Does it make sense to keep MS ancients in slabs?

I suppose we will have to respectfully disagree here; concerning the differences in our perception of the OP's motives in starting a new 'slab' related post every week.

 

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It's even worse for slabbed coins offered on ebay! I agree that @Gam3rBlake should take that offer if it's still out there. She could buy at least two equally nice Attic tetradrachms from reputable dealers with that money, and still have quite a bit left over. And, yes, there are lots of dealers I trust on authenticity as much as NGC. Plus, they guarantee it, as V-Coins requires.

 

Thanks for the information. I wasn't aware that they sold storage supplies.

 

Oh my bad I do remember someone saying I should accept I just forgot who.

I do try to listen to the advice I receive but many times I get advice that contradicts what I’ve seen or heard elsewhere so I certainly bring up that fact.

It doesn’t help that some people troll and give me bad advice on purpose so if something doesn’t make sense to me I say so and hope for further elaboration until it makes sense to me or I find out I’m just being trolled.

 

Yup I’ve used the word “slab” in a post at least 3 times in the roughly 2 years I’ve been on this forum.

When will I ever learn that I am only supposed to ask one question per topic?

In the US Coins forum I’m waiting until I have a REALLY good question about Morgan Dollars since I know once I ask a question about Morgan Dollars I’ll be accused of being a troll by the grumpy old men if I ever even mention the word Morgan Dollar again.

This forum really should put up a notice telling people that they can only ask one question per topic per year so people know to ask their best question first.

You would hate the US Coin forum though. It would be seriously triggering your troll radar seeing all those people posting the same photo of Morgan Dollars over and over again with different dates & mints.

 

Suggestions that you don't agree with, are not bad advice.

Who has purposely given you bad advice, Blake...? What was the bad advice?

It's really quite disheartening to read such words. Personally, I have tried to recommend good, free sources which one can use.

I think the benefit of the doubt only goes so far.

 

I know suggestions I don’t agree with aren’t bad advice. I never once thought they were. But often people think just because I question what they say for more elaboration/explanation it means I’m challenging them. I’m not. I’m trying to understand.

Like with the slabbing thing. People will say all the reasons slabs are bad and so I’ll follow up by mentioning some things I think are beneficial based on my experience with US coinage not to argue or refute what the person said but rather to see why they think those benefits aren’t worth it. Or if I’m mistaken on some of those things I believe are benefits.

Oh and I am not saying it was you but I go on a lot of different forums and I’ve experienced people either sarcastically give me bad advice (without me knowing it was sarcasm until later) or just trolling.

When I first signed up I asked if I should clean my coins and someone “jokingly” said “use toothpaste and a toothbrush”.

It’s hard to tell sarcasm/joking online without being able to read body language. If I was having people answer me face to face I could tell much easier whether they were serious and trying to help or just have a laugh at my expense.

I didn’t know they were joking but assumed they were telling me the truth and ended up using toothpaste on one of my coins.

 

Well, I think a fundamental function of a forum is to provide a venue to ask questions, even if they have been raised before. Participation should not be restrained for fear of being repetitive. Of course, a response to an often repeated question or topic could be to direct the member to a thread that has covered the question or topic. On the other hand, even an often repeated question can elicit responses from other members that provide information or a perspective not included in an older thread.

We are all human beings with different temperaments, backgrounds, preferences and views; that's what makes us unique individuals. As with so many things in life, communicating with members requires forbearance, patience, understanding, and respect.

 

I think, it's an interesting question.
I think it's interesting, to read the various responses, in this thread.
I think it's interesting, to read arguments, both for and against, slabbing.
For your particular question, about slabbing high grade ancient coins, maybe it's a matter of taste.
Currently, I prefer my ancient coins to be naked, un-slabbed, un-encapsulated, not air tight, and not in coin flips. I just put the coins, in Abafil velvet coin trays. And I put the Abafil coin trays, in Abafil coin cases.
Even if the coins are blast white near-mint-state or "MS" silver coins.
That's just my personal preference, for ancient coins.
For bronze ancient coins, I prefer patina, rather than shiny. Because I think a patina, makes a bronze ancient coin look old and authentic. And I like the look of it. I like authentic patina. I don't like fake patina.
For silver ancient coins, I like both shiny and toned.
For gold ancient coins, I like both shiny and toned.
But even for my blast white near-mint-state or "MS" ancient silver coins, I don't slab them or encapsulate them or air-tight them. If they tone, then that's fine with me. I have enjoyed them, when they were shiny, and I will enjoy them, when they are toned.
All of this, is just my personal preference.

 

P.S. : As for dropping or scratching ancient coins, I don't worry too much about that. When I hold an ancient coin, I usually hold the coin over a velvet tray, or some other soft surface. And I don't think I am likely to scratch an ancient coin, unless I drop one coin on top of another coin. But even if I were to drop and break or dent an ancient coin or two, or scratch an ancient coin or two, it still wouldn't be worth it to me, to put my ancient coins in slabs or capsules or air-tights. All of this, is just my personal preference.

 

they should add "lolz"

 

always use a carpet when examining coins lolz!

 

I like the air tights and crack open slabs. I kept a few of the inserts with the grade but toss those too and just keep the NGC reference in my records. Nothing exudes sophistication at a cocktail party like revealing a Solidus and associated rhetoric about the time period.

It may help marketability but I buy what I like and resale is a lower priority. This type of analysis I leave for stocks, bonds or funds.

To each their own!

 

Sometimes flips and sometimes envelopes. I don't have anything slabbed, though I have purchased some of them and remove them from the slab.

 

Can you only make offers on heritage solds that have the button underneath them for “make offer” or is it possible to make offers on all heritage solds?

 

Nah it’s only the things that people choose to sell. They can set “not taking offers” if they don’t want to sell certain things.

 

I think I’m in a unique situation that
most people here aren’t.

My nephews are 4 & 6 and they are showing an interest in collecting state quarters.

I am trying to motivate them to keep collecting and I like to let them see my coins. But they always have sticky stuff on their hands or Cheetohs orange powder or something and I don’t want that to get on my coins so I feel like the slab keeps the coins safe and I can let them hold the slab and look at the coin without worrying about my coin getting dirty, sticky or damaged by accident.

 

Or, you could ask them to wash their hands before handling any coins.

But seriously, part of the joy of ancient coin collecting is be able to hold in one's hands a piece of tangible history. It's much more awe inspiring than a piece of plastic.

 

A Mylar flip, 2x2, or airtight will also keep a coin safe from sticky fingers.

If you want your ancients graded and slabbed, that's up to you. But I think you see how most experienced ancient collectors feel about slabs from this thread. You can keep trying to convince them that slabbing is necessary (protection against toning, damage, toddlers, etc), but don't get upset if you get a less than encouraging response. From the minting process and metallurgy, to the history and survivability, a Denarius is significantly different from a Morgan Dollar or MS-70 Silver Eagle.

 

I‘m not trying to convince anyone of anything. I was simply asking if it’s different for MS coins since a lot of people like to touch ancient coins but an MS coin is one of those coins that touching can be bad to do.