What exactly is the reason to get a coin slabbed?

ormandh

What is the real reason to get a foreign coin slabbed? Is it the high MS/ Proof condition of ANY coin that would constitute paying the fees? Or is it the salable grade/condition of the coin which makes it worth while as long as one makes the grade?

I ask this because I have many coins which I feel would definitely grade high, but do not want to waste the time or money to ensure that what I think they will grade at. When do you make the judgement calls for this? I think that I knowhow to grade coins, but I lose my cool when I actually submit. Understand, I have paid the memberships to both NGC and PCGS for many years and only used the service a few times. For some reason I am gun-shy to submit coins. What gives?

Tookybandit

If and when you want to sell some of your best examples having them TPG will make them command the highest premium when they go to market.

Otherwise, it does not matter IMHO if they are certified or not, as long as you enjoy them!

wybrit

If I precede my spouse, I don't want a situation arising where she gets a pittance of 5-10 cents on the dollar for the pieces from a dealer when she looks to sell. Slabbing buys me piece of mind that this is less likely to happen (she knows about Heritage). Otherwise, I would keep them raw.

Don't think this wouldn't happen. A few years ago I dragged a trunk full of coins my mother-in-law had collected over the years to a dealer in MN and played dumb about what they were worth. The offer: $500 for the whole trunk - less than face value. Needless to say I walked away and found alternative means to raise the cash for her.

daOnlyBG

As far as I can tell, there are a few main reasons to get your coins slabbed:

(1) Authenticity (you might know it's real, but your fellow numismatists may or may not)
(2) Preservation (if you don't want the environment to tone them, or worse, the oil on your fingers)
(3) Salability (the person on the other end of the deal might want to know exactly what his money is buying)

Other reasons:
(4) Set-registry building
(5) Bragging rights..

Perhaps you don't want to sell your coins, you're convinced they're genuine, and you have your own way of storing them safely. If you don't care for reasons 4 and 5, then there's really no reason to get them slabbed. Personally, I prefer slabbed coins (when they're at a bargain), because it provides all those amenities I've listed above. Otherwise, I do have many raw world coins in 2x2's.

marcmoish

If I precede my spouse, I don't want a situation arising where she gets a pittance of 5-10 cents on the dollar for the pieces from a dealer when she looks to sell. Slabbing buys me piece of mind that this is less likely to happen (she knows about Heritage). Otherwise, I would keep them raw.

this is one solid reason to holder them indeed.


I miss the times when I was able to hold them close, and enjoy the feel of these pieces.

MacCrimmon

<< <i>If I precede my spouse, I don't want a situation arising where she gets a pittance of 5-10 cents on the dollar for the pieces from a dealer when she looks to sell. Slabbing buys me piece of mind that this is less likely to happen (she knows about Heritage). Otherwise, I would keep them raw.

Don't think this wouldn't happen. A few years ago I dragged a trunk full of coins my mother-in-law had collected over the years to a dealer in MN and played dumb about what they were worth. The offer: $500 for the whole trunk - less than face value. Needless to say I walked away and found alternative means to raise the cash for her. >>




I'm waiting for you to edit this........


"played dumb"? People, this would be difficult for Wybrit since his IQ is over 160.........which is the reciprocal of mine!

worldcoinguy

<< <i>As far as I can tell, there are a few main reasons to get your coins slabbed:
(1) Authenticity (you might know it's real, but your fellow numismatists may or may not)
(2) Preservation (if you don't want the environment to tone them, or worse, the oil on your fingers)
(3) Salability (the person on the other end of the deal might want to know exactly what his money is buying)
>>



I think daonlybg summed it up for me nicely. With older euorpean material, remember that people have had 300-400 years to perfect their counterfeiting techniques so my unseasoned eye welcomes additional help on authenticity.

I also think that TPG slabs level the playing ground between buyer and seller and add liquidity to the exchange process. No longer are you at the mercy of opposing opinions or dealers when it comes to selling. TPG slabs certainly put more power in the hands of the collector.