Slabbed Coin Regrets?

I would never crack that slab. The coin looks happy just the way it is.

 

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I hate rattlers. They're ugly and technologically far inferior to today's slabs. Most of the ones that are floating around at shows are not undergraded. They've survived 30 years of people deciding whether or not to try for an upgrade, and have possibly been bounced from reconsideration by PCGS as well, perhaps due to grade, perhaps due to them wanting to call it RB instead of RD.

However, when you're trying to sell originality of surfaces on copper, having it in a ratty rattler offers a lot of reassurance that the coin won't turn black in 3 months, as it has been in that holder for 3 decades. This is more important than perpetuating the undergraded myth.

You say you paid $35 for the coin, which is closer to 63RD money than 64RD (or even 64RB). If you want to put an uncirculated 1925 cent in your album, I would sell this one and buy another. You should make money on it, and someone who wants the coin in that slab will be happy to buy it from you.

 

At one time I was like you and wanted all newly purchased coins added to an album. But then I bought a tablet and now have pictures of album coins stored there. Now I can enjoy my collection whenever and wherever. Having higher value examples slabbed and stored in a safety deposit box gives me peace of mind.

 

I'd leave the coin in the slab and buy a raw one for my album. Since it isn't a rare date you should be able to purchase a nice example that won't break the bank. Just my two cents worth.

 

All great opinions and much appreciated. I may keep it but will probably sell or trade it to someone who collects the holder. What I really want to do is start to read the photo posts and learn how to take great pictures. I do see that it's got some brown in it. The funny thing is that my favorite coin's aren't even the red ones. I prefer ones like this (a bit better of a pic as I adjusted the exposure...no idea what I was doing) though I still can't get the pretty cartwheels to show!

 

I feel your pain! I have been posting my photos over in Post Your Lincolns, but my pictures are still very limited compared to the work done by many of the members here. They are very helpful and generous with their knowledge.

I think the decision whether to remove a coin from a slab is the inverse of whether to have it slabbed. Some of the factors in the decision to have a coin graded are

• the inherent value of the coin. Does slabbing cost a significant portion of the value?
• the price differential between grades. If you have a grade that is one grade off (up or down) is that value difference worth the cost of grading it?
• Color, BR vs. RB. vs. RD. Does a change in the color designation affect the value by more than the cost of grading?

I have seen folks puzzling over common $10 coins that are graded. Did someone do that to fit them into a larger registry set and need the holders to be consistent? Or are they just bad at math?

When breaking out, you can add whether there is anything about the slab, the grade, designation, or CAC approval that might disappear with the holder. Does it need to guaranteed authentic?

I have taken 10 coins out of slabs and put them in 2x2 plastic airtite's.

Some were in non-reliable TPGs, like NNC slabs. I bought the coin in spite of the slab, always planning to break it out.

Some were clearly undergraded. I posted pictures here and also got an opinion from a trusted dealer. Some were AU58's that might regrade as MS. Once I was convinced I could always resubmit and get the same or better grade, I took the coin out.

Finally, I had about 3 or 4 in the smaller ANACS white holders. That size just doesn't fit anywhere, and they met the other criteria. So out they came.

I did not touch, however, anything that is MS66 or above, or anything with a CAC sticker, or anything worth counterfeiting. I figure I might lose that kind of certification if I break out. Even if I never plan to resubmit, those features have a certain strength of their own.

So I vote for leaving your old holder alone!

 

i have lots of these old holders and i say dont ruin it its worth more by leaving it the way it is ge a replacement coin for your album

 

I have a few of those as well and have a really pretty 52 proof in a PCI slab which doesn't take much research to verify their reputation. Only concern there is damaging the coin!

Anyway, rest assured the coin will stay safe and sound in the OGH and may or may not find a new home where both the coin and the holder are appreciated!

 

Thanks for the post. I have somewhat of the same dilemma! And hope you don't mind me telling about my own issues and dilemmas in your thread.

I'm an amateur collector and have been actively collecting US coins for about three years. As of now I have never purchased a slabbed coin or submitted any coins for grading, although I appreciate and understand the advantages of doing so. I don't know but there is something with the feeling of having your coins raw.

Anyways, many of my coins are either in Dansco, Whitman or Harry's albums and i enjoy completing series. See that several of the key dates and varieties often sell in slabs and then I'll get the dilemma of cracking those to fill up and complete my albums.

One example is my Indian Head Cent album where I have most, but not the 1864 L Bronze variety, which there is a hole for. I am considering buying a specimen for sale in my area which is NGC AU58 BN. I want to fill my album but also see the downside of cracking it.

Any advice for a beginner collector?


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It all boils down to what you are comfortable with. The value of a certified 64L in that grade would keep me from cracking it out. I'd keep searching for raw specimens if all you want to do is complete your album. But that's me and not you. The bottom line is do what's comfortable with you. Breaking it out of the slab won't do anything negative to the coin itself. It just may reduce what you can sell it for in the future.

 

Actually, it would only reduce what you could sell it for in the future if after recertification it graded lower.

And contrary to popular belief although coins right on the boundary of either the higher or lower grade may change most of the time a coin fits comfortably in the middle of its grade range and comes back the same grade.

It will, admittedly, lower its liquidity if forced to sell without recertification.

 

True, but there's a cost in recertification. Given some of the grading trends discussed in some of the other threads, a coin graded AU 58 may grade in MS in the future. However, my experience has been that many AU 58 coins are nicer than lower grade MS coins since they usually have fewer detracting marks.