I know I've read about "sample" holders before, but a search on CT and at the NGC site don't explain what exactly it is. Was it a "trial" slab? Slabbed coins given out at coin shows? Other? Just curious as I ran across this one at an auction. The cert # comes back as a sample. The coin itself is abhorrent, but at least it's silver.
Sample slabs can be any number of things from being given out at shows as advertisement, to lunch events, to promotion of a new holder improvement etc.
I'm going to suggest that most slabs handed out at lunches, meetings, etc. are more like souvenirs. Samples are just that. They are given out to display the product. That raises an interesting question. I put any "sample" given out at a specific show with a label that ID's it as such to actually be a souvenir. Thus, IMO the word "Sample" should be on the label to be a true example. Unfortunately, I have some slabs given out with "Sample" and the specific show. What do you think. Am I being to narrow minded?
I agree sample does need to be on the label for it to be one otherwise its a souvenir/gift/giveaway whatever you want to call it. I think you're overthinking it in terms of having the shows on the label to. For about a decade now shows have been added to labels and was something people wanted. Having that added to a sample label doesnt make it not a sample. You dont go to Costco and get souvenirs from the free stuff to try. If someone is giving out something like MS 64 2021 Dimes its not a sample anymore its a finished product that you could call souvenir/gift/giveaway etc
