You mean the way you collect? Slabs with numbers and characters on them that just so happen to have coins in them? Collect what you like. Lol.
I'm not putting words in your mouth, just reading between the lines of your condescending remarks. Who cares that sample slab collectors are collecting slabs and not coins it makes them happy and that's what they enjoy. Everyone else is collecting coins. I can't think of a single entity blindly buying up coins without any regard to their quality or what they are holding them for price increases. That's what investment buying would be from someone not caring about the coin at all. I'll never understand why some collectors feel the need to be demeaning towards how others collect.
This is how I like my coins. Nothing between me and the coin. Whenever I hold these I cannot help but think of those who came before. Many of the coins below are over 1000 years old. Just imagine whose hands these passed through. What did they buy with them? What wars were financed with some of these gold coins? There are coins below of momentous figures of history such as Saladin, Sulayman the magnificent , and Al-Mansur-the founder of Bagdhad. There are Roman emperors such as Valens and Valentinian-brothers who each ruled a portion of the empire. I hold my coins. The sense of history I get from them is why I collect.
Bottom line collect what YOU like. I have no problem buying a slabbed coin to put in my collection. I just crack it out and put it in a 2X2. That’s my way. That coin isn’t any different in or out of a slab except it’s always worth more graded and installed in a holder by a reliable grading firm. If you put a coin in your collection there is only so many ways to acquire it. You can find it, be givin it or buy it. So why does it matter if it’s slabbed or not you still bought it and that’s one of the ways to get a coin in your collection that’s all that matters after all. It is much safer for those with not so strong grading skills to buy Slabbed coins, always best to make the wise choice
And there's nothing wrong with that. Ancients are a different animal when it comes to grading anyway its an apple and oranges comparison with them and classics/moderns. My only point was there's no reason to be negative towards collectors who don't do it that way especially when it's in a completely different area
Oh ya I forgot, collecting the slabs themselves is just like coin board collecting who thought but now some of the boards are in the 4 figure range. Collecting is collecting we just hoard little flat round metallic disks. Some people collect gum wrappers who are thee to judge?
And about your gold coins ya I’d handle um too. You can do that with circulated gold try doing that with some raw original Morgan’s and in 20 years or less you’d have a mess on your hands finger marks galore! You wouldn’t even dare with some raw red cents you pick the size. Bottom line is you have to handle your collection as it is unique to you. Mine is completely different and if I handled my coins like they were circulated gold I would destroy them. I would not be a very responsible numismatist now would I and isn’t the conservation and enjoyment of coinage the primary objective of a numismatist?
Get a nice folder, like a Dansco. Keep them raw. Saves you a whole bunch of money and hassle, and still makes for a really nice presentation.