More an observation than a question... 0

[writer1102]

I've seen several posts speaking of "getting their grading investment back" on coins that are submitted.

I don't get it.

I have some World coins that list for $3.00 in MS65 condition that I still plan to have graded.  Why?  Because I love my coins, and I want them to stay in the same grade that is given them.  Getting the coin graded and encapsulated ensures that they stay in the same condition as the day that I obtained them.

To me, the grading process is well worth it, just to have an official grade to a coin that I love.

It would seem to me that if all you're interested in is the resale value, you're in the hobby for the wrong reasons.

[JKK]

1 hour ago, writer1102 said:

To me, the grading process is well worth it, just to have an official grade to a coin that I love.

It would seem to me that if all you're interested in is the resale value, you're in the hobby for the wrong reasons.

Do you see the problem here?

[writer1102]

10 minutes ago, JKK said:

Do you see the problem here?

LOL - it isn't a problem at all...I just didn't express myself well.

I like the official grade on the coin, not for me, but for whoever inherits my coins once I'm gone.  I'm 60, and the first grandchild that shows an interest in coins will get them.  It will give them a ballpark figure to base their collecting and grading skills on.

So, no, the grade isn't for me...I'm more about the protection that the encapsulation provides.  My grandkids can worry about the worth, and can decide what they want to do with the coin collection.

Edited December 9, 2019 by writer1102

[Just Bob]

Welcome to the forum.

While you are certainly entitled to your own opinion, I do not believe that there is a "right" or "wrong" way to participate in this hobby. What may seem like a wrong reason to you, may seem perfectly logical and appropriate to another person. While many of us love the history, design, beauty, or other aspect(s) of the pieces we collect, there is nothing wrong with someone buying and selling a legal product with an eye toward making a profit, regardless of whether or not we agree with their practice or motivation.

The majority of my collection consists of exonumia from my home state. They are small records of times past, when lumber mills, truck farms, seafood canneries, and company stores were a way of life for much of the population. The odds of me ever selling my pieces for a profit are very slim. Most of the pieces have little or no value to someone who is not interested in the history and culture of my state, and the entire collection will be passed down to my heirs who live here. If they choose to be concerned with the resale value, that is certainly within their rights.

[JKK]

23 minutes ago, writer1102 said:

LOL - it isn't a problem at all...I just didn't express myself well.

I like the official grade on the coin, not for me, but for whoever inherits my coins once I'm gone.  I'm 60, and the first grandchild that shows an interest in coins will get them.  It will give them a ballpark figure to base their collecting and grading skills on.

So, no, the grade isn't for me...I'm more about the protection that the encapsulation provides.  My grandkids can worry about the worth, and can decide what they want to do with the coin collection.

Actually, it is a problem.

If people have no just cause to judge how you enjoy the hobby, slabbing coins where the chance of recouping the cost of grading is not only impossible but not even germane to your hobby goals, then you lack just cause to tell people they are in the hobby for the wrong reasons because they care whether they can/will recoup the grading cost. Maybe you should do your hobby your way and understand that others do it their way, and that there are no right or wrong reasons.

On top of the dilemma I thought too obvious to have to explain, one reason we have coin dealers to buy from is because we have coin dealers making profits, meaning they are concerned with costs and margins.

[Crawtomatic]

4 minutes ago, writer1102 said:

It will give them a ballpark figure to base their collecting and grading skills on.

I understand this in a sense.  If you were establishing a visual grading library for somebody to use as reference you'd want a coin graded in each numerical grade.  Though it doesn't sound like that's the objective here.

So if you have a coin valued at $3.  And I'm presuming it's more because it's fairly common, not because it's underappreciated.  Why not spend the resources (time and money) to find a better specimen to get encapsulated for those who inherit them all to see?

[writer1102]

1 hour ago, Just Bob said:

Welcome to the forum.

While you are certainly entitled to your own opinion, I do not believe that there is a "right" or "wrong" way to participate in this hobby. What may seem like a wrong reason to you, may seem perfectly logical and appropriate to another person. While many of us love the history, design, beauty, or other aspect(s) of the pieces we collect, there is nothing wrong with someone buying and selling a legal product with an eye toward making a profit, regardless of whether or not we agree with their practice or motivation.

