How to respect a slabbed ancient coin

A few weeks I won a free slabbed ancient beauty courtesy of the great @Brian Bucklan . He had a single request, treat this slabbed coin with great respect. As all of you know, us ancients folks have a deep affection for slabbed coins. So naturally I wanted to take my slabbed beauty on a trip to Cuba, but due to their strict regulations I decided it wasn't worth the risk of spending a week in one of those 5 Star Cuban prisons full of lovely roaches and cuddly rats.

However, I've finally gotten around to showing this beautiful hunk of plastic the respect it deserves.

Here she is with a lovely message for me from Brian Bucklan. Thanks Brian!



Unfortunately upon close inspection (and you can see the discoloration on the obverse shot by the flower design), the patina has become damaged and possibly detached. But that's a small price to pay for having this coin encased in it's glorious plastic penthouse from ICG.

So now that I finally had fulfilled my lifelong dream of having an ancient coin on a slab, I had to decide how to celebrate this momentous occasion the right way, and show my proper respects to the practice of slabbing ancient coins.

I decided that this prestigious slab from ICG could use a deep tissue massage to show it my appreciation for housing this little coin from Rhodes, so I googled "how to give a deep tissue massage to a slab housing an ancient coin" and came up with a big fat NOTHING. Now that wouldn't do, after all, this slab deserved all the gratitude in the world. So I decided to improvise and asked "Mr. Hammer" if he would do the honors for me. Mr. Hammer got right to work and I must say the results were far better than I expected.



After this spa treatment, this slab now knows how much us ancient folks really appreciate its kind, and I'm sure she'll let other slabs know just what a thrilling treat slabs are in for in the hands of us ancients folks. Just look at the image folks, you can really see the loving and tender care that this delightful little slab received at the hands of Mr. Hammer.

And here is the coin itself, and just as I suspected, the obverse patina did get a tiny chip while encased in the slab, but it's really not too bad.


Rhodes AE10. (1.02g)
ca 394-304 BC.
P-O either side of rose, S to left / rose.
SNG Cop 248


Excuse my lack of photography skills, but these tiny little coins are a pain to photograph and this is the best I could do with my award winning photography skills acquired from 30 seconds worth of photography lessons. Please note the coin is a darker olive color in hand, but I lightened it to make it easier to view the details.

Note: No slabs were harmed in the making of this thread...except for one.

And thanks again Brian for the free coin. I hope the great respect I showed the slab leaves you reassured that your treasured gift went to the right home.

 

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I actually read this sentence a couple of times before I moved on; but, I was still scratching my head wondering what in the world you were talking about!

When I got down to the photograph of the cracked open slab, I had the best laugh of the day (and I had a few today!).

I like your little coin. It's very cute. Congratulations on getting it. And thanks for the entertaining story.

 

If it makes you feel any better there are many people who actually love slabbed coins that wouldn't consider a coin from this particular grading company as legitimately "slabbed". So, if it makes you feel any better, even folks who love slabs think you did the right thing by "freeing" this coin and don't consider you a slab assassin . . . it was more of a mercy killing.

 

I only have one slabbed coin. I have shown it here before but will repeat it for new folks. Can you see why I have not broken this out? Unfortunately I do not have a photo of the full slab. I have no photo skills through plastic.

 

Well done Sallent. You freed something that was meant to be free.........

 

I hope we anti-slab ancient collectors are not fighting a lost cause. Will the onslaught of slabs in the ancient coin community result in their eventual triumph? Will those of us who still handle their coins 20 or 30 years from now be looked upon as quaint antiquarians? I hope not. It would be interesting to know where the community stands on this issue, if such a thing is possible.

 

Oh, I think the 'community' is quite clear, in this neck of the woods. Folks want to hold, have, and touch what's they's got's.......

 

I think the "experts" at National Numismatic Certification must have had a run-in with Sallent's Mr. Hammer at some point...

 

An awesome show of respect, Sallent, well done!!

(NB - I always love your posts, but I would love them even more if you spelled certain words "tiny" and "shiny" rather than "tinny" and "shinny"... )

 

Yeah, on CT it's overwhelmingly anti-slab. I just hope in the larger ancient community it is as well.

 

Nice Breakout!

 

I have to install spell check in my tablet. My spelling has always left a little to be desired, but in my defense English is my second language. However, I'm glad you enjoy my threads. I always try to put a little effort into them to try to make them educational or entertaining. Not sure if I always succeed at it, but I try.

 

I think you always succeed! And your spelling is consistently impeccable, except for that one "tiny" thing. Mostly with "shiny" as "shinny". "Shinny" means something very different to us Canucks, as you'll discover if you google it.

 

Curiously, like the 'Battle of the Bulge'...........

 

"I'm Mister Crowbar. And this is my friend, who is also a crowbar."



I did once voluntarily buy a slabbed ancient, a scarce early Parthian drachm certified by ICG. I believe it lasted almost half an hour inside its plastic prison before I was able to liberate it.

 

Good job! Love it!
The only ancient coin (a beautiful Corinthian stater) that I had slabed was freed for me just few months ago...it was a indescribable pleasure...

 

Well, every rule has its exception!

 

Freedom!

 

I hope you find an NGC like that one