Found Collection

When do you spend the money on slabbing a coin? when it's a real rarity?
a variety of some sort? or perhaps to add value for resale? I have never
slabbed a coin...yet, but if I wanted to take the plunge, I wonder which
ones I should pick. Which ones do you pick and why?
Rock

|> When do you spend the money on slabbing a coin? when it's a real rarity?
|> a variety of some sort? or perhaps to add value for resale? I have never
|> slabbed a coin...yet, but if I wanted to take the plunge, I wonder which
|> ones I should pick. Which ones do you pick and why?
|> Rock
|>

Disclaimer: I hate slabs. I sometimes refer to them as unsightly plastic buildup.

Reasons for slabbing:

1) If the coin is commonly counterfeited. I would not buy a 1916-D 10c or a 1909SVDB raw.

2) If there is a significant price just between two grades and you think you coin is likely to hit the higher grade.

3) If the coin is difficult to identify. Early proofs are frequently difficult to tell from nice business strikes.  

4) Protection. As much as I hate slabs, there is nothing I'm aware of that provides protection from the environment or mishandling as well as a slab. It's not an airtight seal, but it's the best out.

3 & 4 don't really matter to me: I don't collect what I don't know and I'm very careful when I handle my treasures.

Bruce

Of course, the proof is not always the more valuable.
I have an 1880 Seated Quarter from a PCGS MS-64 slab.  It is
a DMPL striking.  It was sold to me at the proof coin price
(about 2/3 the business strike price) by a dealer who said
PCGS clearly misattributed the coin.  Although PCGS does make
mistakes from time to time, they did not in this case.

Just remember, just because you got PCGS to say "its an
1830s proof" on the slab doesn't mean that you will find an
buyer that also agrees.

--

Mike is EAC #4357, LSCC #1636, JRCS #841, ANA #R-170301, CCS #F11
        SPPN life member, Australian N.S. #1747, CNS #19309

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