Seleukid Antiochus VII Tetradrachm - NGC slab is a conundrum

My new coin presents a bit of a conundrum. It is a high grade example with just a couple issues. I’d like to just keep it in the existing slab & have fun with it as it is. Unfortunately, I may need to mess with it before finally placing the coin in the collection.

#1 There is no weight or dimension listed on the slab. Also, the slab does not include the desired “edge view” feature.

#2 IMO The value of the item is enhanced by the NGC AU slab grade. If I remove it from the slab, it will be a raw coin that looks freshly cleaned. (It is what it is).

#3 IMO the coin could use some time to re-tone in a cabinet without the protection of the slab plastic. (Unfortunately, this would require that I crack it & loose the added value that the NGC slab provides).

#4 The slab insert is yellow around the coin indicating the coin has out-gassed something. The coin should probably be turned over to NCS for conservation (neutralizing) and then placed in a new edge view slab with the same grade. (Unfortunately, this will cost $).

Perhaps I should just accept the lowered value & crack it out of the slab myself. I am more than capable of neutralizing the coin & storing it raw.

Of course much of this is just opinion on my part. BTW, This slab is my second Antiochus VII. I could always sell it cheap to some lucky person at CT & reinvest in something that I don’t have to mess with.

 

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This photo better depicts the yellow color that is on the NGC insert:

 

You could do what I do and just crack it out, but keep the label with the coin. Keep the photos you posted here too incase you choose to sell it and have it as proof it was once slabbed but you cracked it out for your reasons.

Other then that black spot, its a nice coin.

 

I like the coin.
Does anyone have a timeline on the NGC Ancient slab differentiation? When did they go from this variation to the G-Au, then the G-Au to the 1/5-5/5 scale? Do you have a reverse image?

 

Well, I can only tell you what I would do. Crack it out, measure it, then give it a nice long bath in distilled water to let it finish outgassing, if that's what it is. Distilled water won't hurt it. Dry it completely, then let it be. In my opinion, it doesn't need any toning.

A serious collector of ancients certainly won't care if it's raw. Most of us shy away from paying premiums for slabbed coins. If you want some sort of authentication without the deplorable plastic, send it to David Sear.

 

If you wanted to sell this coin to ME, I would pay you less because of the slab. Its ugly, its the wrong grade, and takes up too much room. Plus, like you said, you wish to improve the coin and can't because of the slab. Like John alluded to, many of us actually pay less due to the slab, not more. I consider $50 to be my, "I have to crack it out of the slab so that is a PITA fee". Slabs are really wanted for inexperienced collectors who are unsure of what they are doing. If you like the grade, like Mat said keep the label.

 

This is the earlier "Money of the Bible" holder and it is COMPLETE BS. Trust me, it does NOT add any value and, as medoraman said, detracts from the value to any halfway knowledgable collector.

I like to think that I maintain a fairly accepting view of slabs in general. That being said, this early attempt at encapsulating ancients was an utter failure, both from a promotional and from a grading standpoint. A modern, edge-view slabbed, encapsulated after Vagi joined NGC would likely add value to a common, mid-value coin such as the present example, but not this junky old piece of plastic.

If you like the slabs so much, break it out and resubmit it. Heck, they'll even take it in the plastic.

 

"Money of the Bible." During the intertestamental period? haha. Maybe the Maccabbees

 

Hee hee.

 

I'd crack it out as well.....must ...touch ...coin.

if you're probably not going to sell it slab don't matter. if you did sell it, what's the chance that the buyer will be someone that values the slab? fairly low I would guess.

whatever you do...it's a beauty.

 

That's a sweet AR example ... congrats (release the hound!!)

I have an Antiochos VI & VIII example (145-125 BC) ... sadly, not a "VII" ...

Ummm sure, they're fairly lower-end AEs, but they're still very cool, my coin-friend ...

Cheers, brother ...

