A 7070 Type set question for you vets out there?

stinkinlincoln

I have yet to start this set, but hope to pretty soon. My question is this, I plan to buy the majority of the coins already certified by PCGS. I love how the set looks in an album, but cracking the coins out puts me off abit. Im not so much concerned with resale or anything, just storage, protection, and security mainly. I plan to build this set and hold on to it for a long time to come, but I do want to enjoy the coins.


So I guess it all boils down to if you have built this set, bought slabbed coins then cracked them out, have you come to regret it or are you happy with your choice to crack them out?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

AU58WALKERS

95% of my 7070 was certified by pcgs, ngc, or anacs.
cracked all of them out and have since upgraded some with other certified coins that I cracked out.
had 0 problems recouping my money on the raw coins from a local dealer that likes quality.

CRACH 'EM OUT and enjoy!

78750Aggie

I've cracked several for my set and not regretted yet. I just completed Version-I yesterday with the purchase of this coin. You don't have to pay plastic money for a nice, original coin. But you do need a little patience.



Aggie

Billet7

I would buy them raw. If you have a good eye, and some patience, you can pay less and still get fantastic coins (in some cases better.) I just don't see the purpose of buying certified if you are not interested in the protection and sellability it gives you. I am not supporting a cert companies per-se, I just think it makes little sense, it causes you to pay more for something you don't want anyway. Besides there is a whole other world out there that you can tap into if you are not concerned with certification.

78750Aggie

Besides there is a whole other world out there that you can tap into if you are not concerned with certification.

Billet7 = quote of the year...so far (IMO).

Aggie

Barndog

if speed and value of resale does not matter to you, crack away if you are an expert without equal at picking problem-free, PQ for grade coins in holders

Jsayre

I am buying mostly certified coins for my set and am waiting to crack most of them till I have the set more complete. This way if I come across another coin that I feel fits the set better I can still sell the other coin certified.

Bithrate

I started mine about a year ago. As a couple of folks have already mentioned, patience is key. I've purchased my fair share of raw coins for the album and have been very satisfied so far. Also haven't regretted cracking out the slabbed ones at all. Make sure you enjoy the journey!

illini420

<< <i>I have yet to start this set, but hope to pretty soon. My question is this, I plan to buy the majority of the coins already certified by PCGS. I love how the set looks in an album, but cracking the coins out puts me off abit. Im not so much concerned with resale or anything, just storage, protection, and security mainly. I plan to build this set and hold on to it for a long time to come, but I do want to enjoy the coins.


So I guess it all boils down to if you have built this set, bought slabbed coins then cracked them out, have you come to regret it or are you happy with your choice to crack them out?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts. >>



I started out working on a 7070 set made up of all coins that were cracked from proof sets and/or PCGS or NGC slabs. I wanted to go for all of the coins to either be in AU or MS. Started buying a bunch and cracking several. When I was faced with the prospect of cracking out a slabbed AU Classic Head Cent (around $3k-$4k) and AU Seated Dollars (around $1k-$2k each) and several other coins that were valued at $500 to several thousand each, I had a major change of heart. Unless you know it's a coin that you'll keep in your album for a very long time, don't crack it!! You'll have a much harder time selling/trading your formerly slabbed coin. Even if you send them back in for grading, you will likely not get the same grades... not too fun.

Here's a link to the thread I posted awhile back about my cracking experience, might be of interest to you... Cracker's Remorse Thread

Good luck

seanq

The answer depends on several things - the overall grade range you want in the set, your budget, and your degree of confidence and comfort buying raw coins are just the first three to pop into my head. I'm glad illini420 posted before me because I think his cautionary tale is a good counterpoint to the way you're thinking about approaching the set.

Personally, the only coins I'd crack for my 7070 are issues where counterfeits are legion and I'm unfamiliar with the diagnostics of a genuine coin, things like the Seated and Trade dollars. I'm comfortable buying most of the coins raw, especially in the grades I can afford (VG to VF).


Sean Reynolds

BlindedByEgo

Despite the attitude here to the contrary, there are plenty of decent circulated type coins still available raw.

If you can afford to build a set in uncirculated grades, a few bucks worth of plastic shouldn't stand in the way of cracking coins out and enjoying your set.

RYK

My 7070 set was built with both raw and previously certified coins. I have had no regrets cracking out coins from holders for the set.

FilamCoins

I would not crack out.

Get yourself one of these from Eagle Coin Holders.



Attractive display, physical protection, and the ability to retain the "value" of certification.

quickwing

Very nice dollar Aggie, and one of the tough 7070' holes. Nice fields on a coin that tends to get banged up. I like it. Hope the whole set looks as nice.

