The slab [plastic] most coveted by slab collectors

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1630Boston
1630Boston Posts: 14,157 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited August 17, 2020 7:25AM in U.S. Coin Forum

It’s not as wild as the Regency or doily, but the piece most coveted by slab collectors is the NGC black. The first NGC production slab, this one has no hologram, and a black insert instead of the familiar white insert surrounding the coin. Lustrous coins such as gold or white silver popped against the black, but brown copper or circulated silver coins faded into the background. NGC quickly switched to the white insert they still use today.

Estimates of the number of remaining NGC blacks range from 25 to 200, but it is clear that they rarely appear for sale and bring strong prices. (This does not include “retro” black holders made by NGC starting in 2013). As an example, in 2016 GreatCollections sold one with an MS65 1946-D half dollar ($50 in the NGC price guide) for $3,740 including buyer’s premium.

Here is a very interesting article that appeared, a while ago, in CoinWeek.

Buy the Holder, Not the Coin – 10 Certification Slabs to Look For

“We Buy Rare Plastic”
I haven’t seen this sign outside of a coin shop yet, but the right holder can be worth more than the coin inside. Many collectors know that the small certification slabs used in the first few years of PCGS (known as “rattlers” because they sometimes held their coins loosely, allowing the coins to rattle inside their encapsulations) earn premiums when they sell. Slab enthusiasts seek other, less-well-known scarce holders, such as the 10 in this list. Look for these the next time you visit a coin shop or show.

Here is the article and top 10 slabs https://coinweek.com/education/coin-grading/buy-the-holder-not-the-coin-10-slabs-to-look-for/

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Comments

  • Landon6
    Landon6 Posts: 157 ✭✭✭
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    i like that coin

  • Lakesammman
    Lakesammman Posts: 17,696 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I think "Most Coveted" depends on if you're a fan of NGC or PCGS.

    Gone but not forgotten: IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Ricko, Big Moose, Cardinal, CoinsAreFun.
  • Boosibri
    Boosibri Posts: 12,718 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Lakesammman said:
    I think "Most Coveted" depends on if you're a fan of NGC or PCGS.

    I’d be interested in your take on the most coveted PCGS holder

    Latin American Collection

  • U1chicago
    U1chicago Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Boosibri said:

    @Lakesammman said:
    I think "Most Coveted" depends on if you're a fan of NGC or PCGS.

    I’d be interested in your take on the most coveted PCGS holder

    I'll guess the general consensus for that is white rattler followed by Regency

  • Boosibri
    Boosibri Posts: 12,718 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @U1chicago said:

    @Boosibri said:

    @Lakesammman said:
    I think "Most Coveted" depends on if you're a fan of NGC or PCGS.

    I’d be interested in your take on the most coveted PCGS holder

    I'll guess the general consensus for that is white rattler followed by Regency

    That was my thought as well

    Latin American Collection

  • Zoins
    Zoins Posts: 34,489 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 17, 2020 8:55AM
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    @Lakesammman said:
    I think "Most Coveted" depends on if you're a fan of NGC or PCGS.

    Taking personal preference out of it, I thought NGC Black generally sold for more than any PGGS holder?

    Private Mint News | 2010 Lincoln Reverse Finalists
  • U1chicago
    U1chicago Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Zoins said:

    @Lakesammman said:
    I think "Most Coveted" depends on if you're a fan of NGC or PCGS.

    Taking persona preference out of it, I thought NGC Black generally sold for more than any PGGS holder?

    Yes that is generally true.

  • chesterb
    chesterb Posts: 995 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Good article and I look forward to the subsequent discussion! I'll take an old holder with gold CAC sticker any day but likely won't have the funds to justify the purchase.

  • coinbuf
    coinbuf Posts: 12,568 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Lakesammman said:
    I think "Most Coveted" depends on if you're a fan of NGC or PCGS.

    Most slab collectors are not brand specific, I would say that the NGC black is by far the most wanted slab by slab collectors. I know that it is the one slab I would pay up for, in fact I'd be willing to pay much more (as long as the coin is nice) than I would for a regency or even white rattler.

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  • oih82w8
    oih82w8 Posts: 13,212 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    If given the opportunity, and within my means, I would take a Black NGC holder.

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  • Catbert
    Catbert Posts: 8,258 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I do not covet Regency holders no matter how rare.

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  • BryceM
    BryceM Posts: 11,940 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Regency holders are sort of cool, but not at all convenient. They sort of overwhelm the coin.

    The black NGC is a pretty neat holder. Many coins would look tremendous against a black background, including most gold issues. If you have to pick one color, white is probably the best, but it would sometimes be nice to have the option.

