Collecting Only Slabbed Coins?

No, definitely not. Stick to researching and then slowly start buying the coins. For instance, if you need a Morgan dollar in MS-65, learn to grade them and pick out a nice raw 65, or possibly slabbed. It is perfectly fine to buy slabbed coins, but don't look out only for them. Have an open eye for nice raw coins, and remember to research and make sure you aren't getting a bad deal.

However, if you already know how to grade and spot a counterfeit, and only want slabbed coins for the fun of it, that's perfectly fine too.

Remember that you'll have to judge a slabbed coin based on its merits and quality, just like a raw coin. Slabs do not automatically mean the coin is accurately graded and the coin does not have any problems.

Basically as noted already. If your an investor, nothing like a slabbed coin for resale. If you are just a hobbiest collector with little thoughts of reselling, forget those slabs. Even if for some reason you got taken and bought a fake, if you didn't know it when you bought it, you probably never will since if your a collector, you'll never have it authenticated. There are probably many collectors with fakes in their collections and don't have any idea that they are fakes and will never know.
Again, if your thinking about selling off coins in the future, you can't beat a slabbed coin. And too, there are many that like to say things like "Of course this cost a little more. It's in a PCGS slab"

I've never bought a slabbed coin, and don't plan on doing so anytime soon. Most of the dealers down here don't sell them.

I am currently working on a Buffalo nickel and a 7070 type set completely made from certified top tier coins. I do know how to grade the coins and I know what I am looking at so I am not relying on the slabs as a crutch, mainly I like the re-saleability of the slabbed coins and the long term protection provided by the case, I can hold the slab and not worry about dinging the coin if the slab slips from my grasp...I personally feel the slabs offer greater protection than any album plus there are binder pages designed to handle the slabs (or baseball card sleeves also work.) I consider myself a profit conscious collector so I certainly enjoy the history of a coin and want to buy the best coin I can afford but am also conscious of future profit potential.

As with anything there are different strokes for different folks. Find your niche in the hobby and run with it.

Interesting topic ....... here are my views:

Numismatics is a hobby whereby acquisition of knowledge is critical to success. The more one learns, the greater the enjoyment and financial safety available from the pursuit of ones goals.

I suppose the ultimate goal of any dedicated collector would be to acquire enough knowledge to consider themselves 'experts' in their chosen interests ...... whatever that might be in the entire universe of coin collecting.

For those who have worked hard enough and long enough to achieve this level of knowledge ..... the question of slabbed versus raw is not an issue ....... they have the ability to 'read' the coin .... and make the appropriate judgements.

This level of knowledge is exemplified by the ability to take a pile of raw coins and assign each a grade, authenticity, strike quality, eye appeal, value, look for all known varieties and cherry pick the best of the lot.

Folks with that skill can confidently purchase a raw 1909-S VDB Cent a 1916-D Mercury, or a full-strike 1926-S Buffalo nickel.

That said ...... slabbed coins are a great equalizer for the rest of us who have not yet studied enough to reach that level.

Top-tier TPG coins give us (me) the confidence that they are genuine and some insight into their condition. TPG grades are not a substitute for 'quality' ...... strike quality and eye appeal will always be subjective and incumbent on the individual to determine.

Sooooo .... there are many reasons to enjoy the fact of TPG slabbed coins ...... as pointed out above.

I admit to having most of my Classic US Silver Commemorative Collection in PCGS slabs ....... I just do not have the knowledge yet to distinguish between MS63 or MS65 for 50 different coins!

Hope to be an 'expert' someday ......

David

As noted many of the graded companies slabs appear to be not to accurate as to the grade. Myself, I have no slabbed coins. I've purcahsed some due to the price and a coin I needed otherwise I virtually hate slabs and as soon as I get home I break them out.
The problem around me is everyone is going slab happy. I go to about to 4 coin shows a Month and as a guess, I'd say about 50% of all coins at these shows are in slabs. Many dealers have only slabbed coins. What really irritates me is I've seen coins worth a dollar or two in a slab. The dealers are still asking for about $10 due to the slab. And if in a PCGS or NGC slab, even higher prices.
I've discussed this with dealers I know and they all agree on one thing. A slabbed coin sells faster and better than a raw coin any day. Mostly I think the wave of counterfeit coinage is creating this madness.
Yet we can complain as much as we want about slabbed coins but more and more grading services are popping up all the time and the present ones are doing fantastic buisnesses.

Well, after much thought, I've decided graded is the way to go for me. The main reason being, I have all intentions of possible reselling my coins in the future, for upgrades when the time comes, or when my collecting takes a turn in a different direction. Currently collecting sets of the same type does nothing for me. I've always liked the idea of having a type set, so that's my collecting focus. Plus I'm at the stage in my current 7070 that I wouldn't buy any of the remaining coins not graded.

I only buy slabbed coins that are the keys, just because there are so many good "copys"