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 Replies: 16 / Views: 6,067 |
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Valued Member
United States
327 Posts |
There are certainly enough threads as well as opinions on breaking open slabs but I wanted to specifically address Lincoln cents for a couple of reasons. I often refer to pcgs photograde ( http://www.pcgs.com/Photograde/#/Lincoln/Grades) for help in grading unslabed lincolns that I come across. When looking at that photograde site, it does appear that toning and color does impact the grade of lincoln cents. So having said that, I would like to break open my slabbed lincolns to place in my dansco instead of having them separate. I thought about just taping the small paper to the inside of the binder or something similar so that those grades will not be forgotten once I'm dead and gone BUT consider this; I break open a slab on a nicely toned lincoln and for whatever reason, the color changes from a nice tone to an unfavorable look. At some time down the road does the coin risk a lower grade outside of slab? For one more example; The coins are in my estate and now that I'm dead and gone, my wife takes the album to a local dealer or even resubmits the coins to a grading company, does that piece of paper guaranty the same grade? I ask this in particular to lincolns because having collected them for some years now, I know that colors/tone can change, sometimes better, sometimes worse. Can breaking open an older slabbed Lincoln cause environmental risk to the coin? Nevertheless, I would really like to have all of my Lincolns in my dansco and oh, before you ask; Yes, at 45 I'm still obsessive compulsive  but I want to try and have a complete and nice looking album without undo risk. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2130 Posts |
I having a similar issue. The difference is mine are Morgans. I did crack one out of a PCI holder. I also put the tag behind the coin in my Dansco. Quote:
does that piece of paper guaranty the same grade?
IMO, I don't believe it will guaranty grade. Who's to say that tag belonged w/ that coin. If you take great pics of the coins you want to crack to prove they are the same graded coin. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1534 Posts |
Put them in the Dansco, into a freezer size Ziploc bag, and a pack of silica gel with it. That will keep the toning away, although hopefully some of the chemistry experts will chime in.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2448 Posts |
I'm no Chem major, but I do remember that all nature hates a vacuum. I believe something will leech in. Does descikin (sp) have any adverse affect on silver, gold, copper or nickle/zinc.
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Valued Member
 United States
327 Posts |
So is moisture the prime reason that toning occurs? I then wonder in the case of the Lincoln Cent, what influences a red tone vs a brown tone. I have mentioned in past threads that my roosevelt dansco album has several proofs that now have a tan/brown tone on the face of them, completely covering what once was a mirror finish. So disheartening. Perhaps desiccant will help prevent this. |
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Valued Member
United States
365 Posts |
Some of the more expert metallurgists of the forum should weigh in, but I know that coins in slabs STILL continue to react, and can change tone/color. That's "bad" enough, in my book, to not crack 'em out. No matter how careful one is in handling coins, IMHO, cracking 'em out of slabs is guaranteeing that they will react even faster than if left alone. Sometimes for the better, but sometimes for the worse. Why risk it, just to have everything in a Dansco? Just seems like taking the value of one's collection and putting it in some sort of added jeopardy. The only slabs I crack are the "fake" slabs, the ones where some dude put an MS label on a VF coin and called it a TPG-graded masterpiece.
At least in a slab, you can access it more easily than popping your Dansco out of a ziploc bag every time you want to actually look at your collection!
-SCS
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1534 Posts |
Coins will and cannot tone in slabs if stored properly. Many people use Intercept Shield boxes for their slabs and some just put them in a Ziploc bag with a desiccant. Gases and sulfur are the primary causes of toning, and the storage methods I suggested will keep the coin safe. If you're worried about selling the coins in the future, them maybe you should keep the Lincolns slabbed.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2448 Posts |
I think this may be off the original subject and I apologize if it is but.....Now you have me wondering if I should break open an NES slabbed Franklin. It's not difficult because there appear to be access slots on each side to open the slab. Is this normal? It certainly isn't on my PCGS and NGC graded coins. I'm wondering if the slots, also on Amos Premier Slabs, will accelerate toning or allow mildew into the slab.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1534 Posts |
NES is a basement slabber and should be avoided except in certain circumstances. Again, the holder is usually not important, where the slabs and holders are stored is where it counts. Precaution should always be taken, especially in high humidity areas.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
I ask this in particular to lincolns because having collected them for some years now, I know that colors/tone can change, sometimes better, sometimes worse. Can breaking open an older slabbed Lincoln cause environmental risk to the coin?
