Raw coins vs graded encapsulated

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by Rick B, Jul 11, 2020.

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  1. Thomas R Reynolds

    Thomas R Reynolds Active Member

    I collect both ways. But rule of thumb is "If its expensive I buy it slabbed and graded", meaning anything over $50. Now, with the internet buying and lack of shows its easy to get ripped off because a lot of these dealers don't know the first thing about buying or selling coins. Just my thoughts!
     
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  3. chascat

    chascat Well-Known Member

    I agree 100%...there are certain coins which belong in slabs and many more which probably don't. I wouldn't buy a trade dollar unless it were slabed, or a rare or very expensive coin either, but I have a lot of Dansco Albums which I prefer for general collections...I can see them, compare them with their mates, and enjoy them without handling them, and they store very well in the folders.
     
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  4. wxcoin

    wxcoin Getting no respect since I was a baby

    I collect both raw (for albums) and slabbed coins. Unfortunately, it has become more difficult to find high grade semi key and key raw coins to fill some album slots; my guess is most of them have been slabbed by now. Those that do come up online are most likely details coins. Do I care? Yes and no. I've filled in some early series slots on my type album with details coins (cracked them out of slabs). I won't crack out higher value straight graded coins from their slabs; selling them raw down the road will most likely result in getting less in return. However, I will no longer take a chance spending a lot of money on a raw semi key or key raw coin from an online seller. My experience has been that most have been cleaned. Pictures can be deceiving; some pictures are of high quality but probably manipulated and some are of very poor quality. I cringe when I see raw coins in online auctions getting bids that are as high or higher than a similar coin already in a slab, graded by one the major TPGs. One particular eBay seller (I won't mention here) continually sells raw coins in their auctions at ridiculously high prices and have done so for years. Their pictures are very deceiving. I learned my lesson after buying a few mint state three cent nickels from them that ended up being details (cleaned) coins. I couldn't tell that they were cleaned from the pictures they used (pictures can be enhanced/manipulated).
     
  5. Tusky Ranger

    Tusky Ranger Active Member

    This is a subject I've gone back/forth with time after time; in mind. Everyone has their way. I've pretty much settled on the Morgan dollars and ASE's as my primary collections. Unfortunately I like both slabbed/raw coins. For my ASE's I have both a raw (mint state) and slabbed set. I do break out coins; esp the Morgans as I only have a raw collection; except for the CC's which I have a slabbed and raw set. Yes..they do cost more, but...I feel a whole lot safer with a slabbed coin (understood that even those require scrutiny at times). I just bought an PCGS AU-55 CAC 1893-P Morgan. I haven't broke it out yet...Im having an "internal battle" on whether I should or should not do this. I may keep it and buy a "hole filler" instead. More battle to do! Like others here, I really have no one to leave these coins to - hopefully I can get back a good chunk of what I have put in to it. In the end...the joy and satisfaction of collecting any coin that suits my fancy, slabbed or raw, is what counts...for ME.
     
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  6. Cachecoins

    Cachecoins Historia Moneta

    I avoid slabs...
     
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  7. schnickelfritz48

    schnickelfritz48 Well-Known Member

    I prefer to buy raw coins, and I trust my own judgement over any professionally graded coin service. I don't exclude buying a slabbed coin, but I won't pay a premium for it. It's my money, and I'll spend it the way I see best fit. Period!
     
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  8. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

    Why not mention the ebayer's name? We should always warn each other in my opinion.
     
    Pickin and Grinin likes this.
  9. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

    Some of you say you break out coins from their slabs. Can you share how you do it? Thanks.
     
  10. Phil's Coins

    Phil's Coins Well-Known Member

    If collecting as a hobby go for raw and save the $$ from having a TPG grade them. IF it is for investing then in my humble opinion you need to have them certified. Either way enjoy the hobby as a hobbyist or as an investor. either way you get to enjoy seeing many different coins.
    Semper Fi
    Phil
     
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  11. LA_Geezer

    LA_Geezer Well-Known Member

    My '55-S came from circulation, too, but not in 1955...more like 1957 or 8. In fact, the lion's share of my Lincoln Cent collection came from circulation.
     
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  12. wxcoin

    wxcoin Getting no respect since I was a baby

    There has been at least one thread here on CT about this particular great southern Texas seller. Obviously some people are happy with them as they seem to get a lot of bidders in their auctions which have been going on for years.
     
  13. GoldFinger1969

    GoldFinger1969 Well-Known Member

    RickB, what coins do you collect and what are their price range and average price ?

    I'm wondering if you feel comfortable buying a 4- or 5-figure coin raw.
     
  14. TypeCoin971793

    TypeCoin971793 Just a random guy on the internet

    Not a lot, but enough to be concerned about the quality of modern counterfeits.

    So you would actually prefer a market where it is much harder to learn how to grade, cleaned coins are sold as AU/UNCs, dealers buy at a grade low and sell at a grade high, and problems are generally ignored if not severe? I don’t like the TPGs either, but to think that the alternative is better is foolish.

    Take out the investors who don’t care for coins other than as commodities, and you will still have the majority of collectors ignorant on how to grade. Taking away the TPGs won’t force them to learn how to grade themselves. They will still depend on someone else to learn for them. Without the TPGs, it would just be much easier to be taken for a ride
     
  15. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

    LOL! I'm a newbie. I would need to get a lot more experienced to do that, and then I would also get the opinion of an expert, like Jeff Garrett (who has given me advice on even extremely low priced coins), or other experts. But I would still do raw if I was confident about my experience and could get expert advice. Or I would buy it slabbed and maybe break it out. Anyway, I'm not there yet!
    Right now all I'm focusing on is Walking Liberties. I have only purchased two coins so far! Both under $30.
     
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  16. TypeCoin971793

    TypeCoin971793 Just a random guy on the internet

    Imagine if every dealer was like this. Before the TPGs, most were. The TPGs hold them accountable.
     
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  17. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

    Looking at my profile and I do not see how to do what others have done, such as having automatic quotes under all their posts and having quotes under their screen names. ???
     
  18. Inspector43

    Inspector43 Celebrating 75 Years Active Collecting Supporter

    Me to. I found nice examples in circulation every year.
     
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  19. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

    A lot of good points about TPG's. Again, I'm a newbie so I may change my tune over time. I'm allowing for that! But I think I'll always prefer raw. But I may indulge in slabs some day for higher priced coins. We'll see.
     
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  20. Mr.Q

    Mr.Q Well-Known Member

    I was advised by two numismatist if I purchase a slabbed coin for breakout remove the certification tabs carefully and place them in a safe place or even in the album or folder you did the breakout for. At least you have proof the coin was once certified and the TPG's serial number to check it out. Good luck
     
  21. kanga

    kanga 65 Year Collector

    I'm about as close to collecting only coins in slabs as is reasonable.

    1. In part that's because my #1 collection is a type set and there's no way I can become proficient in detecting counterfeits of all the US issues.

    2. Experience has also shown me I cannot always detect Details (particularly cleaned) coins.

    My only exception to slabbed coins is my World Birth Year set.
    Most of them are raw and I KNOW many don't have original surfaces.
    But that's okay since they generally are inexpensive.
    Any expensive ones I buy slabbed.
    For example my 1941 Great Britain Maundy set is slabbed.

    I'm sliding into EAC coins (early US Copper) which sort of has me on the fence.
    Many (most?) EAC collectors do not deal with slabbed coins.

    I've deal with Tom Reynolds; he doesn't.
    I've looked a Butternut; he doesn't.
    Chris McCawley is beginning to, especially with upper end material.

    I can't see myself changing.
     
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