Raw coins are raw for a reason.

I would venture to guess that in general they are some of the most numismatic educated buyers on ebay or elsewhere. If you know what you are buying , there are no risks besides the details of transfer, delivery,etc.

If some new collectors spent just 1/2 the time they spend cruzing ebay with money in their hand, and instead spent it educating themselves on their obsession, or buying, borrowing, or googling reference material, they would be fewer ebay lamentation posts.

 

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Made me look twice

 

Or spent time on CT reading threads and paying attention to the knowledge Doug, Tom B, CPMBall, and all of the other knowledgable experts here are trying to impart.

Yes, you can always learn the hard way like many of us did, but its a heck of a lot cheaper just to listen to Doug and others.

 

Many Capped Bust halves aren't slabbed because the majority of CBH collectors don't like them slabbed and either buy them and keep them that way, or buy them slabbed and immediately crack them out. The edge is an important aspect of the coin and holders, even edge view holders, impede that view. Same with old coppers. I can't think of a single member of the CBH Nut Club with a set of slabbed coins.
Guy

 

Certainly not every coin purchase or sale is optimal. But I have found some really good deals on eBay. But like everything else, you pay and assume the risk. )

 

One of my most prized possessions in the past was a Randall Hoard cent. I had it for years before I sold it, and only then did it get slabbed. I suspect the buyer, a big collector of coppers, cracked it out.

 

A Predisposed Attitude May Generate Missed Opportunities

I love/collect DMPL "Gem" coins, preferably "Top Tier" slabbed, but not necessarily. I recently won an eBay auction for an 1881-S "DMPL" raw coin which I believed to be ~MS65 condition. Auction images can be deceiving, so I fairly snipe bid to suit. The auction body indicated that the coin was slabbed, but removed for insertion in a "book". I won the auction for a fair price, and received the coin stapled in a 2 x 2 holder. The coin was beyond my expectations, and separately accompanying the coin was the original MS64 DMPL slabbed label. What a surprise!!

I stopped direct submission to the "Top Tier" TPG several years ago when I determined that they were not grading to any consistent standard, especially technical standards. I opined that because of "market standards" and market criticism, second tier TPG often graded to a higher technical standard. I found many raw and 2nd tier TPG "treasures" which biased collectors overlooked.

I thought of resubmitting the coin I won with its original label, which I was certain would grade at least MS65 DMPL, but upon investigation of re-submission terms, costs, delivery schedules, I determined that my "Gem" will remain out of a "Top Tier" TPG slab.

I hope that the biased TPG "allowed statements" trend continues on eBay, as I love exceptional surprises. JMHO :thumb: