I've collected unslabbed coins for about 20 years, but finally broke down an bought an NGC graded buffalo. Having never held a slab in my hands, how do you tell if it has been tampered with? This slab has these imperfections on the edges that you can see in the photo. There are one each on the top and bottom center and 2-3 on the left and right. Are these normal or should I be concerned? Thanks, Bill
I'm not sure, but I would imagine that those areas have to do with the sealing process when the holder is fused.
I beleive Shortgapbob is probably right. I only own a few slabbed coins, but mine all have similar looking "imperfections"
You need to examine the seam on the side and even then it is sometime hard to tell for sure! It may be distortion due to the coin being in the holder but it sure does not look like an MS-70 to me!
That looks like a normal NGC slab to me. Like has been said, I don't think NGC's slabs open very easily and you would know. Those whitish areas, or areas of cloudiness that you see on the seam of the holder look like all of my NGC slabs. I think it's an effect of the sonic sealing process. Sometimes, you even get little areas that look melted or a little bubbly along the edges of the slab. All of this is normal I believe.
From that angle it looks totally normal to me, like any number of NGC holders I've owned over the years.
Howdy Bill!---Long time no see!!! The coin looks fine---slabs are sonically sealed and sometimes, or let me say most of the time, that is what it looks like. Speedy
Bill, the slab looks like pretty much every slab from NGC I have seen. You will see imperfections like that on slabs from all the companies on the edges. : )
looks good to me, most of the time if someone has tampered with the seal you can at least find some pry marks in the seam