The majority of my collection consists of exonumia from my home state. They are small records of times past, when lumber mills, truck farms, seafood canneries, and company stores were a way of life for much of the population. The odds of me ever selling my pieces for a profit are very slim. Most of the pieces have little or no value to someone who is not interested in the history and culture of my state, and the entire collection will be passed down to my heirs who live here. If they choose to be concerned with the resale value, that is certainly within their rights.

You are correct, of course.  My opinion is not intended to sway anyone away from however they wish to collect.

The key phrase in my observation is "I don't get it."  And I continue to say that if profit is the only reason you're interested in this, or ANY hobby, you might want to consider something else.

Coin dealers, as someone pointed out, exist to make a profit.  Of course they do!  But I have yet to find one that didn't also appreciate the coins themselves.

By all means, a person should collect coins the way they choose.

I don't have to understand it, or agree with it, just as others don't have to agree with me.

[Jade Collection]

OP I sent some cheaper (less than $40) coins to NGC to get slabbed, I just wanted the coins preserved and honestly there wasn't enough slabbed for me to find already slabbed ones so I sent some raw ones myself and increased the population of slabbed examples by a few. It wasn't about the money for me as well

[writer1102]

1 hour ago, Mk123 said:

OP I sent some cheaper (less than $40) coins to NGC to get slabbed, I just wanted the coins preserved and honestly there wasn't enough slabbed for me to find already slabbed ones so I sent some raw ones myself and increased the population of slabbed examples by a few. It wasn't about the money for me as well

Thank you, Mk123!  It's nice to see others that are looking more for preservation!

I spoke of inexpensive coins that I plan to send to be graded/slabbed.  Now, I love coins from Mexico and Canada.  I have an uncirculated 1971 Mo 1 Peso coin from Mexico that I'm going to send in...and here's a link to the list of 1 Peso coins:

https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/world/mexico-estados-unidos-mexicanos-peso-km-460-1970-1983-cuid-1116304-duid-1418373

My particular coin, in MS63 condition, is only worth 80 cents!  BUT, it's worth it to me because I'll have that coin encapsulated and protected!

[kbbpll]

I also can appreciate your perspective on this - preservation and giving your heirs something definite to go on. Those of us who are passing to heirs, and/or preserving family or other kinds of history, don't have the same concerns about the cost/benefit of slabbing as those who are more concerned with the monetary aspect of the hobby. It's money we will never spend, and the cost of grading is just a bit more money we will never spend. However... there are a lot of "howevers".

Everyone in our situation has to draw the line according to our own standards and not necessarily the monetary standard. The vast majority of my collection is raw. By far the most valuable coins were given to me by my grandfather, but on the other hand, so were most of my least valuable coins. A novice heir looking though my binders would not know the difference. For example, I have a 1931 Canada 5c in MS64-65 possibly worth into 4 figures, right next to a 1927 that might get $2. Am I going to pay to slab them both just to preserve family history? For me, probably not. Writing "VF20" on that 1927 5c cardboard is probably enough. And on the preservation side, I have to say that these coins have been in the same 2x2s for over 45 years now. and they all look the same as they did when they were spread out on a table in 1972.

So, it's a bit of a conundrum. Spending a bunch of money to slab worthless (to "the market") coins is no different than spending thousands for a 1 point difference on a grading scale. It all depends on your priorities.

 

[Crawtomatic]

13 hours ago, writer1102 said:

...and here's a link to the list of 1 Peso coins

That's some dramatic doubling on that stock image.  Thanks for sharing that link so I could see something new today.

[VKurtB]

I wouldn't call it "often", but I have from time to time had coins "not worth having graded" graded and encapsulated to create a uniform look and feel for a competitive exhibit, and that's NOT the same as a "registry set". Exhibits tell a story.

[Conder101]

I can understand the preservation viewpoint, but you can get basically the same protection with quality generic shells for a LOT less than $25 to $30 per coin.  As far as an "official" grade, if I was considering buying a coin I'm going to look at the coin and judge the condition for myself.  The grade opinion on the label is of minor consideration.