This is my first time ever handling a slabbed coin, let alone owning one... but I found this ANACS slabbed Augustus being offered with some truly awful photos on eBay the other day, which you can see in the bottom thumbnails, sock included. It didn't attract much attention, and it went for what I feel is a low price for the type, regardless of condition. It's fully recognizable and identifiable, and I think the obverse actually looks pretty good. From what I can tell, the left facing portrait is fairly rare. I don't have the slightest clue what the grade of 'VG 8' means, and the mint attribution on the slab is wrong, but I feel pretty happy with it. I'm experiencing a dilemma of whether I want to keep it slabbed, since I don't have any other coins like that, or whether to break it free and keep it in a flip. Augustus Denarius Obverse: Augustus, oak-wreathed left Reverse: CAESAR AVGVSTVS in two lines above and below two laurel-branches RIC 33b, Minted in Spain (Colonia Caesaraugusta?) in 18-19 BC
Today is the first night of Passover, when Jews celebrate liberation from bondage in Egypt. Seems a good time to vote FREEDOM.
If the coin was in better condition, and I wanted it to be the representative example for Augustus in my collection, then I'd leave it in the slab................ I would then send that slab to NGC to be re-slabbed....................... DON'T HATE ME!!!!!
Slab-free!!!!!!!!!! https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...2C5F4CCDBE9E6AD4514F2C5F4CCDBE9E&&FORM=VRDGAR
If you free it from the slab and discover it is fourree, you can't prove that the company that slabbed it made a mistake. If you free it and decide I am just an old fool for suggesting they might not know what fourree means, you would prove nothing not already in the general knowledge. If the coin were mine, I'd keep it in the slab or sell it to someone who would appreciate it that way.
I agree with Cucumbor. For slabbed MS coins its a different ball game. These coins should never be handled, exposed to fingers/ even more so with MS copper/ silver coins to prevent oxidation/ contact. Slabs are best way to store coins.
I believe it is just a lamination issue, rather than being a fouree, but I could be wrong. Considering that the attribution on the label is wrong, I wouldn't be surprised to see a fouree slabbed without note, though. I'm surprised by how one sided the poll is. I'm not planning on selling it, since I'm happy with it even in its worn condition, so I will probably free it. The only advantage to the slab is feeling better about showing it off to people who don't know how to handle coins (my Latin professor has borrowed coins from me to show to younger students before). Appreciate all the input! Just hope I can get it out safely when I do.
