Raw coins in albums or holders vs. slabbed coins in boxes. Which do you prefer and why?

SanctionII · July 29, 2008 7:43AM

To date I have preferred raw coins over slabbed coins (probably because I have not sold very many of the coins I have collected). Something about holding them between your fingers and looking at them, unobstructed, with your eyes is appealing.

Also seeing them packed closely together in an album or in some other holder (that you can remove the coins from) has much more appeal to me than seeing a number of slabs spread on a table with the majority of the table being taken up by plastic instead of coins.

My favorite albums are Dansco and my favorite holder is Capital.

As far as slabbed coins go, I have some (less than 10). I have also cracked out a few coins from slabs. At some time certain of my coins will be sent in for slabbing. That will be very interesting to go through.

How about you?

MikeInFL · July 29, 2008 7:45AM

I love the look of an album, but prefer the protection of a slab particularly for more expensive coins.

ElKevvo · July 29, 2008 7:48AM

I gotta vote for the albums...I like see all of the coins lined up...looks more like my perception of a collection than a bunch of slabs...but that is 'cause I am old school with that. I suppose if when I started slabs were around I might think differently but since when I was a kid all they had were albums and holders that is what I like....

K

adamlaneus · July 29, 2008 7:51AM

As far as my collection goes:
By price, most of the value is inside of plastic slabs. Generally speaking, I like this because it allows me to examine them closely without fear of damaging them. My biggest gripe is that it is difficult to see the reflective surfaces of a coin in a reflective slab.

And to deal with my insistance of handling coins...you know...actually touching them...I have some cheaper raw coins in the same series in airtite containers just for that very purpose.

So, I insist on the protection that slabs afford for many items. And I also insist on a few coins being stored in a more tactile form.

By volume, most of my coins are cheap MS modern stuff and in Dansco albums.

I have some not-so-cheap Danscos. Morgans, Peace Dollars and Indian Head cents. Some money has gone into these albums. Yet the quality of coin I buy for these albums is not so high that I risk damage. I will by certified coins for these albums and will crack them out. A very high quality coin would simply have to be protected better than a Dansco can.

Except for the 7070 which is getting special treatment. Some coins cracked. Some coins slabbed and 'proxied' with another cheaper coin.

As far as looks go, I've got to vote album all the way. The cool look of the "grid of coins" threads should prove this point. Grids of slabs are not the same.

Steve27 · July 29, 2008 7:52AM

I certainly enjoy the ability to hold a in my fingers, but at the same time I fear dropping it on the floor. Thus, I like to have the protection afforded by albums and Airtite holders. While I do have a bunch of slabs, I find most to be too large and even the old ANACS slabs, which are my favorite, are still too large. No slab should length/width greater than a 2x2

zeebob · July 29, 2008 7:55AM

Slabs.

I like to hold coins, but that's why I have a few pocket pieces. All other coins either get sold or slabbed.

JJM · July 29, 2008 8:00AM

raw in danscos, many crackouts

BBQnBLUES · July 29, 2008 8:01AM

<< My favorite albums are Dansco and my favorite holder is Capital.
How about you? >>

Have to agree with you on Both counts

When I buiy a coin in a slab it gets cracked out immediately & goes into a Dansco !

coinbuf · July 29, 2008 8:02AM

I prefer raw and in albums but most of my coins are slabbed, go figure

lasvegasteddy · July 29, 2008 8:04AM

myself i prefer my coins slabbed for many reasons of which i grew to respect

authenticity
higher degree of protection/safeguarding
value establishment
set registry and it's details of organization
resale concerns

pretty basic i guess

Tvac897 · July 29, 2008 8:08AM

<< I love the look of an album, but prefer the protection of a slab particularly for more expensive coins. >>

-agreed...albums are tons of fun to break out and show off but i like slabs for things i want to resell

BigRed · July 29, 2008 8:21PM

I do not like albums because everytime you want to look at a coin closeup you either have to take it out of the album or hold the whole album up to your face. Thats the only reason I don't like them, otherwise they look good in albums. And I like slabs for all the reasons lasvegasteddy said.

