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 Replies: 17 / Views: 5,977 |
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Valued Member
Italy
284 Posts |
Howdy! I've been seeing lately a lot of "BERT" purple slabs popping up. What's the deal with them? Anyone knows the story? I believe they are related to this website: https://traderbea.com/bertchase/ ...but this website might win the award for least words written and it's surprisingly not very informative!   I must say, not a huge fan of the look!  Edited by joe_77
11/16/2025 4:10 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
10470 Posts |
Well, this is what I could find:
"PCGS BERT slabs" refer to an unofficial numismatic collector's term for early PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) coin holders that contain an image of Benjamin Franklin, often used as promotional "sample slabs".
The "BERT" in the name is derived from a shortened reference to Bertram "Bert" W. Blum, a former PCGS executive who was a prominent figure in their early days and whose name appeared on some of these specific promotional holders.
Promotional items: These slabs were primarily created as free samples to promote PCGS's grading and encapsulation services at coin shows and events."
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Moderator
United States
94636 Posts |
thanks for that info Marve - those slabs are ones have not seen until now.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
24878 Posts |
Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4587 Posts |
Which AI hallucination did you pick that slop from? The BERT slabs shown are from TraderBea, a prolific seller on WhatNot, who is creating "samples" and also using distinctive labels and inserts at NGC and PCGS (If you pay for enough coins to be slabbed, you get lots of perks). Prior to TraderBea, there were very few samples with a Franklin half dollars. A few Joel Renfew/FASTCOIN (another source of "samples" created for consumer sale by a dealer). There are just three in the database, each known only from a single sale... PCGS-050-3-1 - Green label "Circulated" PCGS-050-3-6 - Green label "MS" PCGS-Chocolate-4-1 - See's candy Chocolate Franklin half -----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4587 Posts |
To be clear, there is nothing on PCGS' site about a Blum ever working there.
-----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
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Valued Member
 Italy
284 Posts |
Thank you for the info all! Honestly, though, still struggling to understand the point in these rather ugly hallucinogenic labels By the way, what are the "samples" referring to? samples of what?  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4587 Posts |
That's just the point.
Initially, samples were samples of the slab (concept) to educate dealers and the public. Often, new samples are made to showcase a change in the physical slab, a new label, or a new concept.
There were also samples made to show dealers the kinds of customized labels they could have made as promotional objects for their dealership (or, honestly, anything you could want to promote).
Now you have dealers like TraderBea, and the people in Europe. And FASTCOIN used to... making "samples" as another way to sell coins that typically wouldn't sell.
I drew a line where if it SAID "SAMPLE" it is a "SAMPLE", but I don't like it.
-----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
24878 Posts |
I was oblivious to these BERT / Trader Bea slabs before this discussion. This afternoon I was perusing an auction on HiBid and the seller had loads of them. Everything from Ikes to LWCs.
Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
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Valued Member
Italy
284 Posts |
Thanks BStrauss3, very clear now! |
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Moderator
United States
187446 Posts |
Quote:Honestly, though, still struggling to understand the point in these rather ugly hallucinogenic labels It does not bother me, I kinda like it. Probably because Ike makes everything look good. Ask me again when you find one with a Morgan.  |
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Moderator
Australia
16805 Posts |
Traderbea seems to be making these weirdly coloured slabs for the purpose of running their own quasi-sports-card Vaultbox-style scheme, whereby you purchase a mysteriously wrapped slab and it might (or might not) have a certain type of slab in it, but the actual coin you buy will be a mystery until you unwrap it.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Moderator
United States
187446 Posts |
That tracks.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
24878 Posts |
Quote:
heir own quasi-sports-card Vaultbox-style scheme A step up from "grab bags" at a flea market. Hard pass. Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
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Moderator
United States
187446 Posts |
Quote:
A step up from "grab bags" at a flea market. I do not miss those. The grab bags, not the flea markets. I miss the big one near where I used to live. The sales tax crackdown broke it.  |
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Valued Member
Italy
284 Posts |
Quote:
Probably because Ike makes everything look good  Can't argue with that! |
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Replies: 17 / Views: 5,977 |
Posted 11/17/2025 08:12 am
Uncirculated American Silver Eagles 
