SB, why not show a picture of the holder?

2ltdjorn · October 25, 2012 3:35AM

Does this bother anyone else? I feel like a obverse/reverse/slab shot is fair.

AUandAG · October 25, 2012 3:43AM

Please expand your remarks, not following.

bob

2ltdjorn · October 25, 2012 3:48AM

I am reviewing the upcoming Stacks-Bowers Auction, they show the obverse & reverse, but they do not take a picture of the slab. If you can take 2 pictures why not 3. Allow for the buyer to make a more educated decision?

SmEagle1795 · October 25, 2012 3:51AM

<< I am reviewing the upcoming Stacks-Bowers Auction, they show the obverse & reverse, but they do not take a picture of the slab. If you can take 2 pictures why not 3. Allow for the buyer to make a more educated decision? >>

I agree - I don't see any reason not to. Information is king.

Elcontador · October 25, 2012 3:55AM

You have an easier time tracking coins that have been sold / resold if you can see cert numbers on holders.

RYK · October 25, 2012 4:02AM

Let's face it, Heritage has us spoiled in many ways.

Elcontador · October 25, 2012 4:03AM

Robert, there's Heritage, and then there's everyone else. Not much of a comparison, I'm afraid.

Nickcap · October 25, 2012 4:14AM

As far as the holder, it should be the industry standard.

Heritage, EBay, and Teletrade show the holders. As do many other sites.

19Lyds · October 25, 2012 4:14AM

<< I am reviewing the upcoming Stacks-Bowers Auction, they show the obverse & reverse, but they do not take a picture of the slab. If you can take 2 pictures why not 3. Allow for the buyer to make a more educated decision? >>

Maybe because Stacks-Bowers is selling coins and not slabs?

Just a thought. I mean, it's not like its eBay where the scammers tell you it's PCGS/NGC/ANACS/ICG graded and then they send you a raw coin.

DeliaBug · October 25, 2012 4:36AM

I couldn't care less about seeing the slab. That's not what I'm buying.

BillJones · October 25, 2012 4:41AM

<< I couldn't care less about seeing the slab. That's not what I'm buying. >>

I totally agree.

rays · October 25, 2012 4:52AM

<< You have an easier time tracking coins that have been sold / resold if you can see cert numbers on holders. >>

What other reason could S-B have for not showing the slabs?

johnny9434 · October 25, 2012 4:56AM

<< I am reviewing the upcoming Stacks-Bowers Auction, they show the obverse & reverse, but they do not take a picture of the slab. If you can take 2 pictures why not 3. Allow for the buyer to make a more educated decision? >>

simple and a reasonable question

LanceNewmanOCC · October 25, 2012 5:06AM

<< 

<< You have an easier time tracking coins that have been sold / resold if you can see cert numbers on holders. >>

What other reason could S-B have for not showing the slabs? >>

+1
i don't even look at their auctions any more nor have I recommended anyone else do so.
.

WTCG · October 25, 2012 5:18AM

<< I couldn't care less about seeing the slab. That's not what I'm buying. >>

Agreed. Some of the people who make a big deal about seeing the slab are similar to the people who eat their small order of fries with 9 packets of ketchup. They think they're eating the fries when they're really more interested in eating the ketchup. The ones overly obsessed with the slab are probably buying the lot for the holder, not the coin.

960Coins · October 25, 2012 5:48AM

<< 

<< I couldn't care less about seeing the slab. That's not what I'm buying. >>

Agreed. Some of the people who make a big deal about seeing the slab are similar to the people who eat their small order of fries with 9 packets of ketchup. They think they're eating the fries when they're really more interested in eating the ketchup. The ones overly obsessed with the slab are probably buying the lot for the holder, not the coin. >>

There is value in knowing the certification number, at least.

RYK · October 25, 2012 5:49AM

More information is better. The slab tag color is an excellent internal control for the photography such that you can often tell if the glamor photo is juiced by looking at this control. The slab tag also has the cert verification number which allows you to see if the coin has recently sold publicly (and for how much) and perhaps a TrueView or CoinFacts photo of the coin. If you are viewing the coin in person, all of this is moot, as you have in-hand examination and can record the slab tag number for future research.

