What Do You Like More Slabs Or Albums?

I'd probably be wary of putting coins of anywhere near that quality into albums; too much chance of getting them damaged, and/or with fingerprints all over.
I also agree with Sap that I very much prefer type sets to date sets, though even many type sets contain coins I can't really afford.

I don't do slabs myself (can hardly afford them anyway, and definitely couldn't afford slabbing my own coins as some people do), but I tend to think of them as protection; if I get a coin in a slab, I'm keeping it in the slab, and if I get a coin in a 2x2 holder, I'm keeping it in the holder unless either 1) the holder is horrible or 2) I need it out of plastic to ID it better.
In practice I tend to use cheap blank albums/folders, when I don't just put everything into small Ziploc bags and leave it there. I don't think I ever specifically bought an album for a particular set, though I've gotten a few as gifts.


I've seen pics of old albums that had plugs for (some) key dates. AFAIK this is no longer a common thing, though IIRC some albums do try to exclude the absolutely unobtainable key dates like the 1894-S dime.

A significant part of my collection is just in a box. I put my coins in a 2x2 or in a flip and then in a box.
But I like slab. I feel better knowing that my coin collection is in a safe place + I know what the condition of the coin is.

Although I know that many collectors do not recognize slab and consider the arrival of plastic boxes disastrous for hobbies.

None of my coins are in slabs.

I much prefer to grade coins for myself, but experience is needed.

The two storage / display methods of coins in 2x2's and slabs are incompatible.

I cannot write the provenance, date acquired, and how much has been paid on a slab. Easy to provide that info. on a 2x2.
All of that information travels with the coin in a situation where the collection has to be re arranged.
In a re sale, perhaps decades later, that information may turn out to be critical.

If you are going to do a collection that includes slabs, you should be 'all in' slabs only, for consistent storage and display. This approach demands that all coins are valued at say, more than $150 each, to justify the slabbing of each coin. For most collectors this is impractical.
That precludes the collection of lower valued coins

There are lots of collectors who 'buy the coin, not the slab'.

I'm old school, definitely albums, I really do not care for slabs.

There is certainly a nice feeling being able to open an album and see the collection. Albums are also easy for non coin folks to appreciate the collection as they can see what the set looks like with various mint marks. Why are some not there? It strikes a fun conversation.

I don't like slabs, for all the reasons mentioned. Although I have some because of the financial advantages when selling to the general public. I like albums much better. But my personal fav is 2x2 flips in marked boxes. I can safely pick up each individual coin, "flip" them back and forth between OBV and REV, or easily put them under my scope if I want to check for die details. It's not the best system if you want to show someone else, but I rarely do that anyway.

@westcoinThat is a beautiful cabinet. I might make myself one of those in my spare time.

Dansco albums and 2x2s for me. I don't have a high-end collection to fuss over.