Tomohawk · July 29, 2008 8:39PM

I have to confess...both!

I really love the ASEs in their OGP...I think the Mint really did a great job with presentation and I allow a small measure of "value" to include the packaging.

But (aside from the 1995w and 2008/2007 REV), slabbing provides a perception of ultimate cost (the priciest coins are slabbed, I guess).

I guess this confusion comes from my late start in coin collecting...never really got into it until the 2006 Anniversary set. It helped I made some $$ from flipping (gasp!), but I really love the lacquered plastic that set comes in.

And the gold wives' club coins with that beautiful wood box...someday I'll grab some to actually keep (but when gold gets back down to $500 or so).

anablep · July 29, 2008 8:46PM

Silver dollars in slabs

All else in albums for me.

I like the look of coins in an album, but since my dollars are my primary part of my collection, I want to be sure they are protected on many levels.

Preussen · July 29, 2008 9:36PM

How about slabbed coins in albums ? (i.e. Eagle albums)

-Preussen

WaterSport · July 29, 2008 10:12PM

Raw coins in Capital Plastic Holders. Still some protection, but in many cases, you can hold and see the whole Series in your hand at once.

WS

BAJJERFAN · July 29, 2008 10:18PM

I always crack coins out of Danscos.

Raybob15239 · July 29, 2008 10:54PM

I vote BOTH!.

I self slab all my raw coins in CoinWorld Holders. I buy the Eagle Slab Album pages from Amos Advantage, get some clearview Heavy Duty Three Ring Binders. All my Morgans, including my VAMs are in binders. 4 pages per volume, 36 coins per volume. I've got 8 Albums (no dups) in my Morgan Set + VAMs. Makes for a great presentation, plus get the protection of slabs. Any time I want to look closer, pop the slab out of the page and take a look. If its in a CoinWorld holder, I can even pop that open for a closer look.

dorkkarl · July 29, 2008 11:35PM

ever tried to look thru someones slabed set of wheat pennies? laughable, totally laughable!

its no contest, when it comes to how a collection looks, coins in albums totally blow away any concept involving slabs.

frankly, slabs are hideous looking

K S

originalisbest · July 29, 2008 11:58PM

'long as the coins are nicely presented and are of good quality, the holder doesn't matter TOO much to me. That said, a beautiful old color/translucent capital plastics is probably my have, followed closely by good-condition Wayte Raymond boards, or, the super-old (and rarely seen) extra-thick Danscos, I believe with red-leatherette covers? Seen only one, and it was for a foreign series. Beautiful album!

pmac · July 30, 2008 1:40AM

<< I prefer raw and in albums but most of my coins are slabbed, go figure >>

This has happened to me also. My 7070 has most of coins that have been 'outed', but I keep the labels for reference in an envelope in the back of the album.

Kozman · July 30, 2008 3:21AM

I like raw coins in albums for the learning process, and collect slabs for the investment possibilities. I do both, but really like looking at the albums page by page instead of slabs, box by box.

dogwood · July 30, 2008 3:34AM

I love the Dansco. The look and presentation are what collecting a set is all about. When I'm done with my set of Barber Quarters (which include a few crackouts) I'll Photograph the set then eventually resubmit a few coins for slabbing. That way the wife won't get bammed after I'm gone if she should ever need to sell it off. It happens.
I recently parted out a nearly full Box of 20 Barber Halves in PCGS holders, nice XF, great dates all, but they were just commodity to me. All my remaining Halves are in a Dansco as well.

golfer72 · July 30, 2008 10:44AM

The Eagle slab binders are good and a pretty good compromise.

Bayard1908 · July 30, 2008 11:16AM

<< The Eagle slab binders are good and a pretty good compromise. >>

I'm unfamiliar with this. Tell me more.

Windycity · July 30, 2008 11:29AM

I have both but have recently put together a Washington Quarter collection in a a Dansco and it's been great fun... returning to my routes of collecting when I would fill the open hole in the album. This time however, the Washingtons are all high grade... some that have been cracked out of PCGS holders... even a couple of CAC coins.

