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 Replies: 23 / Views: 2,571 |
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Valued Member
United States
114 Posts |
So here's a question, regarding albums. Seeing Jbuck's 7070 album, I find I am tempted to get one...except that to complete it I would have to crack open slabs of rare coins. Now don't get me wrong, I've freed a number of coins, but never if they were worth more than $300. So personally my conflict is between staring at empty spots in the album that I could fill, and regretting forgoing the protection of the holders. I have a beautiful AU50 1872 Seated dollar for example, and a Saint Gaudens double eagle. Not to mention any of the other spots I would be spending mucho dinero to fill. I could actually fill a lot of the album now because I've been collecting types, but not sure if I should resist. The other thing is that once in the album each coin officially becomes part of a set, and I doubt I'll want to split them up (such as to keep some in the safe deposit box). What are people's thoughts on this? Are you able to tolerate an empty space? Do slabs give you a sense of protection, or are they just in the way? So you value a consolidated collection or desire flexibility? I'm of the opinion that collecting is both the product and bane of the OCD personality. :) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1512 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
968 Posts |
I'm facing this dilemma too. I think what I am going to do depends on the particular coin. If I can get a high grade example that isn't all that expensive I'd use it, and even crack a slab if it was in one. For nicer coins you might consider keeping it in a slab then getting a lower grade version for the album. I see the 7070 I'm putting together as a nice way to show my coin collection to friends and family. Most people don't want to look through a bunch of flips as they honestly don't care that much. But having an album covering the major types of US coins works well. They won't care that you put a Fine version of a coin in the hole while you keep your AU version worth 10x more in a slab. In some cases I'll happily crack a slab simply because I'm buying one in the slab to make sure it is real. For instance, I'm on the lookout for a Trade dollar for my 7070. They are so heavily counterfeited, and I don't feel confident that I could catch a good counterfeit, so I'm fine doing that. I know I can always send it in again down the road if I'm looking to sell it and need to prove the authenticity. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2130 Posts |
Check out my 7070 in the link below. I was in the same situation. There is no correct answer. I am perfectly happy with the way my 7070 turned out.
If anybody that was looking at my 7070 wondered why I had those little pieces of paper in the spot where a coin should be I would take that as a teaching opportunity and explain why I did what I did. Then I would show them that example in the slab.
Edited by Connor
08/08/2016 2:22 pm
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Valued Member
 United States
114 Posts |
Matttheriley, I saw something about that on PCGS about set building, but is that just a digital record? Might be neat either way. Saruma, yeah I think I would have to make some choices about what to break out and what to find a lower grade for. I don't really Iike the idea of spending more money on a filler piece when I already have a choice example, but I guess that's the option. And I could wait for lower grade with eye appeal on those. The main one would be my Seated dollar. I think I should leave that in the slab. I'd probably have to just leave the $10 and $20 spots empty. :( Or get a 7070 without that page. Luckily, I have a great Trade dollar with a couple clean chop marks ready for an album. One of my best finds. They're usually so ugly. So you're still thinking about it, or you've started? That's a clever solution, Connor. With a good color printer you could even put a photo of the coin in the spot. Congratulations on your set, looks great. :) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5825 Posts |
I have an NGC Registry type set.
That means I can use either PCGS or NGC coins.
And for the future I leave the coins in their slabs.