And by the way CRACK EM

TomB

I've been working on a certified type set as well as a raw, Dansco 7070 type set each for over a decade. My raw set contains coins that were never cracked out by me, but if I saw the perfect coin for the set already in a holder, then I would buy it and crack it out. However, I would caution that you think long and hard about what your goals are, what your finances are and what your time frame is. This will dictate the grade range of coins that you buy within each series and may serve to hinder any crackouts you decide to attempt.

cucamongacoin

I think it's impotrtant to consider, depending on how old the coins are, that they spent the majority of their existence out of plastic rather than in.

lkenefic

I've bought raw... and I've bought certified and then cracked out for the album. As TomB said, it depends upon what your collecting goals are. My goal was to find nice coins with original surfaces with a target grade of ~53. I'm about 3/4 the way complete and I've been able to stick with it so far.

A couple of cautionary words though: I did have a few miscues at first in purchasing raw. I bought a couple of obviously cleaned coins, but I keep them around to remind me not to do that again... no matter WHAT the seller tries to tell you and no matter how much the discount is.

lkenefic

Tom... working on 15-17 translocations??

You could have gone with 9-22 (brc-abl) and gotten all of your coins from Philidelphia...

dorkkarl

crack 'em out w/out fear. if you are COLLECTING, you won't regret it.

K S

Baley

I would not start the album with the strategy of intentionally cracking coins out of tpg holders, and particularly not out of PCGS holders.

Rather, I'd fill what slots I could from my existing collection, buy nice problem free but lower grade fillers raw for the older tougher types, and then selectively upgrade, cracking slabs only when absolutely necessary, and then only when the coin is high end for the grade on the slab.

I'd think twice about cracking a lot of coins in this environment, and to do again, much of my 7070 set would be in the Eagle slab album that other posters have mentioned.

Someday I'm going to have to submit quite a few of the coins and get them in plastic to be able to sell them for "all the money".

To do again, I'd probably try to do the whole set in "dirty fine" condition and save the big money for nice, slabbed early type coins of series the 7070 doesn't cover.

AnonimoGaddiano

Two completed 7070 sets, never purchased graded coin for either. However if I saw a piece I admired would purchase and remove from the slab without qualms.

To be clear encapsulated coins are less common in Europe than in USA.

Edited to add: If doing the gold page cracking out encapsulated coins might be wise, the premium is not great and authenticity is assured. Unfortunately I have experience in this matter having bought a counterfeit $20 gold piece some years ago.

ecichlid

Take the advice from illini420 and plan ahead. When you know what grade you are collecting in, look up what the current values for the costliest pieces. If you can stomach it, then you are good.

I have a mixture of raw and slabbed in my 7070. The set is XF and better. I have no qualms cracking out coins that are less than $1000.

lkenefic

I'm about 80% done with this set with about 25% of my coins coming from ANACS, NGC, or PCGS slabs. I have no regrets but I've not tried selling these pieces in this environment either.

BTW... I like Baley's suggestion. I'm trying for an average grade of 53. Some are obviously easier than others and the money one would save between a VF grade and an upper end AU grade is substantial for certain pieces... Classic Head LC or CBQ for instance.

Good Luck in whatever you decide.

Leo

TwoSides2aCoin

It's your coin collection so put it together your way. Ultimately, it's your responsibility to have fun with it.

ldhair

<< <i> have you come to regret it >>


Yes. Now I wish they were still in the slabs.

Billet7

<< <i>Besides there is a whole other world out there that you can tap into if you are not concerned with certification.

Billet7 = quote of the year...so far (IMO).

Aggie >>



Thanks Aggie.

mirabela

You're buying a coin, whether it's in plastic or not. Right? So, if an album is where you want it, go ahead and crack.

It's true that being 'out of plastic' can make a coin harder to sell. Having said that, I have found it it is fairly easy to sell a cracked-out coin at a fair 'as though in plastic' price if the following conditions are true:

a) you save the insert
b) you took a picture of the coin in the holder
c) you can take *really good* pictures of the raw coin, when the time comes to sell
d) *most important* you know the coin to be solid for the grade, and/or the price drop to the next grade down is not a big deal.

Point (d) is an important one. Cleveland half in MS63? Go ahead and crack. Baggy seated dollar in AU58? Could be a big drop to 55, and grading on these is all over the place. Think twice, or better yet buy the nicest AU55 you can find instead -- and then break it out.

Arizonadesertrat

I have routinely cracked out coins (mostly from PCGS holders, and some with a CAC green bean to boot) for my 7070 album. My album includes the gold page, and I refuse to buy raw gold as I am putting MS63-64 coins into that page. I tape the inserts into the insides of the album front and back covers.

MikeInFL

I've cracked out quite a few coins and have no qualms about it.

Elglide

Elglide

Sorry about the empty post hit the button too fast. Anyway I have cracked many for the 7070. I love this collection and nothing looks better than a 7070 type set.
I agree that gold should probably be slabbed if you are not sure of being able to verify.

InYHWHWeTrust

You have received some great advice here. I sold off mine last year and it was a fun project, assembling and selling.

Just watch for slide marks, be careful!!