Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;CamaroDMD, post: 2888818, member: 5233&quot;]I have been a member of this forum for a long time...more than a decade now.&nbsp; Many things have changed in that time.&nbsp; We have gotten new software, staff has come and gone, friends have passed on, and Doug has gotten even crankier.&nbsp; But, one thing seems consistent throughout all this time.&nbsp; There is an overwhelming view here that TPG slabs have no value.&nbsp;&nbsp; I completely disagree with that and I want to attempt and explain my reasoning.</p><p><br /></p><p>We hear all the time here...&quot;buy the coin, not the slab.&quot;&nbsp; I think that is awesome advice.&nbsp; A numismatist is someone who studies coins...not someone who blindly buys them.&nbsp; Knowledge is the cornerstone upon which this field is based.&nbsp; Anyway one who blindly trusts the label on a slab is not behaving like a numismatist should.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Of course, at one time or another we were all beginners.&nbsp; It&#039;s easy to forget about the time when we didn&#039;t know what we know today.&nbsp; We learned our knowledge over years.&nbsp; Reading books, studying coins, and learning from those who were willing to share what they knew.&nbsp; Even those among us who have been doing this for decades or even centuries (not going to name names) are still learning.&nbsp; It never ends.</p><p><br /></p><p>In my opinion, the TPGs are another learning tool.&nbsp; Like it or not, the big name TPGs and CAC have become a powerful force in the world of numismatics.&nbsp; Their grading standards (although different from the ANA) are widely accepted.&nbsp; Studying how they grade coins will make someone more knowledgeable. </p><p><br /></p><p>But, they are more than a learning tool.&nbsp; They do have value in themselves.&nbsp; It&#039;s common to hear around CT that &quot;the slab doesn&#039;t add value to the coin&quot; or &quot;it&#039;s the same coin with or without the slab.&quot;&nbsp; Both statements are totally true.&nbsp; The coin is identical slabbed or not...and worth the same either way.&nbsp; But, that doesn&#039;t mean the slab is worthless.&nbsp; The slab is a certification from a recognized group of numismatists to the quality of the coin.&nbsp; It&#039;s the evaluation by an expert that the coin is genuine and of a specific quality.&nbsp; That evaluation has value of it&#039;s own.&nbsp; Put together as a tangible package...that package is worth more than just the coin alone.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Now, has this been used as a crutch by those who don&#039;t want to do the work and learn how to be a numismatist?&nbsp; Yes.&nbsp; Is that bad for the field?&nbsp; I honestly don&#039;t know.&nbsp; In my mind...there is a difference between someone who is a numismatist and someone who collects coins.&nbsp; I would like to think I am in the former category...some of you might disagree.&nbsp; I personally don&#039;t think the TPGs have affected the numismatists that much...but they certainly have affected the coin collectors.&nbsp; I do think TPGs make it easier to collect coins and not become a numismatist...but I don&#039;t see the point in that.</p><p><br /></p><p>At the end of the day, I do believe that educating yourself is very important.&nbsp; If you choose not to...you are missing out on the best part of this field.&nbsp; One should be able to evaluate a coin and decide if they believe it is properly graded regardless of what the slab says before buying it.&nbsp; But, just because someone should do that...does not make the expert opinion on the slab valueless.&nbsp; Therefore, I believe slabs have value.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in