Frosted Slabs, PHOTO ADDED
YogiBerraFan
Posts: 2,390 ✭✭
I recently made my first ever certified purchases after being out of coin collecting for 15+ years. I am a little concerned about one of the purchases (2 MS66FS Jefferson nickels). Both slabs have a good amount of frosting at the bottom center and various spots all the way around. Does this sometimes happen if the slab is not sealed just right? Can these holders be opened and resealed without totally destroying them? Also when PCGS slabs coins are the cert numbers issued in numerical order? If not how is it done? Thanks in advance for any info you can give.
Rob
Rob
0
Comments
PCGS will reholder coins at a very nominal fee. No one has ever made sense out of the last string of numbers on a slab. it tells you nothing.
<< <i>It that scratching and ""fuzz" you are talking about.;..on the outside? or something inside? No, this is not usual. No they cant be taken apart and cleaned'
PCGS will reholder coins at a very nominal fee. No one has ever made sense out of the last string of numbers on a slab. it tells you nothing. >>
What I mean by frosting is stress marks from the plastic being slightly stretched. They look to be on the inside.
Exterior scratches can be very annoying. I don’t agree that re-slabbing can be done for a nominal fee. The trouble is the postage rates are really high since you have to pay them both ways. I had a coin that was worth $1,200 re-holdered at the recent FUN show. Because I submitted it late in the show I had to pay for the new holder, a handling fee and registered mail to have coin shopped to me. In the end it cost me almost $40.
In the future the condition of the slab is going to influence my selection of coins. A badly scrached or damgaged holder might prompt me to pass on a purchase in the future.
<< <i>If the slab as stuff inside of it, I would avoid buying that coin. I've never seen a genuine slab that had that problem. >>
Are you saying that these two slabs may have been opened and the coins switched out? I bought them from a large dealers website and these issues did not show in their photos.
The cert numbers are not in numerical order. At the start of each day they randomly pick a three number sequence, which becomes the first three digits of all coins slabbed that day. They do this to stop people from determining when their coins were slabbed.
Do you have pics of your "frosted" slabs?
<< <i>"Also when PCGS slabs coins are the cert numbers issued in numerical order? If not how is it done?"
The cert numbers are not in numerical order. At the start of each day they randomly pick a three number sequence, which becomes the first three digits of all coins slabbed that day. They do this to stop people from determining when their coins were slabbed.
Do you have pics of your "frosted" slabs? >>
I will try to scan them against something black so the frosting/stress marks show. Also if I get a clear enough scan of the back maybe someone could tell me if they are true FS nickels.
If the slabs are hair lined on the outside from handling I use PlastX polish to revive them.
<< <i>The area I am talking about is the edges of the slab. All four sides. The plastic is white from being stressed. If you bent a slab hard enough to snap it in half it would turn white where it was bending before it broke. It is possible that these two slabs were not aligned perfectly when they were sealed/pressed together which would have stressed the plastic. If that is what happened there must be others. >>
Your photo is no where near the edge of the slab and only shows the coin in the center of the slab. The frosted area on the edge of the slabs is usually from the sonic sealing of the slab. They only do spots and do not seal the whole edge.
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<< <i>The area I am talking about is the edges of the slab. All four sides. The plastic is white from being stressed. If you bent a slab hard enough to snap it in half it would turn white where it was bending before it broke. It is possible that these two slabs were not aligned perfectly when they were sealed/pressed together which would have stressed the plastic. If that is what happened there must be others. >>
Your photo is no where near the edge of the slab and only shows the coin in the center of the slab. The frosted area on the edge of the slabs is usually from the sonic sealing of the slab. They only do spots and do not seal the whole edge. >>
Since there were no clues from anyone so far I showed the photo asking if the coin belonged in a MS66FS holder. If so it would have given me peace of mind. I understand what you are saying about the sealing of the slab but since none of my others have so much white going around them I had to ask the question.
<< <i>The photo is not close enough to determine if it is Full Steps >>
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<< <i>The photo is not close enough to determine if it is Full Steps >>
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That is the best I can do for now so I guess it is a dead issue. I ordered a good nickel guide and a loupe so I will go from there. I will also keep reading and learning from you guys.
What type of f stop do I need? I have a Canon digital SLR.
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<< <i>The photo is not close enough to determine if it is Full Steps >>
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That is the best I can do for now so I guess it is a dead issue. I ordered a good nickel guide and a loupe so I will go from there. I will also keep reading and learning from you guys.
What type of f stop do I need? I have a Canon digital SLR. >>
You should check out Mark Goodman's book on coin photography. Most of the trouble is in the lighting not so much the F-stop. To answer your question, I am usually around F10 which gives enough depth of field to keep most coin features in focus.
<< <i>Its not a dead issue, you can always show the coin to someone knowledgeable and get their opinion as to grade and attribution. >>
I wish. I live in a very small town in the PA mountains and there is nothing local. I lived in a big city and no matter which neighborhood you lived in crime would follow you. I work from a home office and can work anywhere so when my wife and I decided to start a family I wanted a safe atmosphere. My town only has one traffic light but if you go outside at 9pm you can hear a pin drop. On top of that the beauty and clear night sky up here just cannot be put into words.
<< <i>
<< <i>
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<< <i>The photo is not close enough to determine if it is Full Steps >>
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That is the best I can do for now so I guess it is a dead issue. I ordered a good nickel guide and a loupe so I will go from there. I will also keep reading and learning from you guys.
What type of f stop do I need? I have a Canon digital SLR. >>
You should check out Mark Goodman's book on coin photography. Most of the trouble is in the lighting not so much the F-stop. To answer your question, I am usually around F10 which gives enough depth of field to keep most coin features in focus. >>
Is July, 15 2008 the latest edition of that book? Do you switch to manual when taking your photos?
<< <i>
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<< <i>The photo is not close enough to determine if it is Full Steps >>
>>
That is the best I can do for now so I guess it is a dead issue. I ordered a good nickel guide and a loupe so I will go from there. I will also keep reading and learning from you guys.
What type of f stop do I need? I have a Canon digital SLR. >>
You should check out Mark Goodman's book on coin photography. Most of the trouble is in the lighting not so much the F-stop. To answer your question, I am usually around F10 which gives enough depth of field to keep most coin features in focus. >>
Is July, 15 2008 the latest edition of that book? Do you switch to manual when taking your photos? >>
Yep, I do everything Manual. Don't forget to hold down the depth of field preview button on the camera body near the lens when focusing otherwise what you see through the lens may be different than what shows up in the photo as far as focus.
Here is a link to Mark's Website: Mark Goodman's Website Link
Ultrasonic sealing is a process that fuses two materials together
using alternating electrical power. This creates a high frequency
oscillating sound energy, which flexes a metal tool, or "horn", in the
weld zone. This vibration causes the projection to melt and flow
across the joint. As the molten material solidifies the weld is
achieved. The resultant joint strength approaches that of the parent
material; with proper part and joint design, hermetic seals are
possible.
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen