I will give you some advice I admittedly will never follow. Crack all of your coins out. Someday when you go to sell them it will be cheaper for the rest of us to pick them up. Crack away.
JRocco you are missing the point. The thread is about slab vs non slab. Most collectors including myself feel that slabs off the best storage for coins plus the financial advantage. And PCGS is the slab of choice of most collectors and dealers.
If you get Secure Plus, you can crack them out at will, since the magic computer will read the coin and reassign it the same grade as before. If it is a 67, but computer says 64, book it at 64.
This raises another question. Is PCGS scanning all coins now, even in regular holders? If they are, and some kid grades it wrong, you are screwed for life!!
<< <i>JRocco you are missing the point. The thread is about slab vs non slab. Most collectors including myself feel that slabs off the best storage for coins plus the financial advantage. And PCGS is the slab of choice of most collectors and dealers. >>
Hey Dimeman, I think I am getting it. I just don't always agree. I have albums upon albums of cracked slabbed coins so I get it. This hobby existed before slabs and it would still exist without them. True it would require a little more of a learning curve or you would run the risk of getting beat. Like everything else in life. Slabs are an excellent storage container for coins, but so is an Airtight or any other good plastic coin container commonly found for a couple of bucks. As for the financial advantage, you are 100% right on that one. Like I said, there are a lot more plastic dependent collectors out there than coin collectors for a lot of the coins we on this board collect. Let me add, if you are selling me a coin that I put a value of $300, I will pay you $300 if the coin is raw or slabbed. Not 1 penny more, but hopefully less I will not pay you any extra for the slab, but I will pay a premium for the coin. And yes, PCGS is the slab of choice when discussing slabs. I have many many slabbed coins in my collection and have submitted coins, but I understand it is the coin I collect, sometimes it is in pretty plastic, sometimes it is in a pretty envelope.
>>>If you get Secure Plus, you can crack them out at will, since the magic computer will read the coin and reassign it the same grade as before. If it is a 67, but computer says 64, book it at 64.
This raises another question. Is PCGS scanning all coins now, even in regular holders? If they are, and some kid grades it wrong, you are screwed for life!! <<<
WRONG! This has been brought up before and simply not true. And I'm not a SP fan.
JRocco - It's not me depending on the slab for grade. I know how to grade coins. Especially circs. Uncs and can get within a point, which is all anybody can do when it comes right down to it. Anybody who says they can tell a 66 from a 66+ has been playing with themselves too long!
Back to point, it's when selling to some dealers the slab saying it is XF40 is better than me calling it XF40. Some dealers will try to rake you.
Plus as I have said before is is better for the heirs if the coins are slabbed in the slab of choice.
Back to point, it's when selling to some dealers the slab saying it is XF40 is better than me calling it XF40. Some dealers will try to rake you.
Plus as I have said before is is better for the heirs if the coins are slabbed in the slab of choice. >>
100% right on both points Dimeman Now admit it, the Green Kool Aid man is really cool.... I think it might have even lowered lava's temp a few degrees immediately...
<< <i>Back to point, it's when selling to some dealers the slab saying it is XF40 is better than me calling it XF40. >>
I'm pretty sure collectors do the same thing (discount raw coins vs. slabbed ones designated as the same grade) when they're buying, too. >>
Very true. If fact, many collectors won't even look at raw coins that are expensive because they've been burned in the past buying expensive raw coins that are overgraded, ATed, tooled, faked, cleaned, etc.
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
Scenario; " I have a 67PF 1952 PCGS " Superbird" I want such and such $ amount. Are you Interested?" This is an over the phone transaction. 2nd. Scenario; " I have a 1952 quarter PF. it looks like a Superbird variety,and it maybe a 67PF grade? O.K. Which one will likely sell the quickest? DUH!!! I know, one might not be interested in selling? Still, com'on! If it weren't for grading companies such as PCGS, we wouldn't be having this conversation on this chat room right now! It wouldn't exist!
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.