  • Jimnight
    Jimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I was never interested in the holders.

  • Jimnight
    Jimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @PerryHall said:

    @Jimnight said:
    I was never interested in the holders.

    Thank you for sharing that with us. May I ask why you even bothered to open this thread? :)

    Because I felt like it ... ok.

  • ms70
    ms70 Posts: 13,958 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Coins look better surrounded in black instead of white.

    However my personal all time favorite is clear. ;)

  • PerryHall
    PerryHall Posts: 47,755 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Jimnight said:

    @PerryHall said:

    @Jimnight said:
    I was never interested in the holders.

    Thank you for sharing that with us. May I ask why you even bothered to open this thread? :)

    Because I felt like it ... ok.

    Thank you. :D

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
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  • Jimnight
    Jimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @PerryHall said:

    @Jimnight said:

    @PerryHall said:

    @Jimnight said:
    I was never interested in the holders.

    Thank you for sharing that with us. May I ask why you even bothered to open this thread? :)

    Because I felt like it ... ok.

    Thank you. :D

    Your welcome. :)

  • johnny9434
    johnny9434 Posts: 34,092 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    id like to see a nice gold coin in one of them black holders

  • KSorbo
    KSorbo Posts: 175 ✭✭✭
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    Do these collectible slabs need to be completely free of damage to be worth a premium? I’m assuming condition must have some impact on value but hope that we never end up with slabs getting slabbed...

  • U1chicago
    U1chicago Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @KSorbo said:
    Do these collectible slabs need to be completely free of damage to be worth a premium? I’m assuming condition must have some impact on value but hope that we never end up with slabs getting slabbed...

    It's preferable that the slab is in good shape. There will still be a premium even for a damaged slab, but the amount of premium will depend on how damaged it is (a fully cracked slab would certainly not be very desirable).

  • abcde12345
    abcde12345 Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    As long as the Regency holder didn't have that common Israel coin within it.

  • stockdude_
    stockdude_ Posts: 555 ✭✭✭✭
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    So let me get this straight. The label and the CAC sticker are on the reverse of the the slab?

  • CoinJunkie
    CoinJunkie Posts: 8,772 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @stockdude_ said:
    So let me get this straight. The label and the CAC sticker are on the reverse of the the slab?

    Yes.

    My Roosevelt Dime Registry Set
  • PerryHall
    PerryHall Posts: 47,755 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 17, 2020 4:31PM
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    @stockdude_ said:
    So let me get this straight. The label and the CAC sticker are on the reverse of the the slab?

    I read that when they started, NGC hired a marketing expert who decided that the NGC name and logo should be front-and-center on the front of the slab with the grade, date, and mintmark label on the reverse so the NGC name would be prominently displayed in the dealers case. Dealers had to either display these slabs in their case up-side down so the label is visible or add their own label to display it with the front right side up. Coin dealers complained to NGC about this along with the black background which didn't display toned coins well. NGC listened to their customers and after less than a month of use got rid of the first generation slab design. Most of these first generation slabs were subsequently sent back to NGC for reslabbing which is why they are now so rare.

    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

  • abcde12345
    abcde12345 Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Found the OP's black core NGC slab before CAC got a hold of it:

  • philographer
    philographer Posts: 1,383 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Have to remember in the hierarchy of "rare" slabs...U.S. coin vs. foreign coin is critical. Regency with a US coin is much different than a Regency with foreign coin (e.g. Danny Kaye)

    He who knows he has enough is rich.

  • mannie gray
    mannie gray Posts: 7,259 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Catbert said:
    I do not covet Regency holders no matter how rare.

    I agree. They are hideous.

  • Onastone
    Onastone Posts: 4,417 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    For the crafty collector that chooses DIY, China sells empty slabs as well as hologram stickers. (Just sayin'...be careful.)

  • stockdude_
    stockdude_ Posts: 555 ✭✭✭✭
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    @PerryHall said:

    @stockdude_ said:
    So let me get this straight. The label and the CAC sticker are on the reverse of the the slab?

    I read that when they started, NGC hired a marketing expert who decided that the NGC name and logo should be front-and-center on the front of the slab with the grade, date, and mintmark label on the reverse so the NGC name would be prominently displayed in the dealers case. Dealers had to either display these slabs in their case up-side down so the label is visible or add their own label to display it with the front right side up. Coin dealers complained to NGC about this along with the black background which didn't display toned coins well. NGC listened to their customers and after less than a month of use got rid of the first generation slab design. Most of these first generation slabs were subsequently sent back to NGC for reslabbing which is why they are now so rare.

    Thanks for explanation.

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