Certified Coins

There are a lot of schools of thought on this. One of them is economic: if the cost to get it slabbed does not increase the resale cost by at least the cost of the submission fee and insurance, then it is not worth it. Some have a dollar figure in mind (i.e. if will not sell for more that $250, do not slab it).

Another one is regarding authenticity. The cost is irrelevant if the purpose is to have something authenticated. I am a very conservative purchaser, if I thought I needed to send in a coin for authentication, I would not purchase it raw. I also tend to prefer my coins raw so the only time I tend to purchase slabs are if it is something I am not comfortable authenticating myself or the cost of coin is what I would have paid for it without the slab (and then they are usually freed).

Excellent question! I look forward to other CCFers comments.

With both post.

Kelly nailed it, but I would also sentimental value to that list. Theres plenty of coins that have been slabbed for protection that are special to people and often times their favorite even though it makes no sense from a purely financial standpoint.

I would not. All of my coins have sentimental value, but none of them are in slabs. Just how I see it. Do not hate.

I would never send a coin in to be certified. However, I do see value in buying a certified coin for the purpose of supplementing authentication. Of course, said certified coin will be cracked out soon after money changes hands.

Won't work. Slabs aren't air-tight; if your toning hasn't changed, it's more because of the atmosphere you're preserving them in than the slab. There are a couple people notorious for artificially toning coins in TPG slabs.

Also add this: as a check on your abilities. I *think* I've learned how to grade circulated coins in series X and am pretty sure these are all EFs. For a modest fee the TPG will validate my eye - show me one that's unexpectedly AU and which were cleaned, etc. Call it tuition in the school of hard knocks.

FYI the AU coin was an I Can't Grade slab that the dealer broke out because he was embarrassed by the grade assigned - we had a side bet on EF45 vs AU50. I lost (but also then won :-))

I never have, and have no plan to.

Today so many are what I've termed as slab happy. Some people have coins slabbed that it is obvious that the slabbing cost more than the coin is worth. I've seen coins I'd say are worth one dollar in slabs. I've purchased some coins in slabs but as soon as I get into my garage, out hey come. I collect coins, not plastic. I really can't see having a pile of coins that take up so much room due to being in a slab.
However, there are so many that mainly only have slabs. And that is why this is a fun habby. Anyone can and does do what they want.