I used to hate slabs too, but then I saw how the market worked, and realized I had to "get with the program."
Cracking coins out of slabs is what an economics professor I had in undergraduate school called "a consumption act." Unless you are cracking a coin out for the purpose of an upgrade, it makes no sense unless you are willing to accept the incurred costs. Yes, cracking coins out for study as MrHalfDime pointed out is nice. BUT slabs do provide protection better than any envelope. Before sabs I stored my best coins in custom made Capital Plastics holders, which were like slabs in some ways. The main difference was I could open it, but once the coins were in them I seldom did. The Capital Plastics holders were also very hard to use with small, thin coins like gold dollars and silver three cent pieces. Therefore from that sense slabs offer an advantage.
I had all the money in the world I would break out a few of my coins, but I’m not in that position so my coins will remain “entombed.”
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
I suspect that there is an additional dynamic in play here that a few have alluded to, but none have stated outright. The OP is seeking the opinions of others as to whether it is advisable for him to remove his coins from their plastic slabs, and to store them in other types of holders. He is not necessarily asking for a general, all-inclusive statement of policy that can be applied to all collectors, if indeed there is such a thing. In order to properly advise the OP on this subject, we would need additional information on both the OP and on his specific coins, as pointed out by Baley. The OP tells us nothing about the nature of the coins in his collection, nor of his experience or expertise in numismatics. We do not know if he is a newbie or an experienced numismatist, nor if his coins are valuable old classics, lower grade coins, or lesser value moderns.
In reading many of the responses posted here, it is apparent that many collectors have an almost unhealthy reliance on the opinions (grades) of others, and believe that the value of a coin depends solely upon what is written on the insert, and not upon the coin itself. This is due to a phenomenon that JRocco explains “…because there are more plastic dependent weenies than there are real collectors out there”. These people believe that the value of the coin will drop immediately upon removal from the slab, as if the slab somehow changed the inherent value of the coin. The slab may change the ‘marketability’ of the coin, but does not intrinsically change the coin itself. This blind allegiance to TPG’s fosters irrational and incomprehensible comments like “Good Luck on getting your coins regraded at the grade for which you purchased them”, and “… it may take more than one submission to get it back into its original graded holder”. Do these comments imply consistency in grading from the TPG’s? Do they instill confidence in the consistency of the grading services?
There are at least two different collecting philosophies expressed by the respondents here, and when these are properly identified, it becomes perhaps easier to understand the different responses to the OP’s question. To many of the ‘plastic dependent weenies’, coins are considered merely a commodity, an investment, with monetary value to be recouped when the coins are ‘flipped’. But to many others, the numismatists among us, coins are pieces of history to be studied and appreciated. To a numismatist, much can be learned from a coin, any coin, regardless of its condition. Rather than being obsessed by an almost anal insistence on perfection in striking quality, surfaces, and highest grade numbers, numismatists can find interesting information from almost any coin regarding the engraving and minting processes, deterioration of dies, and how various errors are produced. This is not to imply that these students of numismatics have inherently lower standards than the “plastic dependent weenies”, but they would not turn their nose up at the chance to own an interesting coin which might have suffered a cleaning or other minor damage in its past.
For those who see their coins merely as investments, then perhaps purchasing and storing their coins in TPG slabs makes the most sense for them. This would also be true for those who have never developed comprehensive grading skills in their own series of interest. But for those who know and appreciate coins for the history, art, and the knowledge they can reveal, being separated from them by a layer of typically scratched and blurry plastic will never do. Add my name to those like JRocco, Baley, and Aegis3.
For the record, do I believe that slabs provide great protection for the enclosed coins? Absolutely. And do I believe that having coins graded and stored in slabs at the time one goes to sell them to a generally uneducated public is also a good idea? Yes, again. But for the period of time that I am the caretaker of the coins in my collection, I will continue to keep them in the state most conducive to study and appreciation – raw.
