An old Accugrade slab, just for fun

TallahasseeCoinClub · February 24, 2026 3:11PM

It's one of numerous slabs that I have set back because they need to be cleaned up and polished before being presentable enough to display or sell. This one was loaded with sticker glue, a couple of stickers and permanent marker but now it looks fairly decent after "conservation". I am actually going to use it in a club presentation as an example of what slabs to approach cautiously.

Enjoy.

TomB · February 24, 2026 3:26PM

You did a nice job on the slab clean-up. I would have never known it was previously covered in sticker glue or marker.

TPring · February 24, 2026 3:30PM

@TallahasseeCoinClub said:

I am actually going to use it in a club presentation as an example of what slabs to approach cautiously.

Why would I need to "approach this slab cautiously?"

coinbuf · February 24, 2026 3:32PM

I actually like the slab design and now and then you find a decent coin in one. There were a fair number of slab label variants, I believe you have ACG25 in Condor101's book. This one in my collection is ACG22, would not cross at that grade but still nice.

291fifth · February 24, 2026 7:52PM

Do I see a fingerprint on the obverse?

In any case it is an example of a slab that will make a good demonstration piece. A 71-S proof quarter is of little value so don't be afraid to pass it around. Grading is really just a matter of opinion so avoid negative of positive comments regarding the grade. Just tell your audience they need to make their own judgement as to grade on this or any slab.

TallahasseeCoinClub · February 25, 2026 5:15AM

@291fifth said:
Do I see a fingerprint on the obverse?

Yes, indeed. Although it is a clad example, it could have benefited from simple conservation prior to ACG encapsulating it. But as you mention, it's a low value coin with little upside or downside when using it for demo purposes.

BillJones · February 25, 2026 5:38AM

@TPring said:

@TallahasseeCoinClub said:

I am actually going to use it in a club presentation as an example of what slabs to approach cautiously.

Why would I need to "approach this slab cautiously?"

Many years ago, the owner of this company sued a number of people who said anything negative about his product. I was talking with a veteran dealer at the recent Lakeland coin show. He said that the owner’s wife was a lawyer, which explained why he could easily bring all of the suits.

BStrauss3 · February 25, 2026 4:58PM

The Accugrade slabs are hard acrylic plastic. They clean up fine with rubbing alcohol, as long as you don't leave it puddling on the surface.

johnnyb · February 25, 2026 5:45PM

It’s a great education piece. And lots of good insights in this thread. It has me wondering, does anyone know when did ACG go under and stop slabbing? (And maybe that’s the moral of the story for slabs to watch out for!)

Rampage · February 25, 2026 8:42PM

@johnnyb said:
It’s a great education piece. And lots of good insights in this thread. It has me wondering, does anyone know when did ACG go under and stop slabbing? (And maybe that’s the moral of the story for slabs to watch out for!)

Alan Hager owned the company. He also published a set of three books on dollars (I have them). Time goes by fast, I but I want to say sometime around 20 years ago at this point is when he stopped slabbing coins.

Rc5280 · February 25, 2026 11:45PM

@Rampage said:

@johnnyb said:
It’s a great education piece. And lots of good insights in this thread. It has me wondering, does anyone know when did ACG go under and stop slabbing? (And maybe that’s the moral of the story for slabs to watch out for!)

Alan Hager owned the company. He also published a set of three books on dollars (I have them). Time goes by fast, I but I want to say sometime around 20 years ago at this point is when he stopped slabbing coins.

Maybe I'm thinking of someone else, but I think Mr Hager went into slab stickering as well.
.

Rampage · February 26, 2026 4:43AM

@Rc5280 said:

@Rampage said:

@johnnyb said:
It’s a great education piece. And lots of good insights in this thread. It has me wondering, does anyone know when did ACG go under and stop slabbing? (And maybe that’s the moral of the story for slabs to watch out for!)

Alan Hager owned the company. He also published a set of three books on dollars (I have them). Time goes by fast, I but I want to say sometime around 20 years ago at this point is when he stopped slabbing coins.

Maybe I'm thinking of someone else, but I think Mr Hager went into slab stickering as well.
.

Could be, but I do not really know. I was out of the hobby for several years due to some personal health challenges and did not keep up with things. I know if you go back and search content on these very forums, you will see the ACG and Hager names appear quite frequently, unless they have been filtered out of the system. It was quite the drama 20 years ago.

coinbuf · February 26, 2026 9:17AM

@Rc5280 said:

@Rampage said:

@johnnyb said:
It’s a great education piece. And lots of good insights in this thread. It has me wondering, does anyone know when did ACG go under and stop slabbing? (And maybe that’s the moral of the story for slabs to watch out for!)

Alan Hager owned the company. He also published a set of three books on dollars (I have them). Time goes by fast, I but I want to say sometime around 20 years ago at this point is when he stopped slabbing coins.

Maybe I'm thinking of someone else, but I think Mr Hager went into slab stickering as well.

I know Mr. Hagar is or perhaps was involved with the MAC sticker. However, I do not know what his role with that company is/was, owner vs consultant or ?.

johnny9434 · February 26, 2026 9:25AM

Got this years back. I dont see many any more (not looking for them)

Coins3675 · February 26, 2026 11:34AM

nice

oldglorycoins · February 26, 2026 5:00PM

I cracked this out a while ago

DoubleEagle59 · February 26, 2026 5:08PM

You look up 'oxymoron' in the dictionary and you may just see a picture of an ACG slab.

