To crack or not to crack?

Ill take any unwanted cracked out coin slabs that anyone has, or has no use for

 

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I know you guys are right when you mention the protection aspect, but I gotta tell ya, I'd still 'crack' it. I don't always buy 'details' graded coins but when I do I crack 'em. Here's one slated for a soon to be pocket piece......













Scrub a dub dub,,,,,,,,

 

Somebody was thorough with that Stone Mountain!

 

Violated and abraded most abusively........

 

I am with Green18 - I buy these "details" etc coins and crack them out and enjoy them. Nothing better than buying 100+ year old gold coins for significantly less than spot because they got "detailed" ie condemned. I have actually put together a pretty neat collection of world gold that way.

 

Interesting way to turn lemons into lemonade...

 

One reason to leave a details coin in a slab is that this is at least an indication of authenticity.

 

Au details

unc details

 

I was waiting for that 'crack' Justin.........

 

I got 3 details coins back last week.

 

I crack both details coins and regular graded coins - at the same time I might not crack them at all. I have had details coins grade just to make them easier to sell. All a matter of opinion. I will admit I look for some details coins - especially those that do not look harshly cleaned in my opinion.

 

Be brave and crack it out

 

well i like to break things so i say crack that sucker out :thumb:

 

You sent them in to be slabbed (better or worse) and paid for the service. I would keep them slabbed.

 

By slabbing the coin, the grading services at least guarantee their authenticity. May be worth something.

 

I bought a details trade dollar because I was planning on putting it in my Dansco album anyway and didn't want too pricey of a coin in there. NGC graded it AU details- chopmarked (seriously, they'd mark chopmarks as a problem? Almost all of them that were actually used were chopmarked, and this didn't look too bad, just two on the eagle on the reverse). I broke it out to put it in the album.

I saw the details slab as a nice way to get a bargain coin that I at least knew was real for the album; and the details do look nice, and if anything I think the chopmarks actually add to the eye appeal rather than detract from it; it gives it an interesting look and proves it was actually used instead of just sitting in a box since its minting.

1877-S trade dollar, AU Details-chopmarked (NGC):



Surprised they didn't add scratched... but overall I think this looks reasonably good and don't think the chopmarks detract too much; the other end of the chopmarking tool on the obverse (can see by the D in "God" and the first T in "Trust") I think looks worse than the actual marks on the reverse, but I don't mind too much as it adds some "history" in its own right, and knocked it down to a bargain price!

But yeah, cracked it out... no reason to leave this coin condemned by NGC lol... I still think it's silly that being chopmarked is considered a "problem" on a trade dollar (why not just say "privately counterstamped"?). I thank NGC for at least authenticating it though, this coin is faked so often, especially on eBay, that I appreciate the comfort of knowing it's real at least.

I have a damaged bust half I showed you all a long time ago... I think it looks distinguished lol... I don't mind a little bit of damage as long as long as it's not too bad. If it's within my means I prefer problem free of course, usually, but I've found some coins that look interesting because of their damage rather than despite it; adds character and proves it was actually used.

P.S. So much easier to take good pics of a coin outside of a slab lol... these aren't perfect, and I don't know why the camera keeps picking up a different color than I see with my own eyes, when it's digital... but passable I guess. Flash shows the color and luster better but keeps overexposing/washing out the coin. I wish I could move the flash further back than the camera lol, that'd be perfect. Maybe I should find a camera with a detachable flash.

 

You bettcha. No holder glare to deal with and the camera is able to focus on the coin and not the holder itself.

How's the ambient (existing) light situation in the room where you're shooting the pics Troodon? Are walls painted (for instance) red? This will throw the camera a curve and screw up the color balance. What kind of light source are you using? Tungsten bulbs will throw off the color too. I remember shooting some presidential dollars in my daughters room one time. Nice red walls and red curtains. Man, those pics came out funky. What I do is employ a verilux lamp (two goose neck types is better) to put light on my subject. Verilux (Ott light too) is as close to daylight as you can come in my opinion. I make sure the room is darkened so that the only light on the subject comes from my lamp(s). To further insure that no extra light is entering the room I'll borrow some black fabric from the wifes' craft room and put it over the curtains. And heavens, turn off that flash.

 

if you paid for slabbing yourself then cracking it out the s labb is awaste of time.. and money.. its not worth it eithr wy unless your getting a better grade.

 

Exactly! You wanted them slabbed, leave them slabbed.