As for an album there are a number that are made to hold slabbed coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4085 Posts |
I think what makes it tough in your situation is that you've already got the coins, some of them in slabs that it really does make sense to leave them in slabs. For my 7070, I started with the idea of the album first and since I knew they were going into an album, looked for raw coins. Only where I either couldn't get a good raw example or got a slabbed coin at a really good price did I crack slabs. Probably the nicest slab I cracked for my 7070 was the 20 cent piece; I think I only cracked 3 or 4 slabs total for the 7070. I have cracked a number of slabs for my Lincoln set, including a few that gave me pause. But - they are my coins and I like them in the album so I went ahead. I will say that when I finally get a 1909-S VDB in MS, that one will probably stay in the slab. It's a tough call - not sure I could crack that AU Seated dollar either. Edited by KenKat
08/08/2016 4:40 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1450 Posts |
I think I would leave coins that are expensive and scarce in their slabs. Much easier to sell that way and the disputes about condition easier to avoid. All my Morgans are in an album, but some of my other coins I left in slabs like my 1923-S LSQ and 37-D Three Legged Buffalo. If I had a 1916-D Mercury dime in VF or above I would leave it in the slab and same for the 1916 LSQ. These are the key dates of an entire set and are probably worth more than all the other coins in the set depending on condition. I can imagine if one day I sold my sets and the buyer just focusing on the key dates. I am sure when a buyer looks at a set of coins they look at key dates first. With quit a few sets you could just buy the key dates in best condition you could afford and get most of the juice out of the set if that is why you collect. I am not certain about this issue myself and frequently think about what is the best choice. I have full sets of Peace dollars, but I would consider buying a 1921 in mint condition if it were slabbed and good price. I feel that way about all my coins. If I saw 1927-S LSQ in mint condition for reasonable price I might buy it in a slab. I have one already but not in mint condition. This part of my collecting would be investment oriented. I like new stuff so I keep collecting coins I don't have yet. There is no right or wrong way. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4416 Posts |
Having filled a few 7070's myself, the one thing that always nagged me was that they lack holes for some varieties and earlier type. Still, it's a great album.
On the other hand, I like antique chests; those with lined, lift-out trays, slide-out drawers. My earliest one is English, inlaid walnut, circa 1860. This one and another key lock chest fit comfortably in my safe. Granted that these are not as portable, they house slabbed and raw coins/tokens that are easily rearranged. I converted an antique silverware chest to house my collection of NY Civil War tokens. So, although lacking the portability of an album, I need not be confined by the holes and add some antique flavor to various collections.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
I run both graded and raw type sets. That way, I can show type coins to others without needing to haul around slab boxes. You can find nice raw coins, if you are patient.
Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis |
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Valued Member
United States
114 Posts |
Very true, ExoGuy. Right now I have a few of my raw favorites together in a small wooden box (in capsules), including a hard times token and civil war token. Part of my dilemma, album presentation is so nice, but it does come at the cost of organizing your own way.
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Moderator
 United States
188440 Posts |
Quote:
Seeing Jbuck's 7070 album, I find I am tempted to get one... I am glad that I could be inspiring.  Quote:
For my 7070, I started with the idea of the album first and since I knew they were going into an album, looked for raw coins. This is exactly how I have approached it. My mind has always been on filling the holes with nicely circulated coins in the raw. The modern holes being the exceptions, of course. Quote:
Only where I either couldn't get a good raw example or got a slabbed coin at a really good price did I crack slabs. I have three holes left. I doubt very seriously I will be able to fill all three without cracking at least one slab, but it will not be from a lack of trying. So, as to the dilemma here, I would probably let sleeping beauties lie in their tombs and find lesser grade examples to fill your 7070. No reason why you cannot have both. Or, at the very least, start filling the holes of coins you do not have; once the 7070 starts to fill out you may or may not change your mind about cracking your existing slabs. |
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Valued Member
United States
114 Posts |
Thanks for your thoughts Jbuck. :)
I love my graded coins, so I don't regret not going for an album first. And I made a bunch of mistakes with my raw coins, so I definitely don't regret having fewer of them. Heh
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1911 Posts |
I have been in the Jbuck school of thought in that I love the looks of the albums so I have broken a couple coins out of slabs and didn't give it a second thought. In your case though, it just depends. I am not looking to ever get rid of my coins (once I am gone my descendants can do whatever they want with them) but I am not worried about the resale value. If I like how it looks and the price is right I will get it and put it in the album. If you think you will ever need to worry about resale value, then keep the coins in their slabs. :)
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Valued Member
United States
114 Posts |
Even though I sometimes tell people I buy coins to diversify, the only coins I actually want to sell at some point are the problem coins.
However, what I do keep in mind is that if there was an emergency and my savings wasn't enough, at least my most valuable coins would have the benefit of having reputable grades for a relatively fast sale. The rest if I did want to sell, I'd probably have the time to get graded - and in the future there might be a better company to use anyway.
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Moderator
United States
188440 Posts |
Well said, MK.  |
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Replies: 23 / Views: 2,571 |
Posted 08/08/2016 1:52 pm
