Do slabs add value to the coin?

I got burned by third party slabbers early in the game, but now I just buy from top tier grading companies.

When buying unslabbed coins off eBay or online in general, I never pay more then G or VG values. Since the price goes up exponentially with the grade, it's too easy to get burned.

 

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Who is going to determine that they are of equal grade and quality?
The equality could be
1. Your own judgement
2. The opinion of a trusted 3rd party
3. Photoshop

 

i think they must check this out http://cgi.ebay.com/1909-S-VDB-BRIL...ryZ39456QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Depending on the coins, their appearances and what I thought I could sell them for, I might or might not pay more for the certified example. So, with respect to just me, the certification might not have added value. However, I am confident that there are many buyers out there who will pay more for the slabbed coin, hence the "added value".

I don't believe that slabbing always adds value, especially if the coin is under-graded:rolling:, but, whether we like it or not, it does, far more often than not.

 

If the seller gets his $12,000, I hope he spends part of it to buy a camera with a focusable lens and a couple of light bulbs.

 

slab value..........

i agree with you.

 

he might not personally but what will happen if you put both of them on ebay? the slabbed one will sell for more

 

Yes, I was just making the point, that sometimes it's hard to tell from online auctions whether two coins are really equal grade. One way to avoid this is to not buy anything without seeing it "in hand", but that's not practical for a lot of coin sales, at least for me.

 

I almost have my Lincoln cent collection complete. I'm left with the keys to purchase yet. I will buy PCGS slabbed coins for the 1909-s, 1909-svdb, 1914-d, 1924-d, and 1931-s. A couple of these I have already purchased in the last couple of weeks. They were both slabbed.

Why do I buy these slabbed? Because I am not going to spend hundreds on a coin only to get it in hand to look at the diagnostics and find out it is counterfeit. Then go through the return BS and lose on the postage both ways. There are alot of scammers on ebay, and photos can be edited and faked.

I know how to grade, and I know the diagnostics of the coins. I have been collecting coins for a long time. I have the complete guide to Lincoln cents, photo-grade, ANA grading standards, and the PCGS counterfeit detection and grading book.

A pcgs 1914-d coin tells me that it is real, and my money is invested wisely.

 

In that situation, I agree with you. In my experience (admittedly limited compared to many of you) I haven't found much of what I'm looking for in direct in-person sales. For example, I've been looking for a high grade 1914-D Lincoln cent and my local coin dealer hasn't had one in his shop for several months. I haven't had much luck at coin shows either.