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When to slab a coin — and when the plastic is a waste
Grade fees plus postage plus time. Worth it on expensive, original coins that fight about authenticity. Not worth it on a coffee-can common.
People slab coins because the video said “always get it graded.”
The video does not pay the invoice.
Slab when
- The coin is expensive enough that authenticity is the whole deal
- Original surfaces, no obvious cleaning
- A real fight about grade would change a lot of money
- You are mailing it to a stranger and want a third party in the middle
Do not slab when
- It is a common date you can sell as melt or as a cheap collectible today
- You already cleaned it. Don’t. They will notice. Details grades.
- The fee is a big slice of the likely value
- You just wanted a plastic souvenir
Shop shortcut
Put the maybe-slab coins in a pile and ask. “Would you send this?” is a fair question. “Grade all of these” is how estates light money on fire. Sorting. Estates.
Part of the coin shop counter wiki · visitors & collectors · NumisQ Learn