Improperly stored, maybe, depending on where/how it is stored. Slabs are not airtight, so humidity, temperature, chemicals...etc...will affect it if stored improperly. (short answer)
Maybe. Unfortunately, there is no better answer than that. The slab won't make a difference, but your level of care could. Copper cannot be allowed atmospheric exposure, and slabs aren't air-tight. If I had a full Red copper piece - I wouldn't buy one, but if - I'd keep it a couple layers deep in ziplock baggies with a dessicant package.
I would say similar except to store with fresh silver coins like ASE's instead. The ASE will start to tone if something is going wrong, and its easy to see it. If the SE starts to tone, replace it and find out what environmentally is causing the toning. Silver will tone faster than copper so hopefully no toning agents would get to the copper.
Some coins tone regardless of their composition, others do not. Storage conditions, geographical areas and tons of other things can affect the coin. You can always artificially tone a coin but I don't recommend it.
But then you only have something AS REACTIVE in the bag, not more reactive. You want something more reactive than the coin you are protecting to make sure it will take the hit instead of the valuable coin.
I store my nice silver coins in the refrigerator, of course, their very well protected in acrylic, before I put them in ...
That is why you scrub hard the sacrificial red cent and with the patina gone, it is more reactive than the other non-treated cent(s) with the normal patina of the protected coins. You could dip the sacrificial to pretty pink, wash with water and finish with acetone, they are more reactive also
To make it even more fun, there is no way to know what may have been on the surface of the coin before it was put in a holder. If the coin has been in a slab for several years and is still red, it should be safe as long as it has proper storage. Jason gave the best answer. You never know how copper will react over time.
If that were the case you wouldn't see any RD copper earlier than 2005. That clearly isn't the case since you can find RD US copper from the 19th century and earlier. Not sure how much has been worked on, but it all depends on storage conditions.
That's why you find sacrificial Cents in the storage arrangements of smart numismatists. Every copper roof in the country argues in favor.
Maybe you are right. I have just noticed pure silver tones faster than new copper, but maybe my observations were biased. I still throw unprotected sacrificial silver in my SDB and replace it as necessary, but maybe I am wrong.
Just for the sake of clarity, because calling them "sacrificial cents" could be misunderstood by some, the cents don't actually protect coins in your collection. Rather they act as alarm bells to alert you to the fact that toning is occurring in your storage area, and that you need to change things if you wish to protect your coins from toning.
Thank you; I was remiss in not clarifying that. The most important step in long-term storage is regularly checking on your charges.