Starting a 12 Caesar Set and wondering about Slabbed versus Raw

First time posting/new member although I have read hundreds of the forum posts. I am hoping to put together a 12 Caesar set and have read lots of great insights on this Forum. I certainly understand one should collect what you like (and don't worry so much about the "rules") but I am interested in perspectives on raw versus slabbed ancients. I have seen comments from others about "busting coins out", but I kind of likely the idea of the coin being evaluated by a 3rd party (NGC). Seems like it would be easier for family to get rid of coins when I am gone. I would also like to see "12 Caesars" on the NGC slab and I have a cool wooden display case that specifically holds 12 NGC slabs.

I am a collector of U.S. coins and an avid metal detectorists (in fact it is Roman coin finds from U.K. that got me interested in a 12 Caesar set as I have found several).

Appreciate you feedback.
Beau

 

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Slabbed coins in high grade tend to bring higher prices but lower grade ones do not do as well. You answered your own question when you said you wanted slabs so you can have your special display. I'd rather have $600 more to spend on the coins.

 

I feel like slabs aren’t as important in ancients than they are in US coins. Like Doug said, unless you have some super rare or very high grade coin. The slab doesn’t do all that much

 

If you like slabs, you should get slabs. Certainly, they provide somewhat of a level of protection if you plan on displaying them.

 

I prefer a coin raw but to each their own. I'm happy to get a coin that has been looked at by NGC but if it is going to be in my collection, it gets freed.

 

Ditto!

 

+1
Raw

 

If resale value/investment is more important to you than the pleasure of handling the physical coin, go with slabs. I prefer my coins without slabs, and I have a 12 Caesar set, though it’s certainly a budget set. But the thrill for me is touching the metal that ancient hands touched. If that doesn’t really hold a lot of value for you, you might want to go the route of slabs.

 

Thanks for all the great feedback and sharing some photos of your awesome coins. I have a couple other questions but will not wear out my welcome. Another day... Thanks again,
Beau

 

Hi Beau and welcome. I must be going through similar thoughts as you as I am currently cataloguing my Aussie coin collection so that it will not be a burden when I am gone. My general rule is if the coin is PCGS or NGC plastic sealed container - I would leave it in that condition. Irrespective of the value of the coin, it removes the burden or need to prove the grade of the coin for the next generation if they want to sell. Good luck with the Caesar coin collecting - by coincidence I have spotted 4 roman silver denarius coins on a local website and will buy them if the price is about right.

 

If you want to collect ancients in slabs, that is what you should do. 3rd party certification has been slow to come to ancient coins, for several reasons. But now that a major US auction house and its associated grading company are growing their ancients business, I think within a generation you will see most of the $1,000+ coins in holders. Wide-scale certification may be slower, or may never come, to lower priced ancient coins, in my opinion.

 

Any idea what these four coins might be?

 

Hello @Beau1010 and welcome to the forum! How about the best of both worlds?

You could try quickslabs. They are made from a very reputable company, easy to find, and affordable (no sending your coins away and no grading fees). Your coins would not be certified by a third party, but they would be in slabs (you can take them in/out from the slabs whenever you want) so you get to use your fancy display case. I think that they would fit in that case fine, but you can always compare dimensions to make sure. There are more benefits to have the coins in slabs like that as it is less likely they will be damaged by careless handling. Here is a little corner of my display set up

 

Try starting a post, listing each coin separately. I believe you will get a better response.

 

Good suggestion Bing. Will do.

 

Add the weight and diameter and take coins from plastic holders

 

Should I collect with the idea of how my heirs will manage to get rid of my coins, I would quit immediately and buy stocks !

That would be like eating a sandwich thinking of how much more my coffin will weigh then

Collecting is somewhat a selfish hobby

My (raw) set of 12 :



Q

 

If authenticity is important to you, purchase your coins from dealers or auctioneers who guarantee their authenticity. NGC doesn't guarantee authenticity of ancient coins that they slab. Keep the printed authenticity guarantees for when you or your heirs sell the coins.

If slabs are important for display purposes, purchase Quickslabs (as was previously illustrated here (https://www.cointalk.com/threads/st...about-slabbed-versus-raw.373727/#post-5438180)) and print your own labels with any information you want, that fits on the label. You can easily remove your coins from Quickslabs if you want to handle them directly.

You didn't mention your budget for these coins, but note that NGC's "standard" service will cost you around $75 per coin when you include the handling fee plus shipping to and from NGC, for a total of $900 over all 12 coins. Thus if you had been budgeting around $300 per coin, you've already added 25% to the cost of each coin and might possibly get better coins if you invest that $900 into the coins themselves rather than the slabbing service.

In addition, look at the virtual trays that have been presented in this thread, all of which are attractive ways to show your collection if you can't do so in person. If your coins are in NGC slabs, you won't be able to create these virtual trays.

Finally, you might want to research display and storage ideas here on Cointalk, starting with this thread: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/switching-to-slabs.301135/#post-2821449

 

Some fantastic ideas and unbelievable 12 Caesar sets. You have given me much to consider and many fantastic ideas. Thanks again for all of you input and willingness to share your expertise. I must say I was a bit nervous starting my first “post”, but you all have been gracious in your responses. Regards and happy collecting Beau (Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/st...nd-wondering-about-slabbed-versus-raw.373727/)

 

@hotwheelsearl effectively nailed it. Lately, with the added worries of international shipping, I've been going back to US ebay for medievals. ...And seeing a Lot of Complete Crap that's slabbed --often misattributed-- and moronically overpriced. As @IdesOfMarch01 said in reference to current practice by NGC, slabbing --as, call it what it is, an industry-- is utterly worthless for purposes of authentication. You're much better off documenting the source, and its attribution, by other means.
...There are exceptions, but that they run to being exactly that.