I'm watching a coin being auctioned and it's in a "1st gen" (supposedly) OGH holder. I really couldn't care less about the holder the coin is in, but I'm wondering what kind of bidding craziness I can expect from people who are more interested in the holder than the coin. Anybody got any "rule of thumb" metrics on that?
I would guess the less expensive the coin, the higher the premium percentage. It's also possible I have no idea what I'm talking about...
I too don't really know, but I think there are people who believe (rightly or wrongly I can't say) the TPGs have had grade inflation over the years, which would make them believe a coin from an older holder a better coin than the same grade would indicate on a new holder. Thus, the premium. The best advice is always "buy the coin, not the holder," but if you buy any way but in person you can't really judge the coin, so you must rely on the holder or the picture, which may or may not be accurate.
Desirable slabs (however you define that), DO indeed command a premium price above and beyond what the same coin in a modern holder / generic hold would sell for. For me, I consider PCGS OGH (non-rattlers) to be a desirable holder. I do not care for rattlers and would not buy a coin in one, much less pay a premium. MANY people disagree with me here. I also consider the NGC "fatty" holders to be very desirable, across several generations. I factor in at least a $25-$50 premium just for the desirable slabs for cheaper coins, and adjust accordingly based on the coin. For me, the desirability of a slab is NOT due to me assuming Older Slabs = Under-graded. That plays no factor in my decision making. For some, I'm sure it does. I simply prefer the look of the older holders, the feel of the older holders, the scarcity, and the historical significance of the older holders. Keep in mind, there are SLAB-first collectors out there. By that I mean, some people consider the slab first, and the coin second. I don't do this personally, but Its a totally valid way to collect.
If it's a great coin, already in a great holder, get ready to pay up. If you ever decide to sell it, others will also pay up.
I should have said that normally it's a $125-170 coin in the grade given. Currently the bid is right in that range. It's a common coin. Hard to imagine many collectors want this specific coin specifically in an OGH holder, but who knows. I don't perceive it as undergraded, looks like a typical MS63 to me. I'll keep an eye on it as it gets closer to the auction. Thanks for the replies.
From what I've learned over the past number of years is that many PCGS graded coins in 1st or 2nd gen holders were under graded, based on current grading. Three or four years ago I bought an 1860 pointed bust IHC at a SB auction. It was in a 2nd gen green PCGS holder and not attributed as a pointed bust variety. I sent it to PCGS for proper attribution and regrading. The grade went from MS64 to MS65. The current PCGS Price Guide has an MS64 valued at $1450 and MS65 valued at $2000.