Breaking open an older slabbed coin should have some worries about the possible leakage into the admospher of gasses from an earier period in our past. That slab could have been sealed in a place where horrible illnesses were present and opening it now could cause a real problem.  Sort of like opening an Egyptian Pyramid and being the recipient of an evil curse.  Those coins in slabs from the past could be also encapulated with a curse attached.  I presently have no slabbed coins and have purchased some in the past and all were broken open for the coins to be put in my Albums. So far in well over 60 years of coin collecting, no toning, tarnishing, corroding, staining of any of those coins. Of course my fingers now have Arthritis due to the curses released from opening those. |
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Valued Member
United States
327 Posts |
I only wish I could take the issue as lightly as some but it still a loss and disappointing when it happens to you.
I ordered some desiccant to hopefully keep the issue at bay. In the mean time, I like the idea of keeping the proof and mint sets as they are until I can resolve the problem.
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Valued Member
United States
258 Posts |
Also keep in mind that pcgs will no longer slab toned coins so once you break it out then it will never again have a pcgs container! As a real world example a friend of mine tried to sell some great high end coins today at the Alabama Numismatic Society show. They had come out of containers that were graded in conditions from ms 63 to 65 and because they were no longer in their slabs the attempted buyer only graded them at au. Some of those coins were toned thus they will not be able to be graded by pcgs again. Tread carefully here as the decision you make now will impact the coins value in the future and that could cost you a fortune! Sincerely, John Leckrone
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1882 Posts |
Quote:
I only wish I could take the issue as lightly as some You must keep in mind that just_carl is a chemist. So you might want to read what he said.  My dansco albums live in ziploc bags. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
You must keep in mind that just_carl is a chemist. So you might want to read what he said.
My dansco albums live in ziploc bags.
Is true. Assistant professor in Chem at a junior college and Electrical Engineer on Nuclear plants. Still all in all, I've never had a coin tone, tarnish, corrode, stain or anything in well over 60 years now. I don't even use any moisture absorbant items. Just place all Albums in Zip Lock Plastic Bags, press out as much air as possible, fold over excess material. Yes it's a pain opening then to add or change a coin but after many, many, many years of proper care, well worth seeing a coin you placed in an Album 50 years ago still looking like it did then. What is really irritating is when I come accross a fantastic coin for set #1, move coin from #1 to #2, from #2 to #3, and on and on and on, start to wonder who this is for. |
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Valued Member
United States
397 Posts |
I thought PCGS stopped guaranteeing the color on copper coins graded or sold as of the beginning of the year. http://www.pcgs.com/guarantee.html They also do not guarantee coins cracked out of slabs either. I do believe that opening a slab does expose it to a bit more of the environment, but it seems to me that even PCGS recognizes that coins (at least copper coins) will continue to tone even when slabbed. I personally have coins that I put in Whitman folders 20+ years ago that are still fully red. The few coins I have purchased that were slabbed were cracked open as soon as I got home and re-housed (most of those were third-tier, at best, grading services). |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
I personally have coins that I put in Whitman folders 20+ years ago that are still fully red. The few coins I have purchased that were slabbed were cracked open as soon as I got home and re-housed (most of those were third-tier, at best, grading services).
That is odd. Hopefully you ment Whitman Albums, not those Folders. Most people have some serious problems with the Folders due to the glues that were used to make them. If in fact you did mean Folders, please check the rear of those coins for possible damage from the glues. |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 6,067 |
Posted 07/10/2010 7:26 pm
