Raw coins vs graded encapsulated

Late to the thread and don't really want to read all the drama. Welcome to the forum. Like real life, this cannot be deleted, but we can move on. I like raw coins, but, as I responded in another thread, I have perhaps 2 dozen or so slabs that I have either bought (trade dollar) because I wouldn't trust myself not to get screwed, or have been given or acquired somehow. I have no real desire to jailbreak these (only if it were an ancient I HAD to touch) so I leave them alone and enjoy them equally as much as I do my raw coins. Each has it's merits.

 

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Ever go on "social media" and see how many people "like" rude comments that they themselves would never make? I wonder how many people would rather take their "likes" back seeing how this has gone. Let it lie, move on.

 

@TypeCoin971793 beat me to it, but I agree with him.

My speciality is Italian Renaissance coins and the Italian dealers I buy from are truly experts--almost every one of them has written a book on some aspect of Italian coinage.

Beyond that, I research every coin I buy extensively, reading as much about it as I can, and also finding all comparable auction records for the type. I'm not an expert, but I know how to learn, and I have a good eye.

There is a strong collector community for ancients, especially, with a huge amount of collective knowledge. When I got scammed on a rare (but not terribly expensive) coin a few years ago they helped me see why it was fake, after I got suspicious on my own. I got most of my money back from the (iffy) dealer, who has since been publicly shamed for pedalling fakes.

As I said, the norms are different. And if you don't have the crutch of the TPG's you a) learn how to do it yourself and b) you learn who to trust. And sometimes you make a mistake... but you learn from those too.

Without the TPG's there's not the same hyperfocus on grading. The grading scale is much simpler. Coins with less circulation wear are generally more valuable, but it's just one of many factors to take into account.

The last thing I'll say (looking for trouble, perhaps) is that "problem coins" are only a problem if they are a problem for you-- especially if you're not concerned about resale. Two of my Renaissance coins are holed and plugged. I find that aesthetically the plugs do little to detract from the beauty of the coins (for me). Having the plugs there also made it so that I could afford them. I knew what I was getting and I knew that I was paying a fair price for them.

Of course, the TPG's aren't stopping anyone from collecting what they like, how they like, but from my perspective it seems they skew the collecting culture in one direction, and it can be hard to resist that pull.

 

Would attributing a coin suffice for proof of authenticity instead of getting it slabbed?

 

I gathered from this post that you were interested in dropping it.

These two posts are evidence that you are not interested in dropping it.

Would you like me to fulfill your request or do you want to drop it?

 

Well, although I commented early on in this post, congratulation to @Rick B for getting 9 pages out of what I took to be a fairly simple, innocuous post. Coming back to this post made me re-read the entire thing and to me, just my opinion, Rick's comments were taken out of context, read between the lines and turned into a sad commentary by some CT's members.
My comment to Rick is that he has nothing to apologize for and should just move on. As should all of us. One members beliefs are just that, their individual beliefs. Let's just grow up and move on.

 

Thank you sir. I have moved on. And blocked a couple of dudes so I don't see their posts any more. I can't move on without doing that. I appreciate your post.

 

WHAT ABOUT ALL THE COUNTERFEIT SLABS, AND SOME OF THE SHABBY WORK THE TPGS. ARE DOING, (DAMAGE TO COINS SENT IN, POOR QUALITY OF LABELING AND SLABBING MATERIAL!)
DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR COINS GRADED BEFORE YOU SEND THEM TO BE GRADED?
WHEN THEY ARE OUT OF YOUR HANDS ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!

 

If there’s any chance that a family member will be left with disposing of your collection, slabs probably will reduce — but not totally eliminate — the screwing they will take.

 

I think most people would love raw coins but with counterfeiting your a little safer when your a mook like me. I’ll bet dollars to dounuts that most would love their coins raw (I own one gifted slab). And I’m very proud of it @cpm9ball I do like your reasoning. That’s enough for cointalkers to feel as you do.

 

Yeah that’s the part that Soxs buying righer priced coins.

 

That a boy

 

I think that’s why they call it collecting

 

True. I have no one to leave my collection to. And I will only sell it if my retirement money is in danger of running out, and that won't happen unless something very bad happens! So I will collect coins, not invest in them, and probably die with them on my shelf. I'll leave a note saying "please sell and give the proceeds to my dog".

 

Yeah how do you stop the email alerts. If you’d be so kind

 

WHAT!!!! 10 seconds. Takes longer to record data and print label. No wonder I’m always wrong when I GTG slabed coin. I spend ample time and try to see flaws. Then look like a fool with my guess Gonna try the 10 sec. method on eBay. See if that works. Only kidding. I’m not sure about TPG now. Buy your coins from that @C-B-D guy. He’s impressive. Oops. Did I break a rule?

 

Oh my God Rodney. You are adorable. That brain is working just fine. You get respect

 

Would getting a coin professionally attributed (and kept raw) suffice for proof of authenticity instead of sending it to PCGS to get it slabbed?

 

Couldn't you immediately know a coin is counterfeit by weighing it? The real ones have a precise weight.

 

Nope, the forgers are getting better. The weight of a fake coin may be dead on.