Slab Scratch Protection, Zip-Loc Bags

For me the best idea is to break open slabs and put the coins in an Album. Takes up a real lot less space.

I myself have no slabed coins, but to me personally, it isn't worth it unless the coin is super special in some way. It costs a bunch and then there is an issue with scratching. I wonder if they make the slabs crummy as the standard and they make you pay extra for a "scratch resistant" slab for them to get more money? Mhm...

Anyways, I am also with Chute72; I don't like touching uncirc. coins, but I also like albums (with myself having 3, which is PLENTY of a hassle by themselves).

If you are a "slab-guy", I'm sure there are ways to protect your slabs from scratches and this bag idea, though looks silly, might work.

Carl, please accept my apology for delivering a rather terse response to your comment. I don't want to be known as a jerk, and CCF is about sharing not discouraging. So allow me to add a little information.
First of all, I'm not strictly a slab snob. I can appreciate albums. I have several, and there is something quite satisfying about completing a row, a page or an entire album. Other portions of my hoard are kept in jars. Many of my ancients, world coins and makeshift 7070 type coins go into 2x2s, sheets and a 3-ring binder. When it comes to metal on skin, I vacillate between the heft of a silver dollar and the history of a Widow's Mite.
What is shown in my home made cardboard trays are part of my ongoing die study. They are all of the same denomination, year and mint. Yet each one is different. Some differ in grade, and for many collectors, that is enough to know, and they move on to the next year or mint. For this investigation, that is where the fun begins.
I want to know how many different dies were used in the year's production. How does one die differ from another? Are there common characteristics that are transferred to the working die from the hubbing die? Were the obverse and reverse dies divorced and remarried with other dies? What does the life of the die look like? Did it start out Proof Like and wear to an orange peal like surface? Did it get polished or cleaned along the way? If there were cracks, did they propagate slowly as in malleable metals, or were they catastrophic as in brittle metals? Did it ever rust and show pitting? Were the pits polished out?
For this study, I have approximately 120 examples. Some coins are examined several times a day. The reverse gets as much scrutiny as the obverse. TPG boxes are nice, but cost more, may not fit all TPG slabs, take up more space and cannot be fabricated in the kitchen in 3 minutes.



The picture above shows a scratch. In fact it is a key identifier for this obverse die. When I need to share an image with another collector, I want the plastic to be free of scratches, abrasions and haze.
You can imagine trying to determine if a mark was made on the coin after minting or the mark is in the die making the coin, only to find the mark is on the holder. And at $15 plus time to reslab, 2 cents seems like a good investment.
You are always welcome disagree, and likely can improve on my methods.

Chute,your determination to identify individual dies and their deterioration for a single year is a magnificent obsession. I have the same drive for the Australian 1920 penny. Nearly all are not in slabs as I have 10,000+. Unless you are studying a year with only a low number of dies and all the dies were extensively used then I doubt you will find them all with just 120 coins. The ratio of most commonly found die (coin) to least common can be several thousand to one.
I'm like you and store each slab in a ziplock bag.

A bit of a necro bump. I meant to reply to this thread a while back and it just slipped my mind. I also can't stand scratched slabs. The plastic bags Chute found will definitely work but I also wanted to relay what I use for anyone who may be interested. This was the best solution I was able to find.

http://www.ultrapro.com/product_inf...ucts_id=1623
http://marketplace.beckett.com/cust...ack_12184381

The 2-5/8" x 3-5/8" size is super snug on an NGC holder, a little looser on a PCGS. I think they are perfect for protecting the slab and I can still store in a NGC box. Hope it helps someone out.

Hello, I also use the soft sleeves to hold the slabbed coins. I put them in an NGC plastic storage box, but the cover hardly closes, so I use velcro wire ties to keep them closed and then put them into a plastic container with a snaptight lid & desiccant.
I also have albums to hold my 2x2s, but they are stored high up on bookcases.