KomkaCoins

Keep them raw. Independent companies like the graders are only are in business to make money. So they will throw bones to high quantity bulk graders so they make money off hobbyists for someone adding a grade to a coin for no reason and low ball low volume dealers/hobbyists to get you to resend them in.

Simply put: Keep your cash for more coins!!!

Boss

I do agree with this. I have been submitting through my dealer as I believe what you say wholeheartedly and think that big dogs get more love than little dogs. Life is like this, no matter how "pure" one thinks the graders are.

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bhp3rd

Slab nothing for no reason and save yourself some $$$ but if you must then: - be at least a collector/investor/dealer - this is not IMO my advice for the collector.

When To Slab,
1. Key or semi-key coins in nice collector grades strict VF-35 and above worth at least $300 or more.
2. Coins in those same grades/key or semi-key that are often counterfeited such as 09-S VDB, 55 DDO and 22-Plain die #2.
3. Rare die varieties that boost the price way above normal coin value, examples are Top 100 or top Cherry Pickers Guild coins such as 1935 Buffalo DDR #1, 1955-P Lincoln DDO-001 & 2, 1983-P DDR-001 & 2 1995-D DDO-003,
4. Any type coin that is just so original you can't stand it and with very little evidence of any old cleanings, again $300 and above.
5. Any 1952 and earlier single proof coin that has a shot at PR-65 or above and is very original looking, (IE: been taken care of).

Coins that should never be graded-advice for the pure collector.
1. Most all coins made since 1985.
2. Any and all modern proofs and comparatives made for collectors.
3. Any and all modern silver, gold and platinum since 1986.
4. Any modern beautiful toned coins - reason, if they are beautiful without the holder will they be more beautiful with one?
5. Any coin that I own.
Plus all you will be so pleased I'm not going to go off on TPG companies, today anyway.

Happy weekend everyone!!!

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Longest running Coin Show in the south now for over 27 years!

coinman0456

Sound advice Ben. And when you are buying raw, make sure you totally agree with the sellers attributed Grade, if you aren't , get out the books, talk to other forum members, other trusted Dealers, and perhaps you will learn something you didn't know. It's always good to know, what you don't know. Tom.

leanback

Hey, Speedy,
I thought I was the only one that had a habit of saying you all.
Close to Ky, Nice to know anyway. Your y'all makes all ok...
I know not that funny, but I'm better now.
oh well,
Thanks for info.
Kim

houston3204

I just don't like the idea of parting with your treasure (seen it happen-it is mysteriously replaced)....yet I like the slab idea to protect the coin.......Just my opinion.....PLUS the COST......
Thanks,
Neal

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CamaroDMD

Are you saying the TPGs are replacing coins? I find that very hard to believe seeing that their entire industry is based on trust and they handle tons of extremely valuable coins all the time. Having a problem like this would destroy their credibility and ruin them.

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houston3204

I am not saying anything...but just like you trust your dentist ...Could be a filling,root canal, or just a cleaning...depends on the dr's nees......hahhaa...not really if you find a rare error or great grade coin say a MS-69 and it was replaced with a ms-67. small differences but large dollar difference....makes you think.hhhh

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coinsbaby

For Canadian coins ICCS and CCCS is the best options and they put the coins in plastic holders and easy to use.

JrCoin

bullocks to slabs, they get all scratched and crummy looking, they do not enhance anything, and apparently they don't protect the uninformed from counterfeits either, they just fake the slab. You want to protect a coin buy an airtite. Use an album. They slab comic books. How are you supposed to enjoy a slabbed comic book? $20 out your pocket so someone else can take their sweet time playing with your coin...are you even sure you're getting the same thing back? Perhaps all the tpgs are owned by the chinese. Think about it.

jello

Ok ???

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Rctoners

I am now officially dumber having read your post.

JrCoin

Glad to be of service...
I'm simply stating my opinion that the need to encapsulate is a bit overdone. How valueable is a modern coin in tpg ms 69 condition when you can find literally hundreds of such coins for sale? I'd rather spend my money on coins than plastic. Is that clear enough? I guess what I'm saying is I don't buy into a publication that tells me a statehood quarter is worth like $100 because it's in a plastic holder that says ms 70. Perhaps you think that is a bargain or something. If you can counterfeit a coin, you can counterfeit a slab. It is not a foolproof way to purchase coins sight unseen. I'll take the "raw" coin I can see with my own two eyes over a slab any day.

Lehigh96

While I agree with your basic premise that the encapsulation and grading of very common coins is way overdone, your exaggeration of slab counterfeiting and downplaying of the value of the authentication and grading service provided by TPG's hurts the credibility of your opinion. I admire your passion about the issue, but it can easily be perceived as that of a lunatic fringe.

Furthermore, a statehood quarter (any issue) in MS70 would be worth thousands of dollars not $100. Like most other business strike coins, they are extremely rare in any grade above MS67. If you don't believe me, check the population reports.

I agree with Ben's approach to slabbing coins except I use the $200 rule instead of $300. The only addition I would make is about rainbow toned coins. With the number of coin doctors, they need to be encapsulated to assure the buyer that the coin's toning is market acceptable in the eyes of the TPG.

For those people who really hate TPG's, ask yourself this question. If you are going to purchase a $10K coin, do you want it to be raw or slabbed? As a follow up question, why?

JrCoin

http://www.pcgs.com/articles/article...universeid=313

I don't make this stuff up, it's right on the pcgs website.

I'm not going to pay $1000s of dollars for any coin, period. I have a family and their needs take priority over my coin collection. I understand there are plenty of collectors with lots of disposable income, and if they feel they have to have the absolute best collection, then tpg is certainly the way to go. I'm a hobbyist, not an investor. It's not practical for me to pay 3 times as much for a proof because it's tpg. I'm sorry if my opinions sound "radical" or "extreme" but the hobby is fun even without treating your coins like stocks and bonds.