NGC sample slab question

Vetter · March 3, 2026 3:33PM

This came in a small collection I just received. Could anyone tell me if this is anything special? Thanks

JBK · March 3, 2026 3:37PM

I have a couple of those with a dealer's sticker on them.

They have a little value to sample slab collectors, I'm sure.

BruceS · March 3, 2026 5:22PM

I believe it's gen 2.1 or 3, not terribly rare, but collectable for sure, if sample slabs are your thing.

Cougar1978 · March 3, 2026 7:23PM

Certainly worth BV.

Beyond that good luck.

TomB · March 3, 2026 8:02PM

It's for the NGC 3.0 generation slab. I see lots of early NGC sample slabs with Roosevelt dimes in them, but don't know if they are all NGC 3.0 generations.

BStrauss3 · March 4, 2026 7:48AM

That's a winner!!!!

NGC-010-1-3

Object: Roosevelt dime
Date: 1960-D
Grade: FA 00 NGC
Serial: 204782-_ _ _
Label: Brown border on front. No hologram.
Notes: As very early NGC slabs, gold backs should have green labels. Collector Gary Zimmerman however, considered the ambiguity of label colors and chose to check brown label dime samples as well. His diligence paid off when he saw the pictured holder in an otherwise unremarkable eBay auction in March 2016. No-one else noticed the special type and it closed for just $13.56.
A brown label gold back adds further confusion to the green versus brown question. According to the owner, the slab is in perfect condition, looking like it has spent its entire life in a safe. This makes
fading a less likely explanation for the different colors, unless the slabs started brown and turned green.
Value: $450

I'm not sure I completely agree with David's valuation, but I also can't argue with him. It's definitely rare. However, there are probably more out there than we know of, just overlooked, and a confirmed population of 5 or 10 would crater the value.

JBK · March 4, 2026 8:44AM

I have a photo handy of mine but only the fronts.

I notice that mine has a grade, which may or may not be accurate.

oldglorycoins · March 4, 2026 11:19AM

What about this one? I recently auctioned it off on ebay, and it went for a stunning $9.38
https://www.ebay.com/itm/358106237133

TomB · March 4, 2026 11:50AM

@oldglorycoins said:
What about this one? I recently auctioned it off on ebay, and it went for a stunning $9.38
https://www.ebay.com/itm/358106237133

That coin is not the same NGC slab generation, so it might or might not be germane to the coin posted by the OP. My opinion is that the two share little in common.

TallahasseeCoinClub · March 4, 2026 1:52PM

@oldglorycoins said:
What about this one? I recently auctioned it off on ebay, and it went for a stunning $9.38
https://www.ebay.com/itm/358106237133

OP's sample slab is significantly more desirable.

Old_Collector · March 4, 2026 3:20PM

@TomB said:

@oldglorycoins said:
What about this one? I recently auctioned it off on ebay, and it went for a stunning $9.38
https://www.ebay.com/itm/358106237133

That coin is not the same NGC slab generation, so it might or might not be germane to the coin posted by the OP. My opinion is that the two share little in common.

And you shipped it free USPS GA? :'(

oldglorycoins · March 4, 2026 4:57PM

@Old_Collector said:

@TomB said:

@oldglorycoins said:
What about this one? I recently auctioned it off on ebay, and it went for a stunning $9.38
https://www.ebay.com/itm/358106237133

That coin is not the same NGC slab generation, so it might or might not be germane to the coin posted by the OP. My opinion is that the two share little in common.

And you shipped it free USPS GA? :'(

Yes, I provide free shipping for all orders

TomB · March 11, 2026 6:33PM

@BStrauss3 said:
That's a winner!!!!

NGC-010-1-3

Object: Roosevelt dime
Date: 1960-D
Grade: FA 00 NGC
Serial: 204782-_ _ _
Label: Brown border on front. No hologram.
Notes: As very early NGC slabs, gold backs should have green labels. Collector Gary Zimmerman however, considered the ambiguity of label colors and chose to check brown label dime samples as well. His diligence paid off when he saw the pictured holder in an otherwise unremarkable eBay auction in March 2016. No-one else noticed the special type and it closed for just $13.56.
A brown label gold back adds further confusion to the green versus brown question. According to the owner, the slab is in perfect condition, looking like it has spent its entire life in a safe. This makes
fading a less likely explanation for the different colors, unless the slabs started brown and turned green.
Value: $450

I'm not sure I completely agree with David's valuation, but I also can't argue with him. It's definitely rare. However, there are probably more out there than we know of, just overlooked, and a confirmed population of 5 or 10 would crater the value.

I think what we are seeing here is an error sample slab. The color of the border on the label is nothing more than pigment degradation in combination with lot-to-lot variance of the initial printing ink color. I believe all these slabs started brown and some degraded to the green hues we see today.

Regardless, what we are seeing with the sample slab provided by the OP, and with the sample slab written about by @BStrauss3, is the wrong outer shell used when the sample slab was produced. These two sample slabs have cert numbers 204782-XXX so they were likely from the same batch of samples slabs produced at the same time. I have done a little bit of research into the NGC Roosevelt dime sample slabs and have saved images for nearly a score of the 204782-XXX sample slabs and they all, except for the coin in the OP and the one referenced by @BStrauss3, have the NGC hologram reverse on the holder. Some have green ink and some have brown ink, but they are all hologram reverse slabs.

The most likely and simplest explanation is that the ink started brown and sometimes degraded with time and environmental exposure and that all of these 204782-XXX sample slabs were supposed to be matched to hologram outer shells, but that some small number were mistakenly matched with the embossed outer shells.

Crypto · March 11, 2026 7:28PM

I for one love fatty gold

Some of the better looking holders out there. Should be a market for silver samples

BStrauss3 · March 13, 2026 5:51PM

Sorry Tom, but... that cert# was reused multiple times.

Based on John's generations post (oldslabholders.com), its

Generation 3.0 - Occasional.
Produced Dec 1987 - Aug 1989. This holder features a new front label with a border. Originally brown, some have turned green. Rear logo is unchanged. Though it was produced for nearly two years, it is not seen often and commands a premium price. More details about label in album linked below.

Now, based on a lot of other evidence, I'm less sold on the "brown turned green" concept. I think there were Green labels and then Brown. The degradation of color is green -> grey or brown -> grey.

Note re the dating, it's always possible the sample was made outside the general window, either just before the intro of the gold foil to show it off, or after to use up supplies.

TomB · March 13, 2026 6:59PM

So, what is your evidence for green labels and why did they use them? They turn up sporadically in the 3.0 and 4.0 and 5.0 holders, which would seem to indicate in degradation or color change instead of NGC taking several years to figure out they wanted to stay with brown.

BStrauss3 · March 13, 2026 7:25PM

I'm only speaking of the brown or green box, not the overall label - those are clearly different.

The best evidence I have is the NGC Liberty nickel samples, where I've tracked the population offered for sale for seven or eight years. And they break into distinct groups. And also the presence/absence of the bottom right dot.

oreville · March 14, 2026 9:47PM

I would simply ask JA as to the history of the green vs brown logo on the vintage NGC slabs. I have both. I never thought to ask before.

NGC sample slab question

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