They that can give up essential Liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin
In reading many of the responses posted here, it is apparent that many collectors have an almost unhealthy reliance on the opinions (grades) of others, and believe that the value of a coin depends solely upon what is written on the insert, and not upon the coin itself.
well, to help you understand my reply-----yes, it is crazy.-----i'll just say that if you have been an active member of this forum and participated in the Hobby long enough you should understand that once removed from the PCGS holder it is almost a foregone conclusion that more bad can happen than good. there have been far too many threads about coins that are cracked out and then BB'd, cracked out and downgraded, cracked out and somehow inadvertantly harmed, etc for me to ever suggest to a new forum member that he should remove coins from the capsules.
with that said, based solely on the content of this thread and judging Coinbot from his replies, i'd say that he seems to be rather inexperienced(perhaps a newcomer to the Hobby of less than a year) and that he lacks confidence in his ability to grade with any acumen. he would be better advised to hold off on removing coins from encapsulation until he is a bit better able to judge. i have no problem removing coins from their holders just as you apparently feel secure in doing so. the question doen't strike me as wanting to know if this is a good practice on a collector-by-collector basis, only if it seems like a sound practice for this collector.
based on what Coinbot has volunteered with his replies i would repeat-----yes, it is crazy.
MrHalfDime - I think your post is elitist and condescending.
Choosing to keep coins in slabs does not make a collector any less (or any more) a numismatist.
Choosing to keep coins in slabs does not make one an investor, rather than a "true collector".
Choosing to keep coins in slabs does not mean a collector is unable to grade coins him or herself.
Choosing to keep coins in slabs (or not) is simply a personal decision each collector makes. It has nothing to do with how competent a collector is.
I think the OP should hear all opinions - from those who prefer raw, AND those who prefer slabs. There are important factors to consider whichever decision the OP makes.
Most all of my coins are in slabs, especially the rare ones and the high graded ones. But I'll tell ya this. It's much easier to image the coins raw. This is the only reason I like raw coins. And yes I can grade & I feel I am a true coin collector......Joe
The bitterness of "Poor Quality" is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
The only exception I can think of to slabbed coins is you're in the EAC world. But you'd better know what you are doing, are dealing with a limited market, and are walking a highwire without a safety net.
"Vou invadir o Nordeste, "Seu cabra da peste, "Sou Mangueira......."
<< <i>The only exception I can think of to slabbed coins is you're in the EAC world. But you'd better know what you are doing, are dealing with a limited market, and are walking a highwire without a safety net. >>
This seems like one of those "if you need to ask..." questions.
It's certainly acceptable to crack slabs but many who do know and understand the risks themselves. It's good to try selling some cracked out coins as well, either raw or with regrading.
I appologize for not listing the coins I am considering cracking out. But let me say this first before i post the coins, many newbies buy coins raw and get completely raked. Which is why most coin shops are full of raw coins and not slabs -- if slabs always raise value why do dealers have so many raw coins? Its because they can take advantage of peoples lack of grading ability. To some dealers cracking a coin out allows them to sell a coin for more not less.
As far as the value lost consider this: I am buying coins other people paid to have certified and in many cases i am paying well under numismedia wholesale on heritage. I am paying the same price that dealers might be paying. The value of the holder has already been "spent" because it served its purpose for me to know that i got a coin that is probably close to its true grade. Now that i know the true grade and the coin is deholdered i have an information advantage that any future buyer will not have unless that buyer is an expert. Since i know the real grade i can simply decline any offer below bid for that coin and let the buyer speculate that the ms 64+ i am selling might in fact be a ms65. I know the actual grade and the buyer does not -- thats an advantage not a disadvantage. Its not dishonest either, i am not going to tell him the coin is a ms65 (in contrast to dealers who write high grades on their flips)i will just let him evaluate the coin and either accept my price or not. Many old timers have sold me coins this way, and i never got a problem or overgraded coin and they were happy to get FMV - which I bet coin collecting used to be like before everyone went slab crazy.
