Slabbed coins vs Raw coins

I wonder how everyone feels about slabbed vs raw coins. In my opinion they each have their good points and bad points.

I like slabbed coins because there is greater protection of the coin, you can be failrly confident on the actual worth of a coin, and I like the registry idea that ngc and pcgs have. Some of the drawbacks are the price (is a 2009 MS 69 coin really worth that much less than a 70), shipping (several dealers will ship raw coins for free) and the aesthetic appeal (slabs don,t do alot for coin displays).

The big advantages for raw coins are the price, shipping, and the look. I enjoy putting together a collection in an album. In addition, I am not paying a premium for having a 69 coin slabbed (most newer proofs are probably at least 69 anyways). The major drawback is as an inexperienced collector I am not sure of the difference between a MS62 and a MS63 for example so I may be getting a coin that is overpriced due to an inflated grade.

I will probably still collect both types. Right now I am collecting ngc 70 state quarters and ngc 69 eagles and commemoratives. The raw coins that I am collecting are Walking Liberty, Franklin, and Kennedy Halves which I am putting in Intercept Shield Albums.

How do other people feel about slabbed vs raw coins?

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Permalink Reply by CraigL on March 12, 2009 at 7:24pm

I saw those holders in a magazine yesterday (Coinage I think). It is an interesting concept and may be a nice solution for displaying or presenting slabbed coins. They also had advertised the same idea with proof sets which held 3 sets to a page
2 Bit Collector said:

I perfer slabed coins only from the major certifying firms-ANACS DGS NGC PCGS. I under stand that DGS is the new gut on the block. But they do a excelent job and are very accurate. Now as to storing the slabs I perfer Eagle Coin Holders.
They are a very nice 3 ring binder type with pages that hold 9 certified coins per page. And NO I am not a commisioned salesman foe any of these firms, just an old guy that enjoys coin collecting.
Now I do have my share of raw coins and collect them as well.

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Permalink Reply by george palmer on March 20, 2009 at 1:16pm

when things were low I got only slabbes but that was in the 90s but now I am only buying raw to get the biggest bang for my buck I think if I can buy slabbed silver I will get gold small maybe but I think that at this time you need more so I have been getting raw or junk because when the tide of inflation comes you will be happey that you have thoes small amout of dimes or gold who want paper money if you cant buy any thing with it sounds good 1000 dollars fore a morgan but what do you do with all that paper I am getting of the point sorry