raw. I almost always get more coin for my buck buying raw. I have bought some amazing toned Morgans very cheap that way. Color + plastic = big bucks. For me the thrill is in the hunt. Buying a slab doesn't give me the thrill that a raw coin does. But you have to be in your comfort zone. I feel comfortable knowing that every raw coin I buy is not a MS65, you may not be. But I also take comfort in the fact that I buy what I enjoy, and sell to feed my addiction, which happens to be raw, MS, toned Morgans.

RGL

You tell 'em, Dork Girl! I'm not sure I would even be a Registry collector if not for cherrypicking raw coins for submission. There's something about scoring $10 or even $100 raw coins that grade out as big bucks/superior grades at PCGS! The thrill of the hunt is where it is at!

Dave99B

All three Big Boy slabs sell very well on eBay, especially better dates. The other services get horrid results.

Forget about raw --- you'll get very little respect, UNLESS people get to know/trust you --- that takes time.

Dave