Cladiator · July 30, 2008 11:42AM

I prefer raw coins in albums. One reason being I really like the look of pages full of coins in an old characteristic album. Another reason is I can easily remove the coins for close up study and photographing.

I do have a fair share of slabbed coins but it's not my favorite method of storage.

OKbustchaser · July 30, 2008 12:49PM

Guess.

pennyannie · July 30, 2008 2:23PM

i HATE dansco albums, not fond of slabs either. I do have a few circulated sets in Intercept shield albums. Someone needs to come out with a album worthy of the coins that go into them. A page of gold or a page of silver dollars in a brown dansco album is ugly. I would gladly pay over a 100 bucks for a top shelf album. 20k worth of coins in a cheap vinyl cardboard album????????? 2 x 2 eagle snap holders are not bad, but the plastic pages scratch up way to easy.

fc · July 30, 2008 2:44PM

<< I love the look of an album, but prefer the protection of a slab particularly for more expensive coins. >>

i agree. i do not want to drop a 1500 dollar coin but i do enjoy
my album of circulated wheaties found in change and given to me
by other forum members.

500Bay · July 30, 2008 5:35PM

<< The Eagle slab binders are good and a pretty good compromise. >>

I tried that, but you only get 9 slabs on a page. It is pretty bulky.

I wish slabs were much smaller - each slab just a little bigger than the coin itself.

Raybob15239 · July 30, 2008 10:58PM

<< I tried that, but you only get 9 slabs on a page. It is pretty bulky. >>

Yup. It is very bulky. My Morgan set is housed this way, but I just buy the pages (6 for $25) and get heavy duty three ring binders. Its cheaper than buying their albums and you can set it up any way you want. It does take up allot of space though.

STONE · July 30, 2008 11:17PM

I definitely prefer raw, but I will take either.

Now, you ask if you want them in an Album or a Box, I would say neither.
I like my coins in paper 2x2's, and organized numerically in a box.

This allows me to go back and image a coin whenever I feel like it, and I don't need to waste a cardboard 2x2.

I'm also starting to photographically assemble my entire collection into a powerpoint presentation.
Doing this allows me to see every coin I own without necessarily holding it or damaging it.
I can also show-off my collection without the immediate worry of it being stolen right out from under me.

seanq · July 30, 2008 11:55PM

I may be nearly alone in this, but I really like the old Whitman Bookshelf albums. I've been hoarding the scarcer ones and even the common books in nice condition, and silly as it may sound collecting the books has almost been as rewarding as collecting the coins to put in them. The only exception is my 7070; if you've never seen the coins required for the Bookshelf type set albums (they split it into two, Small Coins and Large Coins) you'd need a seven-figure budget to fill them.

I also have my error coin sets in Gardmaster albums, which are styled after the old Harco books but with inert archival inserts. they're great for error coins which wouldn't fit into a round hole, or for my clips where I want to see the entire rim.

The only coins I have in TPG plastic are the ones I plan to eventually sell.

Sean Reynolds

garsmith · July 31, 2008 12:17AM

I have slabbed coins, raw coins in holders and raw coins in flips; I like them all.

but I guess I like the slabbed ones the most - the ones in flips are waiting to go for grading and the ones in holders are ones I like but don't feel are worth grading.

OPA · July 31, 2008 12:23AM

I like my raw coins in air-tite holders, lighthouse, or intercept shield holders. No flips or folders of any sort for me. Investment grade coins are all in PCGS or NGC holders.

Rampage · July 31, 2008 12:50AM

Expensive stuff in slabs. Cheap stuff in 2X2 or albums.

DHeath · July 31, 2008 3:47AM

My entire collection is raw, although many are crackouts.

