currency slabs - what do you do with them?

**Daggarjon** · 07-10-2009, 08:34 PM

I know this debate rages on for the coin collectors ... do i free it from its tomb ... or do i leave it in the safest evironment it could possibly find....

I have recently come across a lot of notes that were all pretty common, pretty low grade ... but slabbed none the less. The notes fall in the 20PPQ, 25PPQ and 30PPQ grades. My thoughts were to cut them open and store them in a binder desiged specificaly for this series. They are not rare. They are not choice unc, so any additional bend or fold wont kill any later sale. If i were to sell these notes right now, only without the slabs - the notes would not sell for anything less that what i bought them for (taking market fluctuations into account of course

). I honestly dont even know why these notes were slabbed to begin with!!!!

So what say you?

would you free a common note that is slabbed? what about a rare note that is slabbed but would fit your storage solution better if it was freed?

if and when you ever do cut open a slabbed note... what then? do you mail the label back to the slabber to have its number removed from any database? or just toss it since its a common note anyway?

**TheNoost** · 07-10-2009, 08:54 PM

I would keep them in the slab. Adds a level of security and protection.

Magman · 07-10-2009, 09:06 PM

Take them out of the slab and let me heat-tone them.
Then you can get more money for them!

*not responsible for any damages or losses.

north49guy · 07-10-2009, 09:10 PM

I would personally keep them in the slabs. They protect from any more bends, water damaging, moisture, etc. Also I just like the look of them in the slabs and know I can pick them up toss them in the air, let it fall on the floor, and no damages will occur hehe

urbanchemist · 07-10-2009, 09:44 PM

i would have to agree if you are going to get a graded note keep it that way. you could probably get one raw in the same condition for probably cheaper. JMO

hontonai · 07-10-2009, 09:51 PM

It's a matter of personal preference, but I would leave currency slabbed even though I routinely crack out any slabbed coins I may pick up.

In my mind the difference is that I can't directly put a slabbed coin in any of my sets because of the size, but with currency both slabbed and raw fit in plastic page protectors.

illini420 · 07-10-2009, 09:55 PM

All of my coins/notes stay in slabs. Not only are they protected from the elements, but it protects my heirs when the time comes. My estate plan has instructions of where to take all of the coins/currency and when it all goes to auction, and because they are already slabbed, my heirs will not get taken advantage of.

illini420 · 07-10-2009, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hontonai

It's a matter of personal preference, but I would leave currency slabbed even though I routinely crack out any slabbed coins I may pick up.

In my mind the difference is that I can't directly put a slabbed coin in any of my sets because of the size, but with currency both slabbed and raw fit in plastic page protectors.

For coins I started using the Eagle Brand albums that hold 9 slabs to a page. Awesome product

**Daggarjon** · 07-10-2009, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hontonai

with currency both slabbed and raw fit in plastic page protectors.

Thats not entirely true. all my notes are stored in a binder with 4 pocket pages. These pages are not the full width type, they allow for a sleeve to fit, but nothing too much wider. Unfortuantely, the 'slabs' are wider then a typical sleeve, by alot. So the slabs might fit in one of the flimsy'er type full-width pages, but not the type i like to use. sure its a personal prefferance, but 1 i already comitted to for the hundreds of pages i have in binders...

I dont have many slabbed notes. and the ones i have i never even thought arout cutting them out. But this latest lot are such common notes, slabbing them adds nothign to the value.

Urban - i bought this note for no premium above an ungraded note

This is another reason i was thinking about cutting it open. I almost had my mind made up about cutting it open before i even bid.

for all the reasons already given above - i would never cut open my other slabbed notes - they ARE more valuable slabbed. but these low, common notes i just got it... they have me torn

I am surprised that with the easy in which folks cut slabbed coins out of the boxes, that so many people are not willing to do the same with currency - after all, coin slabbs truly DO protect the coins... these flimsy almost junky currency slabbs are almost to comical IMHO. if you write on the outside plastic - you risk creasing the note within. The currency slab can be easily cut, bent, creased, and any number of other easy to do (by mistake of course) calamities... as i said i wont cut my other graded notes out of their slabbs, ... but then there are these new notes....

edit - i tested trying to fit the slab in a full 1pocket page. it fits lengthwise - but not widthwise...... so i dont see how slabs would fit in a 4 pocket page even if it is full width.

pennywise · 07-12-2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daggarjon

I know this debate rages on for the coin collectors ... do i free it from its tomb ... or do i leave it in the safest evironment it could possibly find....

