Stop scratching slabs

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by stevereecy, Sep 22, 2020.

  1. stevereecy

    stevereecy Collects Everything

    Lately I've been letting coin collecting youtube videos run in the background while I'm trying unwind for the evening. And I noticed something.

    Seems like in at least half of the unboxing videos that I've seen, the dealer pulls the slabs straight from the box, discusses the grade, and then proceeds to scrape the brand-new, pristine, slab against other slabs either in his hand or when he puts it in a pile. Stop that! I buy a lot of my slabs in the aftermarket and sometimes the window to the coin has little knicks or scratches on it. I always figured it was just klutzy collectors doing it, but now I'm not so sure. So I want to get it out there and let you dealers know that sometimes an unscratched slab helps motivate me toward a purchase.
     
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  3. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

  4. 1865King

    1865King Well-Known Member

    I can't tell you how many times I've been to a coin show and saw dealer toss a slab coin across their case to a customer. I've also seen where dealers have a bunch of slabbed coins tossed in a shoe box on in their display case. This may account as to why some slabs have chipped corners or edges. I've never seen it done to a high value coin but, coins worth less than a thousand dollars I've seen it often. I agree with Steve, STOP DOING THAT!
     
    ZoidMeister, Mainebill and capthank like this.
  5. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    Yeah, you would think they'd use a grinder instead. :woot:
    :wacky:
     
  6. Mr.Q

    Mr.Q Well-Known Member

  7. JCKTJK

    JCKTJK Well-Known Member

    that and those darn stickers!
     
    TonkawaBill, Dima and Santinidollar like this.
  8. stevereecy

    stevereecy Collects Everything

    Yeah, don't even get me started on the stickers. If you need to use stickers, put them on the bottom or the side. Heck, even the top...that would make sense so you can see what the coin is while it's in the box. Just put a 4 digit code number on it or just the price. I've seen plenty of ruined slabs from stickers.

    Do you guys agree with me that sometimes a pristine slab induces you to buy one coin over another? I like a fresh slab.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2020
  9. HaleiwaHI

    HaleiwaHI Active Member

    There are few things in life more irritating than an unnecessary scratch
     
    Penny Luster and PassthePuck like this.
  10. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    Depends on where that scratch is... :) [​IMG]
     
    Randy Abercrombie and CoinCorgi like this.
  11. CoinCorgi

    CoinCorgi Tell your dog I said hi!

    Learn to live without your coins in slabs.
     
  12. Searcher64

    Searcher64 Member

    You buy the coin, not the slab.
     
    dwhiz, Magnus87 and PassthePuck like this.
  13. GoldBug999

    GoldBug999 Well-Known Member

    True, but for coins already in slabs you like an unobstructed view.

    Those slab scratches are a real nuisance, and I have a set of Novus Brand plastic clean and shine and scratch removal steps 1, 2 and 3 (3 different bottles). This treatment helps, but isn't perfect.

    I also hate the stickers some dealers put on their slabs! Come on, man.
     
    runninghorse1 and Kentucky like this.
  14. CoinCorgi

    CoinCorgi Tell your dog I said hi!

    For those slabs (as well as all other slabs) I have a hammer.
     
  15. runninghorse1

    runninghorse1 Member

    I put my unscratched slabbed coins in plastic sleeves like these. I can touch my coins, arrange them in boxes, etc. Yes, slab abuse is certainly a thing. I know that it's the coin that matters but I'm one to turn away from a beautiful coin in a damaged slab. I'm talking about mostly common date MS63 Morgan and Peace dollars here, NOT anything worth huge money. If you never used a slab sleeve, I totally recommend them for care-free storage and handling. Dealers can put stickers right on the plastic sleeve and no harm is done to the slab.
    https://www.thecoinsupplystore.com/...=4575342763332785&utm_content=Everything Else
     
  16. stevereecy

    stevereecy Collects Everything

    Thanks. I've got a few of those, but my box of 20 has foam inserts, so I find them more trouble than they are worth.

    Now, if I was a dealer, I might come to the conclusion that using those sleeves would translate to more profits. But I'm not on the front lines, so that's a guess.
     
    runninghorse1 likes this.
  17. stevereecy

    stevereecy Collects Everything

    Thanks. I've got a few of those, but my box of 20 has foam inserts, so I find them more trouble than they are worth.

    Now, if I was a dealer, I might come to the conclusion that using those sleeves would translate to more profits. But I'm not on the front lines, so that's a guess.
     
  18. Lehigh96

    Lehigh96 Toning Enthusiast

    Have you ever a had a slab scratched so bad that you had to have it reholdered? I’ve had a few! Here’s one!

    [​IMG]
     
  19. calcol

    calcol Supporter! Supporter

    Best thing for getting stickers off slabs (or any plastic, glass or metal) are the small gauze pads soaked in magic solvent that are marketed for removal of medical adhesive (tape, band-aids, etc.) from skin. Will also remove ink markings. Common brand is PDI; see pic. Each pad is in its own sealed packet. They are cheap and readily available .... Amazon, drugstores, etc. Designed for skin, so nonirritating and very effective. Short exposure won't harm TPG labels and holograms on slabs, but wipe any excess away as soon as unwanted labels are removed. Don't know about CAC labels ... avoid getting it on them.

    Cal

    61lJxQy7-SL._SL1050_.jpg
     
    runninghorse1 and Penny Luster like this.
  20. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    I have purchased coins from dealers in the past who told me they would re-holder the coin if I made the purchase. Myself, I have a method for removing the scratched that works quite acceptably so I can tend to it when necessary and have used that as a negotiating tool to my benefit..... But I totally don't get it. It's like purposely slamming the grocery buggy into the side of your car. If I have a $200.00 coin in a $50.00 slab that is a substantial investment and should be treated as such.
     
    runninghorse1 likes this.
  21. calcol

    calcol Supporter! Supporter

    Major cause of scratches and chips on slabs is rough handling by dealers and auction houses. At any show, you can see dealers playing shuffleboard with slabs, sliding them across tables and glass cases. Some dealers are like barkeeps in western saloons, hoping the slab will stop in front of the customer. Watch for long and you’ll see one shoot off the table and onto the floor. Then there are dealers that play horseshoes with them. Slabs are tossed toward the customer with the hope it will land rightside up in front of them. Finally, there are the “Thor” dealers. To present a slab, it’s grasped in meaty fingers and slammed down in front of the customer. When done playing games, dealers dump slabs in boxes with no separators, said boxes then dumped in transport cases.

    Auction houses are a bit better on handling in viewing rooms once the slab is out of the box. But boxes have no separators and travel from show to show … like crates of eggs? … nah, like crates of gravel. :inpain:

    Going to collect slabbed coins? Then reslabbing is in your future. :)

    Cal
     
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