BRdude · July 31, 2008 4:16AM

Love the look and feel of albums, but probably 80% of mine are crackouts

(besides the whitman mercs and buffs

) I still have 6 PCGSA boxes that housed my Morgan set before I sold them off. I just love all coins. Raw, certified and 2X2's

BobGreene · July 31, 2008 4:54AM

I keep my raw Indian and Lincoln cents in Danscos and my slabbed U.S. and Commem type sets in binders with Eagle pages.

lasvegasteddy · July 31, 2008 5:19AM

"ever tried to look thru someones slabed set of wheat pennies? laughable, totally laughable!

its no contest, when it comes to how a collection looks, coins in albums totally blow away any concept involving slabs.

frankly, slabs are hideous looking

K S "

you'd probably be alone in front of stewarts lincoln set laughing as well as many others

i for one thoroughly enjoy many of the fine set registries that are found here and to see those true viewed sets are a treat to kick back without a lope and just hit "next" as you cruise through them is sweet

notice i don't bash sweet albums or raw but in the same breathe but it would be worth a flight to baltimore to see you laughing in front of stewarts lincoln set...no lie

mozin · July 31, 2008 5:47AM

I gave up on buying raw coins a dozen years ago, too much hassle trying to get them into the correct holder. My entire US collection is encapsulated.

Aegis3 · July 31, 2008 7:52AM

<< I gave up on buying raw coins a dozen years ago, too much hassle trying to get them into the correct holder. My entire US collection is encapsulated. >>

It's only as much of a hassle getting raw coins into the right holder as it is getting your heart into your chest. They're already there.

Southcounty · July 31, 2008 11:17AM

Just Slab It!

Seriously, for me it is either slabbed or in a 2x2, although I have albums, I just never get around to taking coins out of 2x2s and putting them in albums.

ECHOES · July 31, 2008 11:38AM

<< I may be nearly alone in this, but I really like the old Whitman Bookshelf albums. I've been hoarding the scarcer ones and even the common books in nice condition, and silly as it may sound collecting the books has almost been as rewarding as collecting the coins to put in them. The only exception is my 7070 >>

You are not alone, I like them too. I also collect the Bookshelf Albums.
My sets are housed in the Whitman Classic Albums, as manufactured by Western Publishing.
The current Whitman line is manufactured in China, when this happened I stoped purchasing this type album.
The only exception is my 7070 also...

Wil2008 · July 31, 2008 1:29PM

Wil2008 · July 31, 2008 1:33PM

hi

its amazing the energy people put into slabs..raw..albums or whatever..

fairly new to collecting, but the first thing i picked up on these boards was

buy the COIN , not whay its in...

i dont care how thier displayed, or what the table looks like when thier all spread out, or how they look in an
album..

IT'S THE COINS that i own is whats important to me..

good luck....
Wil

BillyKingsley · August 1, 2008 5:32AM

I collect RAW only. I'm a tactical person, I enjoy touching my coins. I don't care about any "value" it will damage as I am never going to sell them. (Besides, it's not like I go around rubbing them! I also wash my hands before and during each time I do coins-I'm kind of a nut about washing my hands when I do my hobby stuff)

I want to store my coins in plastic holders, but not holders I can never get them back out of.

Most of my coins are low-grade, low price stuff anyway. I can't afford to get high quality stuff so my collection is mostly stuff I've pulled from circulation, mostly from my family's change jar in May! I can count my 1800s collection on my hands and my early 1900s is not much higher.

BECOKA · August 1, 2008 6:03AM

There is no right answer.

I enjoy collecting coins RAW and filling up my albums. There are series where Albums just don't make sense and the value/delicacy of the coin and grade just make slabs necessary.

I would never consider cracking out my classic head half eagle set to put in an album. I crack out all my lincolns, Jeffersons, etc... to fill my album regardless of rarity or grade.

shirohniichan · August 1, 2008 7:02AM

I like Dansco and Library of Coins albums, although I do have a number of Whitman albums for older sets (e.g. Great Britain type set, Newfoundland type set).

I recently found a box of 2x2s containing some of my British Commonwealth collection. The rest of the collection is in Air Tites in a velvet display case. The Air Tite display case sure looks a lot better than white 2x2s, and I'm sure a Dansco album would look better than the Air Tite case if they made one my collection could fit into.

#1 Albums
#2 Air Tite display cases
#3 slabs
#4 cardboard 2x2s

ziggy29 · August 1, 2008 7:03AM

I personally derive more enjoyment collecting raw coins in albums, but for practical reasons there are some coins that should be in slabs.

Raw coins in albums or holders vs. slabbed coins in boxes. Which do you prefer and why?

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