I have recently come across a lot of notes that were all pretty common, pretty low grade ... but slabbed none the less. The notes fall in the 20PPQ, 25PPQ and 30PPQ grades. My thoughts were to cut them open and store them in a binder desiged specificaly for this series. They are not rare. They are not choice unc, so any additional bend or fold wont kill any later sale. If i were to sell these notes right now, only without the slabs - the notes would not sell for anything less that what i bought them for (taking market fluctuations into account of course

). I honestly dont even know why these notes were slabbed to begin with!!!!

So what say you?

would you free a common note that is slabbed? what about a rare note that is slabbed but would fit your storage solution better if it was freed?

if and when you ever do cut open a slabbed note... what then? do you mail the label back to the slabber to have its number removed from any database? or just toss it since its a common note anyway?

I'm straying a little from your original question DJ, but I was wondering about paper grading, seems they grade anything, no bodybagging for notes, or is it my imagination? I have no firsthand dealings with any of the paper graders as of yet. Just curious of their standards.

**Daggarjon** · 07-12-2009, 11:54 PM

the things done to coins to get the bodybagged just dont (normally) happen to notes. They usually arent harshly cleaned, altered, counterfeit ect i do wonder what woudl happen if a note that has been harshly cleaned was sent in to be graded. A note RickieB purchased a while back comes to mind.. so does a recent purchase by Urban ... i do wonder what that note will grade out at..... In the instance of RickieB's note, the note had been graded a net lower grade because of what was done to it.

i say normally above, because if you take a look at the thread by TheNoost as he works on his Paper PHD

... we might start to see currency body bags lol

**TheNoost** · 07-13-2009, 12:01 AM

LOL When I'm done, maybe we can have someone get it slabbed at see what results. I think it will grade, but will have a mention of being processed. Wonder what they do with flat out fakes though?

**Daggarjon** · 07-13-2009, 12:04 AM

i also think it would grade, i mean we have seen processed notes grade lower ... they really need to put the dang explanation ON THE SLAB though! Why they keep folks guessing is beyond me!

for fakes ... you bring upa good point.. what woudl they do? Slab with a notation the note is fake ... not slab and alert the secret service ... the options are plenty....

i do have a counterfeit $20 , but would hate to lose it if the TPG destroyed it or sent it to the SS lol

rjbeck · 07-13-2009, 08:08 AM

I really think that you do receive a better price when selling common slabbed bills then raw bills if you didn't have the bills graded yourself.But a raw bill is cheaper because most of the time you are dealing with someone who has some knowledge of currency and I've noticied most big dealers only have slabbed bills for sale that are way overpriced. I like slabbed bills because as I learn about currency the slabbed bills help me with the information provided.Thanks Randy

**Daggarjon** · 07-14-2009, 09:32 PM

i got my 6 PCGS slabbed notes today ... a couple of them were graded "Apparent" and did note the problem below the grade - that is certaibnly a step in the right direction IMHO!

i do have a couple questions - on the back of the slab is a 7 digit number and a barcode.... what does that number represent? Is it just the number of the note that is graded - for instance if 2 notes are graded by that seller, both notes will have consecutive numbered barcodes??

A point i was completely unaware of ... PCGS slabbs are not slabbs!!!! They are nothing more then a stinking rigid OPEN edge sleeve!!! sure the open edge has a sticker covering 90% of it ... the note wont fall out, but air, moisture, smoke .. basically any contaminate... can and will find its way to the note

oh yeah.. i cut all 6 web-notes out of the slabs. having them slabbed added nothing to the value of the note!

I think i might stick with PMG for slabbed notes simply becuase (it appears) they do a slightly better job protecting the note!

Welcome to Coin Talk! Register Now, it's easy and FREE!