Beginner Question: Slabbing

[Coinguy19]

Can anyone tell me what price range is appropriate for slabbing a coin? I have recently gotten more serious as a collector and have heard numerous arguments for and against slabbing and am wondering what you think.

 

 

 

Thanks

[MunkyMan95]

First of all, it depends on the grading company. If you just want to have the coins encapsulated, then choose a grading company nobody has ever heard of. If you want the grade to mean something, then I would go with NGC, PCGS, or ANACS. If you go with NGC, then you need a membership. The membership is $99 a year, but if you plan on getting a lot of coins graded, the membership pays for itself just about. PCGS you have to have a membership also, which I believe is $20 a year to the ANA. That membership doesn't really pay for itself. ANACS I have no idea about. With an NGC membership you get something like 5 free submissions to NGC. After 5, it's anywhere from $20-$100 ($100 for super-expedited service) a coin. PCGS is about the same. ANACS, again I don't use them so I have no idea. Good luck and happy coin collecting!

[James_OldeTowne]

For coins you plan to SELL, I wouldn't spend the certification fees plus shipping plus time plus hassle on coins that are worth less than $250. When all is said and done, it costs about $25 per coin to certify, which is 10% of the value, and 10% is about the margin on coins of that caliber. $250 - $400 is a toss-up, and above $400, you are wise to get the coins certified - unless you are an established seller and have loyal clients who trust you.

 

The outstanding exception to these rules would be gold, which I would have certified even if the value is only $150 (such as for a gold dollar). Too many counterfeit gold coins are still around today.

 

If you plan to KEEP the coins, then I wouldn't get them certified period, with the exception being for insurance purposes. In other words, if you are required to get an impartial appraisal of the value of your collection, then certification is an excellent way to go, although hiring a competent coin dealer would be a much less expensive, and likely just as good a route to take.

 

Just my opinions, here. Frankly, I rarely get coins certified, and a coin's value would have very little influence on my decision to do so, because most of the folks I deal with prefer unencapsulated coins.

 

Hopefully, others will chime in their opinions soon.

 

Good luck!

 

James