Why anyone would object to S-B showing the slab is beyond me, unless they are consignors hoping to keep potential bidders in the dark about one issue of another. Maybe they also object to showing pop numbers and recent auction prices, like Heritage does for all of their auction coins. As I said, more information is better.

That said, S-B seems to have enough operational issues getting the catalogs online, photos posted, etc. such that I do not expect them to make this accommodation at this time.

19Lyds · October 25, 2012 7:12AM

<< 

<< 

<< I couldn't care less about seeing the slab. That's not what I'm buying. >>

Agreed. Some of the people who make a big deal about seeing the slab are similar to the people who eat their small order of fries with 9 packets of ketchup. They think they're eating the fries when they're really more interested in eating the ketchup. The ones overly obsessed with the slab are probably buying the lot for the holder, not the coin. >>

There is value in knowing the certification number, at least. >>

The "value" for Stacks-Bowers Auctions are Stacks-Bowers and their reputation to stand behind the coins they sell.

Other than that, I see no "value" for showing a picture of the slab.

19Lyds · October 25, 2012 7:15AM

<< More information is better. The slab tag color is an excellent internal control for the photography such that you can often tell if the glamor photo is juiced by looking at this control. The slab tag also has the cert verification number which allows you to see if the coin has recently sold publicly (and for how much) and perhaps a TrueView or CoinFacts photo of the coin. If you are viewing the coin in person, all of this is moot, as you have in-hand examination and can record the slab tag number for future research.

Why anyone would object to S-B showing the slab is beyond me, unless they are consignors hoping to keep potential bidders in the dark about one issue of another. Maybe they also object to showing pop numbers and recent auction prices, like Heritage does for all of their auction coins. As I said, more information is better.

That said, S-B seems to have enough operational issues getting the catalogs online, photos posted, etc. such that I do not expect them to make this accommodation at this time. >>

I would think that Stacks-Bowers has more than enough credibility than to "juice" their photo's?

RYK · October 25, 2012 7:56AM

<< 

<< More information is better. The slab tag color is an excellent internal control for the photography such that you can often tell if the glamor photo is juiced by looking at this control. The slab tag also has the cert verification number which allows you to see if the coin has recently sold publicly (and for how much) and perhaps a TrueView or CoinFacts photo of the coin. If you are viewing the coin in person, all of this is moot, as you have in-hand examination and can record the slab tag number for future research.

Why anyone would object to S-B showing the slab is beyond me, unless they are consignors hoping to keep potential bidders in the dark about one issue of another. Maybe they also object to showing pop numbers and recent auction prices, like Heritage does for all of their auction coins. As I said, more information is better.

That said, S-B seems to have enough operational issues getting the catalogs online, photos posted, etc. such that I do not expect them to make this accommodation at this time. >>

I would think that Stacks-Bowers has more than enough credibility than to "juice" their photo's? >>

"Juiced" is perhaps the wrong word choice, but if you give a coin to three different photographers, you will get three (or more) different looks. I find that the slab tag is an equalizer as it allows me to often extrapolate the color of the coin. If I had a slab shot from my last S-B purchase, I likely would not have bid on the coin. It looked much different than I expected. I dumped it as quickly as I could.

The "value" for Stacks-Bowers Auctions are Stacks-Bowers and their reputation to stand behind the coins they sell.

Other than that, I see no "value" for showing a picture of the slab.

LOL! Do you believe in the tooth fairy, too?

If you see not the value, don't look at it, but quite a few of us do, for myriad reasons.

lkeigwin · October 25, 2012 8:00AM

I want to see the slab. More often than not, the image of the coin in the slab is closer to reality than the large, circle-cropped one. This is especially true of many Heritage auctions, where they brighten and adjust the color of the large images.

What's the harm in displaying the holder anyway?
Lance.

2ltdjorn · October 25, 2012 8:04AM

Particularly when it takes very minimal effort to take and upload an extra photo! All they would have to do is hire 2 sorority girls...

originalisbest · October 25, 2012 8:12AM

I would agree with those who want to see the slab info as well, for all the reasons stated. Short of an in-hand inspection, by yourself or someone representing you at the auction, the more info, the better. There's no good reason from the bidder's point of view, to NOT have that info.

mingot · October 25, 2012 9:54AM

Anyone ever called and asked them for the cert number?

Will they give it up?

SB, why not show a picture of the holder?

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