Now to the list of coins i wish to crack out:
1928 p peace xf 45 ngc 1928 p peace xf 45 ngc 1928 p peace au 50 ngc 1928 p peace ms 62 ngc 1928 p peace ms 64 + pcgs cac 1878 s trade ef 40 1936 albany ms 64 pcgs 1927 vermont ms 65+ pcgs cac 1908 d indian $10 no motto au 58 ngc 1996 ase ms 69 1996 ase ms 68 1924 p peace ms 65 1927 p peace ms 63 And a few common date(forgot date off hand) morgan ms 63 and 64 both ngc * (look pl but prob did not make the cut)
If you feel you must crack-out those coins, I would strongly suggest you take pictures of the coins, front and back, in the PCGS/NGC/ANACS holders first. This way, you can easily prove, by the coins fornsics, that it was the same coin from the original holder......and make sure you don't lose the inserts.
I have not made my mind up yet but pictures... What a great idea. Surprised that had not been brought up yet. The auction house has great scans available that i could burn to a disk and keep it, along with the labels with my coins.
<< <i>If you feel you must crack-out those coins, I would strongly suggest you take pictures of the coins, front and back, in the PCGS/NGC/ANACS holders first. This way, you can easily prove, by the coins fornsics, that it was the same coin from the original holder......and make sure you don't lose the inserts. >>
I'm not sure a pic will impress a buyer when it comes time to sell. When resubmitted for reslabbing, the graders will never see those pics since the employee in the mail room that opens your package will drop those pics in the trash can. When you crack out a coin all bets are off.
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
<< <i>If you feel you must crack-out those coins, I would strongly suggest you take pictures of the coins, front and back, in the PCGS/NGC/ANACS holders first. This way, you can easily prove, by the coins fornsics, that it was the same coin from the original holder......and make sure you don't lose the inserts. >>
I'm not sure a pic will impress a buyer when it comes time to sell. When resubmitted for reslabbing, the graders will never see those pics since the employee in the mail room that opens your package will drop those pics in the trash can. When you crack out a coin all bets are off. >>
1. If you're going to get pictures, I'd recommend you send the coins to somebody who can do high quality images for you. There are a few great coin photographers on this forum. I suggest Mark Goodman (mgoodm3) or Todd at BluCC Photos (blu62vette). Both are great.
2. Perry's right. When it comes time to sell, you're best bet is to take the coins and the pictures to a major show and turn them in to PCGS there. Then you'll have an opportunity to explain why the pics are important and have a better chance of the graders actually paying some attention to them.
<< <i>If you feel you must crack-out those coins, I would strongly suggest you take pictures of the coins, front and back, in the PCGS/NGC/ANACS holders first. This way, you can easily prove, by the coins fornsics, that it was the same coin from the original holder......and make sure you don't lose the inserts. >>
I'm not sure a pic will impress a buyer when it comes time to sell. When resubmitted for reslabbing, the graders will never see those pics since the employee in the mail room that opens your package will drop those pics in the trash can. When you crack out a coin all bets are off. >>
1. If you're going to get pictures, I'd recommend you send the coins to somebody who can do high quality images for you. There are a few great coin photographers on this forum. I suggest Mark Goodman (mgoodm3) or Todd at BluCC Photos (blu62vette). Both are great.
2. Perry's right. When it comes time to sell, you're best bet is to take the coins and the pictures to a major show and turn them in to PCGS there. Then you'll have an opportunity to explain why the pics are important and have a better chance of the graders actually paying some attention to them. >>
The coin is still raw and will have to go through the normal grading process because they have no way of knowing if you messed with the coin once it's outside the slab.
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
We now have a hobby where raw coins are "bad" and are no longer marketable. I assume that this will soon be the case with non stickered coins. Meanwhile the collectors are forced to own coins that are less enjoyable. Who really won when TPG's "revolutionized" the coin market? And who paid for it?
