BLANCHARD Slab Question

CCC2010 · March 14, 2015 10:46PM

My friend recently bought a couple of $10 gold coins in a Blanchard Slab pre-1933. I do not know anything about Blanchard. Were they a grading company before that went out of business or something? Are they worth any extra premium? Any information you can provide is much appreciated.Thank you in advance.

astrorat · March 14, 2015 11:12PM

Blanchard was not a grading company. They put their own coins in slabs with grades on the labels. It was an alternative to sealing the coins in flips. This was done by a few dealers and investment companies to capitalize on the popularity of slabs.

The Blanchard "sample slabs" are collectible and some of the less expensive coins (e.g. Franklin halves) may carry a slight premium for those who collect slabs. More valuable coins trade as raw coins as the holder adds not value.

joebb21 · March 14, 2015 11:23PM

It depends on the grade on the holder but most probably a premium will get added.

The real question is how the coin looks as that is what it comes down too.

Wabbit2313 · March 14, 2015 11:41PM

<< Blanchard was not a grading company. They put their own coins in slabs with grades on the labels. >>

That sounds like the definition of a grading company to me!

Wabbit2313 · March 14, 2015 11:53PM

They were a grading company since they put grades on coins and sold them in the old ACG type slabs. I have only owned some Redfields in their slabs and they were over-graded. Here is an auction for one on eBay with a bunch of pics so you can judge for yourself. (Not mine)

eBay 1927-S Blanchard Redfield

Here is an image of one:

dpoole · March 14, 2015 11:58PM

They used to push generic gold as get-rich vehicles during boom years.

The watch-word I developed for myself was: "When Blanchard gets excited, it's time to sell."

Wabbit2313 · March 15, 2015 12:01AM

Finally, as far as adding value, NO. They sell for far less than PCGS graded coins of the same type and grade. Even the Redfields, which are supposed to get a premium, get nothing in their slabs. That same 27-S in a real "Red" Redfield slab would have sold at minimum, double that.

astrorat · March 15, 2015 12:49AM

No, they were not a grading company as they did not accept submissions for grading. They slabbed their own coins to sell to investors. To call them a grading company is the same as calling Paramount a grading company because they sold Morgan and Peace dollars in plastic slabs.

And no, they did not use ACG slabs. Blanchard's slabs may look the same, but they were not the same as the shells used by ACG.

Edited for grammar ...

Wabbit2313 · March 15, 2015 1:22AM

You can call it what you want. Assigning grades to coins and putting them in slabs = GRADING COMPANY!!! You can send Blanchard AND Paramount coins to PCGS for crossover.

Also, you need to learn to read a little better about the ACG part.

CCC2010 · March 15, 2015 1:44AM

Thanks for all the replies Gentlemen . It has been very informative. I will pass along this information to my friend.

astrorat · March 15, 2015 1:50AM

<< You can call it what you want. Assigning grades to coins and putting them in slabs = GRADING COMPANY!!! You can send Blanchard AND Paramount coins to PCGS for crossover. >>

Sure, if someone puts a coin in a slab and puts a grade on it, they are a grading company. Yeah, sure, if that's how you define a "grading company."

Also, you need to learn to read a little better about the ACG part. >>

Okay, you got me on that one.

BStrauss3 · March 15, 2015 1:59AM

There is a difference between a 1st party grading company such as Blanchard and a 3rd party grading company (e.g. PCGS), but they are both grading companies using slabs.

The ACG and Blanchard slabs are similar in appearance, but from different molds...

ACG is 69.7x50.8mm and 8.2mm thick

Blanchard actually has two slabs, both 72.7x54.9mm. The older style is 7.4mm thick, the newer style has a detail ring around both the label area and the coin area and is 7.8mm thick.

astrorat · March 15, 2015 2:11AM

<< There is a difference between a 1st party grading company such as Blanchard and a 3rd party grading company (e.g. PCGS), but they are both grading companies using slabs.

The ACG and Blanchard slabs are similar in appearance, but from different molds...

ACG is 69.7x50.8mm and 8.2mm thick

Blanchard actually has two slabs, both 72.7x54.9mm. The older style is 7.4mm thick, the newer style has a detail ring around both the label area and the coin area and is 7.8mm thick. >>

Interesting. Also, on the ones that I have seen, the first style of Blanchard slabs has "BLANCHARD" in gold on the reverse label printed in "coin alignment."

The second version of the slab has "BLANCHARD" in gold in "medal alignment" or upside down relative to the coin.

Both have the dot matrix printed front labels.

Timbuk3 · March 15, 2015 4:32AM

Thanks, CCC2010 for you post and
thanks gentlemen for your responses.
I had the same question on the World
Coin Forum.

BStrauss3 · June 20, 2015 1:03PM

I checked my collection tonight.

Both the grey label sample and the thinner slabs are medal turn.
The thicker ones (with the extra ring) are coin turn

Exbrit · June 20, 2015 1:09PM

<< They used to push generic gold as get-rich vehicles during boom years.

The watch-word I developed for myself was: "When Blanchard gets excited, it's time to sell." >>

+1

commoncents05 · June 20, 2015 2:06PM

<< You can call it what you want. Assigning grades to coins and putting them in slabs = GRADING COMPANY!!! >>

So does a dealer putting a coin in a 2x2 cardboard holder and then putting a grade on it qualify as a grading company too? That's exactly what Blanchard did, only they put the coin in a hard plastic holder instead.

-Paul

PerryHall · June 20, 2015 8:00PM

These coin investment companies from that era were "self slabbers" for a reason. They offered a guarantee of grade and authenticity for their coins and wanted to make sure their coins were in a tamper-proof holder. Plastic flips and staple 2X2's are not completely tamper-proof although some dealers did sell investment coins in flips that were heat sealed with their embossed name on the seal which were fairly tamper-proof.

CaptHenway · June 21, 2015 12:19AM

Buy the coin, not the holder.

BStrauss3 · June 21, 2015 12:43AM

1PG - First party grading - your dealer
3PG (TPG) - Third party grading - somebody not part of the transaction

Slab vs. 2x2 vs. flip

Once upon a time, David Hall heat sealed the coin in a flip with a card heat sealed in the other compartment listing the grade. That's one of the early precursors to the hard plastic slab.

1PG

Collectable as part of the history of the 3PG and slab phenomenon? You betcha

BillJones · June 21, 2015 1:18AM

Given that Blanchard is dealer, and a fairly large one, do they a market for buying and selling the coins in their slabs?

BLANCHARD Slab Question

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