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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;ewomack, post: 2888882, member: 15588&quot;]In an age of scary, highly deceptive and sometimes undetectable counterfeits, slabs definitely have value, especially for those who don&#039;t possess sensitive bloodhound senses for forgeries. Since I fall into that less than bloodhound-skilled category, I do not buy raw coins over a certain minimum value. When I purchase a slab I feel far more confident that I&#039;m getting something genuine and graded at least to a somewhat decent degree of accuracy. Of course, before laying down any money, I first examine a slabbed coin as if it didn&#039;t exist in a slab. I do my best. Still, the slab makes it easier for me to purchase something of higher value. At best, it feels like a risk-reducer out in the wild bourses of the world.</p><p><br /></p><p>Challenges with TPGs arise with the notorious &quot;gradeflation&quot; often cited on this site and elsewhere. I&#039;m in no position whatsoever to claim whether this is or is not actually happening, but if it is then this will gradually erode the trust of TPGs in the community. Another phenomenon I&#039;ve heard about but have never personally encountered are fake slabs. Apparently, they&#039;re not hard to fake. Thankfully, online lookup helps counter this as long as one has an internet connection at the time of purchase. Plus, as already said, slabs do quarantine coins for better or worse. The slabs definitely protect them to some degree, of course, but they also inhibit direct handling, which for many lies at the root of numismatic appreciation. Nothing really beats direct contact with a coin that&#039;s 100, 200, 500 or 2,000 years old. Numismatics has a tangible aspect to it and slabs do detract from that. Some may find these trade-offs worth its, others may not. Those who possess more succinct grading skills may see slabs as a waste of time. I really wish I fell into that category, but I don&#039;t, at least not yet. In the meantime, I continue to support slabs while simultaneously understanding their limitations.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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