I have a great idea Coinbot. First go out and buy a pitcher of Kool Aid. Drink it. Then crack out all those slabs. Discard the coins....who gives a cr@p about those anymore. Now take those valuable inserts, beans and stickers and put them in a coin album. There you go.
Ralph Kramden used to say...Chef a da future Well now we have ....Collector of da future
Or maybe just learn how to care for your coins raw or slabbed
Funny but how did all those high grade classic coins survive the first two hundred years of their lives before slabs came into existence ? Must have been a time warp or something....
Realone This hobby has been around since Jesus Christ had his moments of doubt and pain. There have been a few tumultuous periods since then and the hobby survived just fine. Let's keep this in perspective. TPG's are a HUGE part of your collecting history. Not the history of this hobby.
I just bought a slabbed 17th century gold coin and am trying to decide whether to crack it out.
I have cracked four coins so far. Three of the coins were Southern Rhodesia silver coins from a well-known self-slabber. The fourth was a German gold coin which I wanted to handle because it was associated with a historical event.
The just bought coin is also historic and I want to handle it.
I do not plan to sell the coins, and I realize if I did then I might have a financial loss.
Comments
It's starting to flow.....
If you get Secure Plus, you can crack them out at will, since the magic computer will read the coin and reassign it the same grade as before. If it is a 67, but computer says 64, book it at 64.
This raises another question. Is PCGS scanning all coins now, even in regular holders? If they are, and some kid grades it wrong, you are screwed for life!!
<< <i>JRocco you are missing the point. The thread is about slab vs non slab. Most collectors including myself feel that slabs off the best storage for coins plus the financial advantage. And PCGS is the slab of choice of most collectors and dealers. >>
Hey Dimeman,
I think I am getting it. I just don't always agree. I have albums upon albums of cracked slabbed coins so I get it. This hobby existed before slabs and it would still exist without them. True it would require a little more of a learning curve or you would run the risk of getting beat. Like everything else in life.
Slabs are an excellent storage container for coins, but so is an Airtight or any other good plastic coin container commonly found for a couple of bucks. As for the financial advantage, you are 100% right on that one. Like I said, there are a lot more plastic dependent collectors out there than coin collectors for a lot of the coins we on this board collect.
Let me add, if you are selling me a coin that I put a value of $300, I will pay you $300 if the coin is raw or slabbed. Not 1 penny more, but hopefully less
And yes, PCGS is the slab of choice when discussing slabs. I have many many slabbed coins in my collection and have submitted coins, but I understand it is the coin I collect, sometimes it is in pretty plastic, sometimes it is in a pretty envelope.
This raises another question. Is PCGS scanning all coins now, even in regular holders? If they are, and some kid grades it wrong, you are screwed for life!! <<<
WRONG! This has been brought up before and simply not true. And I'm not a SP fan.
Back to point, it's when selling to some dealers the slab saying it is XF40 is better than me calling it XF40. Some dealers will try to rake you.
Plus as I have said before is is better for the heirs if the coins are slabbed in the slab of choice.
<< <i>Back to point, it's when selling to some dealers the slab saying it is XF40 is better than me calling it XF40. >>
I'm pretty sure collectors do the same thing (discount raw coins vs. slabbed ones designated as the same grade) when they're buying, too.
<< <i>
Back to point, it's when selling to some dealers the slab saying it is XF40 is better than me calling it XF40. Some dealers will try to rake you.
Plus as I have said before is is better for the heirs if the coins are slabbed in the slab of choice. >>
100% right on both points Dimeman
Now admit it, the Green Kool Aid man is really cool....
I think it might have even lowered lava's temp a few degrees immediately...
<< <i>
<< <i>Back to point, it's when selling to some dealers the slab saying it is XF40 is better than me calling it XF40. >>
I'm pretty sure collectors do the same thing (discount raw coins vs. slabbed ones designated as the same grade) when they're buying, too. >>
Very true. If fact, many collectors won't even look at raw coins that are expensive because they've been burned in the past buying expensive raw coins that are overgraded, ATed, tooled, faked, cleaned, etc.
