I love all the threads here, love all the opinions here, and obviously alot of posters feel very strong about their opinions. Reading the posts on the slab or not to slab their are many views and all of them are okay. If what your doing works for you then continue. I do study up on the coins before I purchase. I learn all the grading points, make sure I can afford all the coins of the set in reasonable grades. Whether a coin is slabbed or not slabbed doesn't matter to me, it would if I was buying super expensive coins though. To me what it all boils down to is two things: #1 Can I afford the coin I'm looking at. #2. After checking the coin out the one thing that really is the determining factor does if have the eye appeal for me that I would want to own. I have about forty coins I've purchased over the last few years I bought only to sell. Several are slabbed, I have sold any of the forty, but I'm sure I'll get around to it someday. But my point is I have two sets all ASE's in two albums I bought , all raw. I have six that are in slabs. I learned a very imoortant lesson about slabbed coins. The ASE is MS-69, nice coin. The only trouble is it has a lot of "milk spots". The pictures weren't that great, and the seller had no return on slabbed coins. None of my raw ASEs have any milk spots on them. So that put a bad taste in my mouth about slabbed coins. I'll look at coins and will only buy if it is in my hand or I can see the pictures well enough to make a real evaluation. Some coins I see slabbed I don't understand why it was slabbed in the first place. If you had a buffalo nickel and it came back F-12, surely the person must have realized it was going to a very low grade prior to submission. Why was it sent in the first place? I do like to buy slabbed coins without a premium for the slab. I also like silver coins that are "blast white". I certainly understand those that don't, and since I didin't have to purchase the coins its okay. I paid for mine and I'll make them blast white if I feel like it. Although I have to admit I have some Peace Dollars that have a very lovely pastel toning that is attractive. As for what my sons do with my coins after I'm gone, it really won't matter to me. I hope they will continue on the collection. I read once almost all great coin collections are generational. Maybe they'll get lucky and sell coins on television, now those are real prices. Remeber state quarters are limited editions. You guys are great, love your opinions!!!!111
Several things you said I agree with - "if it works for you keep doing it". That is my philosophy. Get what you like. If you like slabs, get slabs - if you like raw, then by raw(or buy slabs and crack them out). There could be several reasons to send in a low grade coin to get certified - evidently some people try to have the lowest graded sets. And in some cases people do not know how to grade. Even the best of the best will sometimes have coins body bagged. Don't be shy about expressing you opinion along with the rest of board. Various opinions are always welcome - at least to me.
Missed that -- I am sure a few hackles will rise when they see that. LOL - your coins do what you want.
The reason someone might slab a low end coin are varried , one is that sometimes it's cheaper to send in a bulk lot , say ten but they only have 8 coins that they really want graded , so they toss in the low end or bulk coins just to meet the count of ten . rzage
And sometimes, we just don't know what they're thinking. Take a gander at this high-end piece from my collection: http://i34.tinypic.com/195ac8.jpg That's right, baby...greysheet bid is a cool $8.00 on this one.
Not sure I understand your logic. Milk spots can be on raw or slabbed coins. Why does this give you a bad taste about slabbed coins? Were you disappointed that milk spots can sometimes be found on a slabbed coin? Perhaps your disappointment should be directed toward the seller rather than the third party grading company. Smart! I hope that most collectors follow this practice. Otherwise, disappointment will follow as you found out with your milk spotted slabbed coin.
As much as I despise SGS grading, and that of all SSS, even they would have nightmares assigning MS-67 to this beast.
