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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 3289341, member: 19463&quot;]I believe that the lack of information on slabs is consistent with the reason for their existence in the first place.&nbsp; Ancient slabs were created to open the hobby to a new market --- people who knew nothing about ancients and were disinclined or afraid of the subject.&nbsp; They were not for you and I but for people more likely to be turned off by too much information.&nbsp; Slabs provide a security blanket but should not remind the target market of a parent or teacher nagging about doing your homework.&nbsp; In the pre-slab days, the collecting of ancient coins was&nbsp; reserved for people who wanted to learn about their coins and usually the history that went with them.&nbsp; Slabs opened the door for those who could care less about anything beyond the basics and that all important MS grade.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>David Sear offered an extra cost option with his basic certification where the purchaser was given a bit more explanation/education about the coin.&nbsp; I have seen very few of these and have no idea how many people paid the extra for this service.&nbsp; Today we see certificates by some sellers that include the full Wikipedia blurb brought to you by that modern invention &#039;cut and paste&#039;.&nbsp; Now anyone can have all the text imaginable right at hand whether or not it is ever read or understood.&nbsp;&nbsp; The price is right.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Asking the slabbers to reflect on everything pertinent to every coin submitted would only slow them us and raise the price.&nbsp; This might have been reasonable to expect when David Sear started issuing certificates 40+ years ago but now the demand for quantity outstrips the demand for data.&nbsp; If only we could program a computer to scan, identify and grade coins, the appropriate bar code could be generated to the Wikipedia page and send the product straight to encapsulation.&nbsp; Then we could do away with those pesky experts altogether.&nbsp; After a generation of people raised on only the info that fits, they will be deemed unnecessary expenses.&nbsp; Progress will not leave our hobby unchanged.&nbsp; Think now while it is still fashionable in some circles.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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