Poll: Raw, Certified, and You.

TommyType

This was inspired by something I witnessed at a local show a few weeks ago.

Buyer is looking into a case of raw coins, and asks the dealer for something specific.
Dealer says, "Yes. I think I have some, but they're over here with the certified coins."
Buyer: "Oh, no. I don't buy certified coins", and walks away without further comment.

While I respect the desire to have only raw coins, it seems to me that the attitude was a wee bit over the top. It's no great feat to turn a certified coin into a raw one!! Certainly easier than the other way around.

p8nt

Ill buy either. Depending on what it is, if I plan on selling it, or if I just want it protected, I will slab. If I bought it for an album or something, I will crack it or leave it.

pursuitofliberty

either way here ... sometimes I free them if they were slabbed ... I've even been known to slab a few

Russ

You need an "I'll buy anything as long as it's a rip" option.

Russ, NCNE

fc

authentication is important to me, i only buy slabbed.

Hobbyist

I am equal opportunity but I'll immediately crack them out if they are for my mainstream collections.

ziggy29

Depends on the collection I'm buying it for. If it's a date collection in an album, coins in slabs are cracked out. For my type set, the slabs stay.

TwoSides2aCoin

I usually buy to sell with a profit margin instinctively built into my thinking cap. If I think it has marketability, it doesn't matter if it is graded or not. I look beyond plastic if it is not in a PCGS holder. I get lazy if it is in a PCGS holder because most of my submissions are returned verifying my expectations when submitted to PCGS.

It would be fair to say, the person who walked off replying with the comment " oh no, I don't buy certified coins", never had their thinking cap on in the first place !

TheRaven

If I am adding to my Barber Half collection I buy raw.....

Adding to my Classic Gold type set, I buy only certified.....

So it depends the specific coin.....

BOOK

I buy the coin that catches my eye. Raw or certified they get enjoyed then locked up for safe keeping as they are.
Would that make me a ( hoardabie or maybe a packratabie ) ???

coinnut86

I don't have any slabbed coins... however I don't have any coins over 50 bucks either.. I'm poor

construct

When buying gold, I prefer certified because I believe I am more likely to want to sell it later. I believe authenticity will be less likely to be questioned in plastic. However, I do own raw gold, both lower grade widgets and problem pieces.

I have never bought certified non-gold coins. I've looked (generally unsuccessfully) for certified trade dollars at local shows, but the two I bought are raw. I was confident of my sellers, and I didn't see any problems with them.

Bear

The poll is inadequate. What would make a diffewrence is the value of the coin.

I would take my chances on a few hundred dollars, but I would repuire a reputable

TPG on a coin of a few thousand dollars.

mgoodm3

Type of coin matters to me.

High-grade copper coins with some value: slabbed
Cheap coin bought for fun: either slabbed or raw

TommyType

<< <i>The poll is inadequate. >>



Can't argue with you there! I went back and tried to shoe-horn myself into the choices I drafted, and decided none really fit me either.

I have several sets that are raw only, (XF-AU 2-cent, VF-AU Standing Q.),
And some that are certified only (MS-64 short set Walkers, "best I can afford" type set),
And I have sent coins to be certifed once and only once (because they were too nice and/or expensive by my standards at the time).

So, the question is really more complicated than I made it out to be.

BlindedByEgo

<< <i>

<< <i>The poll is inadequate. >>



Can't argue with you there! I went back and tried to shoe-horn myself into the choices I drafted, and decided none really fit me either.

I have several sets that are raw only, (XF-AU 2-cent, VF-AU Standing Q.),
And some that are certified only (MS-64 short set Walkers, "best I can afford" type set),
And I have sent coins to be certifed once and only once (because they were too nice and/or expensive by my standards at the time).

So, the question is really more complicated than I made it out to be. >>





Me, too. When I'm buying an estate, 'tis a little hard to tell the executor/ seller "no, I'll only buy the ones in those funny little pieces of plastic". Now if I'm buying a piece retail 'cause I want it, I'll buy either.... but if it's over $500 -$1000 I'll often get a second opinion (even if it's slabbed).

VirtualWon

Raw or slab .... which keeps better .... ???

Do dealers charge more for slab then raw???? is that what this person thought?

Don't they all start out raw. lol

TorinoCobra71

<< <i>You need an "I'll buy anything as long as it's a rip" option.

Russ, NCNE >>



RUSS Is a true FERENGI...always looking at the PROFIT MOTIVE of the deal............

TorinoCobra71

PerryHall

<< <i>Do dealers charge more for slab then raw???? >>



Many times dealers charge more for raw than slabbed because the raw coin can be overgraded and be priced accordingly.

JrGMan2004

"I buy either, but have no great desire to crack or submit." fits me closest, but isn't entirely accurate, as there are some coins I will crack out, and there are some coins I will buy raw and submit...

nwcs

I've recently changed my strategy. I'm now targeting raw.

supertooth

I could not really fit into one of these slots either. I usually buy 'raw' and then have the coin slabbed. I feel that will then hold the value. That way, if something should happen to me, my wife and two kids will benefit. My son collects so he will know how to handle them better as well. I find that the better deals are gotten if you buy 'raw'. Especially off of Ebay. If you have a good eye and some knowledge, profit making as well as the enjoyment of collecting can both be achieved by doing it this way. Bob [supertooth]

Shamika

Only rarely do I buy raw.

DHeath

Bear's answer deserves a seperate poll. The price of the coin matters. Having said that, I greatly prefer buying at raw price and holdering the coin myself if the coin is something I'm comfortable with.

OKbustchaser

I fully understand the the reasoning of the customer in the OP. He quite likely--just as I am--is tired of overgraded coins being priced according to the lable rather than the coin's actual grade. Whenever a coin does manage to get into a properly labeled slab it imediately get priced at a premium because it is "undergraded and an obvious resubmission candidate". Since he refuses to play that game it isn't worth either his or the dealer's time to even look at slabbed coins.

Although I have bought many slabbed coins (all of which are now raw) over the years, I won't play that game either. I have not yet, nor will I ever, pay more for a slabbed coin then I would have been willing to pay for the same coin raw. Although this cuts down on the number of coins I buy I am still much happier with the ones that I do buy.