Reply to Thread

Message:: [QUOTE="mark_h, post: 778907, member: 3726"]While learning to grade I agree with your strategy.  Others may not like it, but learning to grade is not so easy on some coins.  So, I would say continue to collect coins in slabs - just make sure you think the coin in the slab meets that grade.  But always look at as many coins as possible and try to learn grading.  One day you will probably be comfortable buying raw coins, but stick with your current strategy until you have this comfort.  I said this in another thread, but I find it thrilling to find a nice raw coin and get it graded at (or near) what I think it is. I do not do this with every coin I get, but some coins I will get slabbed. I have 10 or 15 I will try this year.  Plus - some coins are very hard to tell if they are cleaned(especially in pictures).  I know it takes lots of practise and patience and looking at coins, but it will take years to perfect it - plus I like collecting now.  So I will make mistakes with some of my raw coins, but hopefully I keep learning.  Do the slabs make the coin impersonal??? Not to me - you fondle that raw coin too much, you could put wear on it, or drool on it or maybe even drop it. The slab does offer some protection and I like that.  I have several sets going - some raw and some graded. Usually the higher graded stuff is(or will be) slabbed. This is only my preference and my opinion.[/QUOTE]