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
<< <i>
<< <i>This is all great advice. Thanks everyone. Any tips on storing/organizing slabbed coins that makes it more fun and uniform? >>
Yes, have all of your coins in PCGS slabs and slab boxes with CAC stickers.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line."Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.Cracking coins out of slabs is what an economics professor I had in undergraduate school called "a consumption act." Unless you are cracking a coin out for the purpose of an upgrade, it makes no sense unless you are willing to accept the incurred costs. Yes, cracking coins out for study as MrHalfDime pointed out is nice. BUT slabs do provide protection better than any envelope. Before sabs I stored my best coins in custom made Capital Plastics holders, which were like slabs in some ways. The main difference was I could open it, but once the coins were in them I seldom did. The Capital Plastics holders were also very hard to use with small, thin coins like gold dollars and silver three cent pieces. Therefore from that sense slabs offer an advantage.
I had all the money in the world I would break out a few of my coins, but I’m not in that position so my coins will remain “entombed.”
In reading many of the responses posted here, it is apparent that many collectors have an almost unhealthy reliance on the opinions (grades) of others, and believe that the value of a coin depends solely upon what is written on the insert, and not upon the coin itself. This is due to a phenomenon that JRocco explains “…because there are more plastic dependent weenies than there are real collectors out there”. These people believe that the value of the coin will drop immediately upon removal from the slab, as if the slab somehow changed the inherent value of the coin. The slab may change the ‘marketability’ of the coin, but does not intrinsically change the coin itself. This blind allegiance to TPG’s fosters irrational and incomprehensible comments like “Good Luck on getting your coins regraded at the grade for which you purchased them”, and “… it may take more than one submission to get it back into its original graded holder”. Do these comments imply consistency in grading from the TPG’s? Do they instill confidence in the consistency of the grading services?
There are at least two different collecting philosophies expressed by the respondents here, and when these are properly identified, it becomes perhaps easier to understand the different responses to the OP’s question. To many of the ‘plastic dependent weenies’, coins are considered merely a commodity, an investment, with monetary value to be recouped when the coins are ‘flipped’. But to many others, the numismatists among us, coins are pieces of history to be studied and appreciated. To a numismatist, much can be learned from a coin, any coin, regardless of its condition. Rather than being obsessed by an almost anal insistence on perfection in striking quality, surfaces, and highest grade numbers, numismatists can find interesting information from almost any coin regarding the engraving and minting processes, deterioration of dies, and how various errors are produced. This is not to imply that these students of numismatics have inherently lower standards than the “plastic dependent weenies”, but they would not turn their nose up at the chance to own an interesting coin which might have suffered a cleaning or other minor damage in its past.
For those who see their coins merely as investments, then perhaps purchasing and storing their coins in TPG slabs makes the most sense for them. This would also be true for those who have never developed comprehensive grading skills in their own series of interest. But for those who know and appreciate coins for the history, art, and the knowledge they can reveal, being separated from them by a layer of typically scratched and blurry plastic will never do. Add my name to those like JRocco, Baley, and Aegis3.
For the record, do I believe that slabs provide great protection for the enclosed coins? Absolutely. And do I believe that having coins graded and stored in slabs at the time one goes to sell them to a generally uneducated public is also a good idea? Yes, again. But for the period of time that I am the caretaker of the coins in my collection, I will continue to keep them in the state most conducive to study and appreciation – raw.
well, to help you understand my reply-----yes, it is crazy.-----i'll just say that if you have been an active member of this forum and participated in the Hobby long enough you should understand that once removed from the PCGS holder it is almost a foregone conclusion that more bad can happen than good. there have been far too many threads about coins that are cracked out and then BB'd, cracked out and downgraded, cracked out and somehow inadvertantly harmed, etc for me to ever suggest to a new forum member that he should remove coins from the capsules.
with that said, based solely on the content of this thread and judging Coinbot from his replies, i'd say that he seems to be rather inexperienced(perhaps a newcomer to the Hobby of less than a year) and that he lacks confidence in his ability to grade with any acumen. he would be better advised to hold off on removing coins from encapsulation until he is a bit better able to judge. i have no problem removing coins from their holders just as you apparently feel secure in doing so. the question doen't strike me as wanting to know if this is a good practice on a collector-by-collector basis, only if it seems like a sound practice for this collector.
based on what Coinbot has volunteered with his replies i would repeat-----yes, it is crazy.
