To Crack or Not to Crack - What Situations Do You Do What?

[astrostu]

My somewhat cryptic title can be explained as such: If you buy a slabbed coin and are NOT planning on cracking and re-submitting for a higher grade, then in what situations would you crack it out for your own sets/series, and in what situations would you leave it slabbed?

 

For example, I'm collecting at the moment Ike dollars, slabbed, PCGS. I plan on keeping them slabbed because they're ALL slabbed, and I started the set with that intent.

 

On the other hand, I'm making up a type/variety set for the last century. Many of the coins (like the ones for the last few decades) are raw and I have them in direct-fit AirTites. Due to a recent realization with my dealer*, I've decided that most of the higher-value coins to complete the set (~$50-100+) will be bought slabbed. But then I'll have a mix of AirTites and slabs from possibly different grading companies, and to me that just wouldn't "look" right. So I'm very much thinking I'll crack them out and just save the insert as "proof" of their grade, stick 'em in AirTites, and then do some display. Same thing with my 2¢ collection and with my Peace dollars.

 

But, then again, cracking them out I think immediately lowers their resale "value guarantee" in that I can't just throw it up on an auction site and someone be willing to buy it just based off a photo. I don't actually *plan* on doing that, but it's a nagging little thing in the back of my mind.

 

So, what do you folks do?

 

 

 

*First off, that sounds like I'm talking about drugs. But anyway, I've realized now for at least the second time that my local coin dealer has sold me a coin which he claims is uncirculated, looks to me to be uncirculated, I buy for uncirculated money, but then I show it to several other collectors and they all say it's AU. So either (1) the dealer is knowingly cheating me, or (2) he really doesn't know. Both situations are bad, and since I'm still about 50-50 on being able to tell high-AU from low-MS, I've decided to only buy widgets (like the bullion ASEs) or low-value stuff where I really know what to look for. Otherwise, I'm only buying slabbed.

[TomB]

Typically, if I buy a coin already in a slab then it stays in the slab. However, when I was working on my VF/EF set of Barber halves I would sometimes find a coin already in a holder and would crack it out for my Library of Coins albums. These coins, though, can be fairly straightforward in their grading and this made me more comfortable in terms of future liquidity and resale value.

[okbustchaser]

I crack 'em all. I just prefer the look of raw coins.

[bsshog40]

I like raw coins. I do have some slabs that I prefer to just keep in slabs. But I do have some Danscos that I have more interest in than slabs. I would crack a coin if it's something I want in my dansco. I will have this same dilema here shortly.

[astrostu]

Oh yeah, I also forgot to mention that I generally like raw coins more than slabbed - I like the idea that I can hold them in my hand without plastic in the way. Also, most of the coins that I'm referring to are in the mid- to upper-uncirculated grades, where a 1-pt difference means I go from a $300 coin to $220 or $450 (standing liberty quarter, 1917 Type I Full-Head MS-62 to -61 or -63).

[MTHead-migration]

It's arbitrary.

 

I have cracked a pair of mid-MS Canadian Large Cents, moved them to 2x2 cardboard flips and put them in a 3-ring binder with other Canuck stuff.

 

I have not cracked an ANACS graded AU DETAILS NET EF 40 (CLEANED) 1858 Canadian 20 Cents and probably never will.

 

Why?

 

Beats me.

 

[stgecko]

I too think about the different reasons to crack them open but I have decided, at least for now, that I'll leave all slabbed coins in their slabs. I thought about cracking them out for a Dansco album and then adding the labels from the slab but there's no way to say that the label really belongs to that coin. So then it comes down to if you plan on selling the coins at which point I think keeping them in the slabs is the way to go for that. I don't know if I helped or confused but that's my opinion either way.

[DC Dawg]

For example, I'm collecting at the moment Ike dollars, slabbed, PCGS. I plan on keeping them slabbed because they're ALL slabbed, and I started the set with that intent.

First, are you the one buying all of the high grade 1976 dollars out from under me?

 

I will second what others have said: if I buy it in the slab, it will remain in the slab. But the vast majority of my collection is raw and I will continue to buy raw. The only time I will crack out a coin is to resubmit it to see if it would grade higher. I have done this with a few rattlers with some success. I've sold them off to pay for coins I really want!

 

BTW... if you are interested in Proof 69 Ikes, I have quite a few I want to sell. I also have the coins listed as part of a registry set. All are available except the 1976 coins. PM me and we can talk!

 

Scott

[Houston Investor]

If they look like they really need a dip then I will crack them. In many instances they upgrade.

[rrantique]

Happy Birthday OKBuSTCHASER. Hope you have a great day.

[bsshog40]

Happy Birthday OKBC!!

[astrostu]

Hmmm ... so if I read the responses correctly ... it's a mix of opinions. There's no real consensus, it seems to be more personal opinion and long-term collecting goals.

 

Oh, and Scott, I sent you a PM.