Are slabs dangerous? Do I need protection?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Dafydd, Jan 23, 2026 at 6:30 PM.

  1. Dafydd

    Dafydd Supporter! Supporter

    I'm posting this for some end of week light relief.
    I trawl through Ebay in spare moments mainly because I have a sense of humour.
    Over the past few months I have noticed a number of different vendors proudly displaying slabbed coins whilst they are wearing heat resistant gloves.
    I appreciate wearing thin cotton gloves are used for significant historical items but slabbed coins? Really ?
    Is there something we need to know?

    Glove shilling.jpg
    I bought a Scuba demand valve regulator some years ago and it had a Californian label attached warning me that the mouthpiece could be a carcinogenic plastic. I decided there and then that I would not eat the mouthpiece and simply stick to plain food.
    Here is the latest coin I came across.
    Of course the seller could be worried about catching bronze disease from this one.
    Glove sesetius.jpg

    Why do you think these sellers wear protective gloves?
    I don't think anyone with Eczema , Dermatitis or Psoriasis would want to wear such coarse gloves.
    Forrest Gump comes to mind. SIASD.
     
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  3. fretboard

    fretboard Defender of Old Coinage!

    Yes I've noticed this as well, probably a simple reason like they're the only gloves they own! :D
     
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  4. philologus_1

    philologus_1 Supporter! Supporter

    "Putting on airs."

    (It's an antiquated idiom, but no other phrase better fits my #1 hunch as to the seller's possible rationale. See the picture below which resulted from my request of Gemini AI to illustrate.) :)

    upload_2026-1-23_18-58-33.png
     
  5. Burton Strauss III

    Burton Strauss III Brother can you spare a trime? Supporter

    All I can offer is that trolling through fleaBay pictures, you can find a lot of nasty 'accessories'.
     
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  6. ddddd

    ddddd Member

    That's true. These photos are quite nice compared to some of what is seen there!
     
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  7. calcol

    calcol Supporter! Supporter

    Maybe they're mechanics or coal miners and have dirty hands. ;)
     
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  8. SensibleSal66

    SensibleSal66 U.S Casual Collector / Error Collector

    No, no. Those people just have dirty minds. :smuggrin:
     
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  9. Neal

    Neal Well-Known Member

    I don't know. Perhaps they want to hide their fingerprints, which might otherwise sometimes lead to their being arrested.
     
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  10. numist

    numist Member Supporter

    I don't think slabs are all that dangerous provided you take all their little weapons away...
     
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  11. calcol

    calcol Supporter! Supporter

    Sometimes slabs can be really dangerous.

    images.jpg
    images2.jpg
     
  12. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    Not really a glove guy even in cold weather. I put gloves on I drop things. There really isn't a need for gloves if you handle them correctly.
     
  13. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    I have been known to wear white cotton gloves when photographing coins, not so much to protect the coins from my hands, or to protect my hands from the coins (LOL), but rather to protect the viewers from the sight of my ragged cuticles or gnarly fingernails (you're welcome). Usually I am fairly well manicured, but there are some times my hands are not the most photogenic.

    I know we've all seen some folks with pretty disgusting fingernails posting coin pics. Just sayin'... :rolleyes:

    Indeed.
     
  14. Dafydd

    Dafydd Supporter! Supporter

    Good points!
     
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  15. chrissy1955

    chrissy1955 Active Member

    Obviously the coins they're holding are stolen, hence, gloves to handle "hot" coins. Groaaaaan.
     
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