Choosing to keep coins in slabs does not make a collector any less (or any more) a numismatist.
Choosing to keep coins in slabs does not make one an investor, rather than a "true collector".
Choosing to keep coins in slabs does not mean a collector is unable to grade coins him or herself.
Choosing to keep coins in slabs (or not) is simply a personal decision each collector makes. It has nothing to do with how competent a collector is.
I think the OP should hear all opinions - from those who prefer raw, AND those who prefer slabs. There are important factors to consider whichever decision the OP makes.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
<< <i>The only exception I can think of to slabbed coins is you're in the EAC world. But you'd better know what you are doing, are dealing with a limited market, and are walking a highwire without a safety net. >>
Balderdash.
And well said MrHalfDime.
It's certainly acceptable to crack slabs but many who do know and understand the risks themselves. It's good to try selling some cracked out coins as well, either raw or with regrading.
As far as the value lost consider this: I am buying coins other people paid to have certified and in many cases i am paying well under numismedia wholesale on heritage. I am paying the same price that dealers might be paying. The value of the holder has already been "spent" because it served its purpose for me to know that i got a coin that is probably close to its true grade. Now that i know the true grade and the coin is deholdered i have an information advantage that any future buyer will not have unless that buyer is an expert. Since i know the real grade i can simply decline any offer below bid for that coin and let the buyer speculate that the ms 64+ i am selling might in fact be a ms65. I know the actual grade and the buyer does not -- thats an advantage not a disadvantage. Its not dishonest either, i am not going to tell him the coin is a ms65 (in contrast to dealers who write high grades on their flips)i will just let him evaluate the coin and either accept my price or not. Many old timers have sold me coins this way, and i never got a problem or overgraded coin and they were happy to get FMV - which I bet coin collecting used to be like before everyone went slab crazy.
Now to the list of coins i wish to crack out:
1928 p peace xf 45 ngc
1928 p peace xf 45 ngc
1928 p peace au 50 ngc
1928 p peace ms 62 ngc
1928 p peace ms 64 + pcgs cac
1878 s trade ef 40
1936 albany ms 64 pcgs
1927 vermont ms 65+ pcgs cac
1908 d indian $10 no motto au 58 ngc
1996 ase ms 69
1996 ase ms 68
1924 p peace ms 65
1927 p peace ms 63
And a few common date(forgot date off hand) morgan ms 63 and 64 both ngc * (look pl but prob did not make the cut)
1928 p peace ms 64 + pcgs cac
1927 vermont ms 65+ pcgs cac
1924 p peace ms 65
But if you really feel the others I think will be ok, good luck in your crack-a-thon.
type2,CCHunter.
<< <i>If you feel you must crack-out those coins, I would strongly suggest you take pictures of the coins, front and back, in the PCGS/NGC/ANACS holders first. This way, you can easily prove, by the coins fornsics, that it was the same coin from the original holder......and make sure you don't lose the inserts. >>
I'm not sure a pic will impress a buyer when it comes time to sell. When resubmitted for reslabbing, the graders will never see those pics since the employee in the mail room that opens your package will drop those pics in the trash can. When you crack out a coin all bets are off.