 

I'll join the chorus. I would crack it out and save the NGC labels. I wouldn't be surprised if the dark spot on the Adam's apple is an adhesion that would come off. It will be better after it tones down a bit in the air, and the slab does not make it worth more to real collectors. Liberate it!

 

Thanks to all for the fine coin complements & coin advice.

I think the slab makes the coin more liquid (not necessarily more valuable as I stated in error above). It is only a $300 coin IMO. I'll either find someone that wants it (as is) or I will crack it out & keep it.

I don't have an answer for iamtiberius. I haven't seen any slab history data that includes ancients and edge view. It is a good question for Conder101. Here is the slab reverse:

 

I am just curious of what chemical on the coin cause the yellow discoloration. I imagine cleaning chemicals. Another good reason to let the coni breath free, to let these chemicals evaporate and leave the coins surface.

 

I would write NGC and state that you believe they are at fault for the yellow stain and not properly handling the coin in the slabbing process. Perhaps, they would see fit to reslabbing the coin and correcting their earlier error at their expense. That having occurred, you would have evidence that they really are or are not the professional outfit that they would like us to believe thy are. If I were a slab company, I would be anxious to buy back mistakes of any sort since I am trying to convince people that slabs are the way to go for the long haul. If they don't stand behind their earlier product, why should I have any reason to believe they should be taken seriously in the future? I understand why they can't offer a money back guarantee on authenticity but they should be expected to do more than shove a coin between a couple sheets of plastic and cash your check.

Where do you get the idea this coin is worth $300? Successfully removed from the slab and properly conserved, maybe, but as it is with no weight or knowledge of the edge situation, I would not go near it.

 

As usual, Doug's post is full of gooey goodness. This is just one of the good points IMO.

 

That shell was from the Nov 2004 to early 2008 period I believe. The coin was probably slabbed toward the end of that period and I believe before they "officially" started slabbing ancients. The edgeview holders for all coins was rolled out in Sept 2008, but did take awhile before all coins were in them. The grading of ancients did not begin officially until Jan 2009 some four months after the edgeviews began. And in NGC's announcements about the ancient coin grading they said that edgeview holders would be used whenever possible. The coin in question here is close enough to round that edgeviews should have been possible. Also NGC slabbed ancients normally come with a different type label. So again I suspect this coin was slabbed after Nov 2004 and BEFORE they began officially slabbing ancients. it was probably done for a major bulk submitter who was wanting to run a "Coins of the Bible" promotion.

 

He probably got the idea from other price references from around the web. Like this lesser conditioned tet in the same slab type that sold for $345 back in 2010.
http://www.davidlawrence.com/inventory/viewitem.cfm/inventory/305731/inm/Ancient-Greek-Syria:-138-129-BC-Tetradrachm-NGC-AU-Antiochus-VII-ex:-Money-of-the-Bible-(p.38)/snm/Ancient-Greek-Syria/gnm/Ancient-Coinage/lotid/838622

or this slightly lesser conditioned tet in the same slab type currently on Ebay for a BIN price of $389 (with the same chemical yellowing)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ancient-Gre...ble-2039-/271559531504?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

or this much lesser conditioned tet in the same slab type that sold for $195 through Heritage Auctions in 2012
https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=324&lot=25441

Regardless of one's views on these slabs or the lack of "side views," the coin is still worth what many people apparently are willing to pay for it. As far as the weight, I would tend to trust NGC's method and am sure the coin was weighed before encasement. In spite of the lack of info provided on the slab, the few individuals who slabbed these Antiochus VII tets have handled dozens or hundreds more than I ever have and do so for a living. As far as determining authenticity, I would trust their assessment over my own.

I think $300 is a great estimate in current condition. You might even be able to get a little bit more if advertised to the right crowd, through auction. I would also email the appropriate contact at NGC to see if they would re-slab it at their expense.

 

Closer to $225 would be a more suitable price, in my opinion.