Although I kind of like the smaller size.

BStrauss3 · February 26, 2026 6:03PM

MAC hired Alan as the numismatist. Well, some of the pressers called him a principal, but when asked, "Why Alan?", the then president said, "he was available."

Accugrade went to the wife in the 2003 divorce, but seems to have closed up shortly afterwards. It also had a brief (re)incarnation as a Canadian company.

https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResults/OfficerRegisteredAgentName/Hager Alan/Page1

TallahasseeCoinClub · February 27, 2026 6:53AM

@Rampage said:

Could be, but I do not really know. I was out of the hobby for several years due to some personal health challenges and did not keep up with things. I know if you go back and search content on these very forums, you will see the ACG and Hager names appear quite frequently, unless they have been filtered out of the system. It was quite the drama 20 years ago.

Drama went well beyond widespread disagreement with ACG grading "standards" to include his abrasive personality. I remember him setting up to do live grading at large coin shows with a gigantic plexiglass shield between him and the public, and a sign that stated "DO NOT DISTURB THE GRADER". A friend of mine and I would intentionally stand in front of his sign and strike up loud conversations, replete with sneezing and excessive coughing, much to the chagrin of said "grader".

If memory serves, there was one time some volunteer YNs participating in the Boy Scouts merit badge were going around the bourse to Windex dealer coin cases in hopes of a dollar or a free coin or whatever. They offered to clean his plexiglass shield and were roundly shooed away by "the grader" because they were distracting him from his intense concentration.

ShaunBC5 · February 27, 2026 8:20AM

I’ve had a few. Might have one (Franklin?) left. Sold this dime in OKC last summer with a bunch of other stuff.
Only pic I have. Took it in the table so I could remember what I sold.
I don’t really mind the slabs as far as look and size go.

Rampage · March 1, 2026 6:08AM

@TallahasseeCoinClub said:

@Rampage said:

Could be, but I do not really know. I was out of the hobby for several years due to some personal health challenges and did not keep up with things. I know if you go back and search content on these very forums, you will see the ACG and Hager names appear quite frequently, unless they have been filtered out of the system. It was quite the drama 20 years ago.

Drama went well beyond widespread disagreement with ACG grading "standards" to include his abrasive personality. I remember him setting up to do live grading at large coin shows with a gigantic plexiglass shield between him and the public, and a sign that stated "DO NOT DISTURB THE GRADER". A friend of mine and I would intentionally stand in front of his sign and strike up loud conversations, replete with sneezing and excessive coughing, much to the chagrin of said "grader".

No offense, but that seems rather disrespectful. Whether you agreed with ACG/Hager/Whatever or not, intentionally standing in front of his "temporary" place of business for the sole purpose or irritating him with phony coughs/sneezes and loud conversations is beyond rude and maybe draws negative attention to yourself and the coin club you are representing. The better way to have approached it was to simply ignore and walk by to the next booth. Again, no offense meant, just stating my opinion.

GuzziSport · March 1, 2026 7:36AM

@oldglorycoins said:
I cracked this out a while ago

VF-20? Yikes. Curious what happened to the coin, did you sell it raw?

BStrauss3 · March 1, 2026 9:25AM

Let's politely say that Alan was a polarizing figure at the time. Suing the hobby will do that to you.

TurtleCat · March 1, 2026 10:08AM

@BillJones said:

@TPring said:

@TallahasseeCoinClub said:

I am actually going to use it in a club presentation as an example of what slabs to approach cautiously.

Why would I need to "approach this slab cautiously?"

Many years ago, the owner of this company sued a number of people who said anything negative about his product. I was talking with a veteran dealer at the recent Lakeland coin show. He said that the owner’s wife was a lawyer, which explained why he could easily bring all of the suits.

Yeah, I was around here watching all of that. Many people were caught in that dragnet and drama. Felt for them. I guess I’m grateful Alan didn’t expand the scope even more.

TallahasseeCoinClub · March 1, 2026 5:18PM

@Rampage said:

@TallahasseeCoinClub said:

@Rampage said:

Could be, but I do not really know. I was out of the hobby for several years due to some personal health challenges and did not keep up with things. I know if you go back and search content on these very forums, you will see the ACG and Hager names appear quite frequently, unless they have been filtered out of the system. It was quite the drama 20 years ago.

Drama went well beyond widespread disagreement with ACG grading "standards" to include his abrasive personality. I remember him setting up to do live grading at large coin shows with a gigantic plexiglass shield between him and the public, and a sign that stated "DO NOT DISTURB THE GRADER". A friend of mine and I would intentionally stand in front of his sign and strike up loud conversations, replete with sneezing and excessive coughing, much to the chagrin of said "grader".

No offense, but that seems rather disrespectful. Whether you agreed with ACG/Hager/Whatever or not, intentionally standing in front of his "temporary" place of business for the sole purpose or irritating him with phony coughs/sneezes and loud conversations is beyond rude and maybe draws negative attention to yourself and the coin club you are representing. The better way to have approached it was to simply ignore and walk by to the next booth. Again, no offense meant, just stating my opinion.

We were a lot younger and dumber then, for sure.

An old Accugrade slab, just for fun

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