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
<< <i>
<< <i>If you feel you must crack-out those coins, I would strongly suggest you take pictures of the coins, front and back, in the PCGS/NGC/ANACS holders first. This way, you can easily prove, by the coins fornsics, that it was the same coin from the original holder......and make sure you don't lose the inserts. >>
I'm not sure a pic will impress a buyer when it comes time to sell. When resubmitted for reslabbing, the graders will never see those pics since the employee in the mail room that opens your package will drop those pics in the trash can. When you crack out a coin all bets are off. >>
1. If you're going to get pictures, I'd recommend you send the coins to somebody who can do high quality images for you. There are a few great coin photographers on this forum. I suggest Mark Goodman (mgoodm3) or Todd at BluCC Photos (blu62vette). Both are great.
2. Perry's right. When it comes time to sell, you're best bet is to take the coins and the pictures to a major show and turn them in to PCGS there. Then you'll have an opportunity to explain why the pics are important and have a better chance of the graders actually paying some attention to them.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>If you feel you must crack-out those coins, I would strongly suggest you take pictures of the coins, front and back, in the PCGS/NGC/ANACS holders first. This way, you can easily prove, by the coins fornsics, that it was the same coin from the original holder......and make sure you don't lose the inserts. >>
I'm not sure a pic will impress a buyer when it comes time to sell. When resubmitted for reslabbing, the graders will never see those pics since the employee in the mail room that opens your package will drop those pics in the trash can. When you crack out a coin all bets are off. >>
1. If you're going to get pictures, I'd recommend you send the coins to somebody who can do high quality images for you. There are a few great coin photographers on this forum. I suggest Mark Goodman (mgoodm3) or Todd at BluCC Photos (blu62vette). Both are great.
2. Perry's right. When it comes time to sell, you're best bet is to take the coins and the pictures to a major show and turn them in to PCGS there. Then you'll have an opportunity to explain why the pics are important and have a better chance of the graders actually paying some attention to them. >>
The coin is still raw and will have to go through the normal grading process because they have no way of knowing if you messed with the coin once it's outside the slab.
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
As soon as you crack them out it's game..set..match...it's over and you are on square 1 with RAW coins...PERIOD!!!!
First go out and buy a pitcher of Kool Aid.
Drink it.
Then crack out all those slabs.
Discard the coins....who gives a cr@p about those anymore.
Now take those valuable inserts, beans and stickers and put them in a coin album.
There you go.
Ralph Kramden used to say...Chef a da future
Well now we have ....Collector of da future
Or maybe just learn how to care for your coins raw or slabbed
Funny but how did all those high grade classic coins survive the first two hundred years of their lives before slabs came into existence ?
Must have been a time warp or something....
<< <i>
You really got it all wrong, PCGS basically saved the day and thus the hobby with their slabs. >>
Please tell me Realone that you just forgot to add the laughing emotion.
Please.
This hobby has been around since Jesus Christ had his moments of doubt and pain.
There have been a few tumultuous periods since then and the hobby survived just fine.
Let's keep this in perspective.
TPG's are a HUGE part of your collecting history.
Not the history of this hobby.
<< <i>Funny but how did all those high grade classic coins survive the first two hundred years of their lives before slabs came into existence ? >>
They survived. But as a group, how well they survived is a matter of opinion.
The telephone was invented in the mid 1870s.
We did just fine with it for 100+ years.
But then came the cell phone; then the smart phone. They made something good even better.
You can draw the same analogy for most any invention or endeavor.
Change can be a very good thing.
I just bought a slabbed 17th century gold coin and am trying to decide whether to crack it out.
I have cracked four coins so far.
Three of the coins were Southern Rhodesia silver coins from a well-known self-slabber.
The fourth was a German gold coin which I wanted to handle because it was associated with a historical event.
The just bought coin is also historic and I want to handle it.
I do not plan to sell the coins, and I realize if I did then I might have a financial loss.
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television
My icon IS my coin. It is a gem 1949 FBL Franklin.
Lance.
I just don't understand this whole "I need to handle the coin and feel it in my hands".
Why would I want to take than chance of dropping the coin or getting a finger print on it or some forgien matter that would drop it's value!
I can look at my coins in slabs just fine and they are SAFE!
I not saying raw coins are no good. I buy them all the time....BUT...then I get them slabbed.