Think I'm done with graded coins

[runway]

Some nice coins here
http://www.drakesterling.com/coins-for-sale/?ref=markscoinforum

[ausjack]

Yes Eric sure does get some nice coins but does a lot of work and travel to do so

[markn]

Coin dealers who deal in third party graded coins aren't "investing".  They are either buying graded coins at wholesale and selling at retail (at surprisingly thin margins) or continually making judgement calls about the grade of raw coins (and the associated grading and retailing costs) and their retail costs.  Successful dealers make the right call more often that not.

If you want to "invest" in some coins (and I never recommend investing in coins) buy the BEST you can afford and sit on it for years.  And when I say BEST I mean BEST.  If you're contemplating buying a coin and your thought patterns are "that's good enough", or "that might be OK", or "I can't be bothered looking for better" then that's not the coin you want.  That might mean only buying one or two coins a year.  And how many coins should you buy?  I don't know but the old adage is that you're better off having 1 coin worth $1000 than 10 worth $100.  

And don't forget you're playing the long game here.

[stevo1962]

My theory is pretty much the same as MARKN but sometimes you have to buy quite a few coins
before you find the best especially if you buy from photos.It might be a case of buying 5-10 raw coins
of a particular type and getting them all slabbed but only having 1 that is a standout grade.The idea being
to sell off the lower grades to reinvest even if at a loss and the value of the keeper well and truly makes up
for any loss.It works well in theory but it relies on your grading skills.Some people can do it and some people
are not so lucky but like anything you have to have a go. The trouble is that I like to keep everything

[trout]

Here are my latest submissions.
108 coins in all and $3,569.56 in grading fees or $33.05 per coin
Nothing really amazing in them but they average out ok.
A few work out not worth the grading fee, But Hay I'm still learning here and paying for my "Education" as I go :angel:
I did stuff up with a couple of the coins in the Gold submission tho
The coins on line 14-23 in submission #4639669 are not mine.

https://www.pcgs.com/Membership/sharedorder.aspx?OrderNo=20935551
https://www.pcgs.com/Membership/sharedorder.aspx?OrderNo=20937580
https://www.pcgs.com/Membership/sharedorder.aspx?OrderNo=20931235
https://www.pcgs.com/Membership/sharedorder.aspx?OrderNo=20937571

I still have 3 submissions yet to be graded , 75 coins in total

[ausjack]

Coin dealers who deal in third party graded coins aren't "investing".  They are either buying graded coins at wholesale and selling at retail (at surprisingly thin margins) or continually making judgement calls about the grade of raw coins (and the associated grading and retailing costs) and their retail costs.  Successful dealers make the right call more often that not.

If you want to "invest" in some coins (and I never recommend investing in coins) buy the BEST you can afford and sit on it for years.  And when I say BEST I mean BEST.  If you're contemplating buying a coin and your thought patterns are "that's good enough", or "that might be OK", or "I can't be bothered looking for better" then that's not the coin you want.  That might mean only buying one or two coins a year.  And how many coins should you buy?  I don't know but the old adage is that you're better off having 1 coin worth $1000 than 10 worth $100.  

And don't forget you're playing the long game here.

Yes very true on many accounts and if you buy lesser grades like I do make sure they're like mine and only for my collection. If it's an investment, like Mark said buy the best you can as people only want top of the pops but the only down side with that is if there's a sleeper out there that tops you so your investment will drop dramatically. Gee I like all the good advice I get here because I'd be stuffed with out you lot, THANK YOU :friends: :hi:

[autocoupler]

I won't be sucked into what i see as the outrageously expensive slab fad myself, I prefer to stick with the better known raw varieties in as good a grade as I can afford. These are getting more popular as every year rolls bye and some bargains can still be had. I remember a time when dealers would often scoff at collectors who asked about these varieties, and remember about twelve years ago being told by a dealer it's wasn't worth his time to look out for them after I mentioned a 1955Y. UNC penny he had in his cabinet was a mule. To be honest it probably wasn't worth his time back then, but I purchased the coin for $15. These often sell at the likes of Downies auctions these days for $250 +.

At this point in time many coins like this are not recognised by the likes of Macas etc in their primary listings nor by the TPG'S, but just like the dealers of a few short years ago, there will be a time when they do.

I'm still to be convinced about the pro slab lobby/process, but no doubt there are some valid points when it comes to high grade top of the pops coins, but what worries me is just how many of these examples are out there, particularly when it comes to decimals. The slabbing process IMHO is in it's infancy in this country, you only need to look at the populations to understand this. I'm often amazed when I see a slabbed coin claimed as having just say two graded higher, and when you look at the population there is just a handful registered, even with the pre decimals.

Hopefully those who have jumped on board the slab wagon (XXXX) :biggrin: will  savour the benefits in the long run, just as some of the varieties have made recent ground (VB, Bogues, Cascade etc) hic hic :blush: The reds aren't bad either :yahoo:

Lifes too short to stay serious for too long

[robbiegal]

I thought of AJ when I saw this (and myself!!)

[ausjack]

:laugh2: I just love ya work RG, if you could only see me smiling :friends:

[gnome]

Just came across this thread and to be honest if I saw the term slab in it, I didn't even bother clicking on in to read it. Purely my ignorance and stubbornness. But the times are changing.
I've been trying to work the grading out for the slabs, still stumped on how some of these got high grades. I know my eyes arent the best nowadays, but geez some of those high grades look like rubbish to me.
For example how did this make ms65.  http://www.pcgs.com/pop/valueview.aspx?s=144605 (appologies if you own it)
It's not the only one I've seen that has a high grade and to tell the truth I wouldn't buy it.
Then there's the decimal coins, had a look through the pop report, pictures etc and I keep asking the same question why would you bother slabbing that.
The penny just hasn't dropped yet.
I've bought some slabs to try and learn and hone my grading skills. It's like everything new, I suppose, and it's probably going to be a long road ahead.

I do have a couple of nice coins I was considering getting slabbed, but the unsure factor is still there.
I know buy the coin, not the slab.

[echidna]

Just came across this thread and to be honest if I saw the term slab in it, I didn't even bother clicking on in to read it. Purely my ignorance and stubbornness. But the times are changing.
I've been trying to work the grading out for the slabs, still stumped on how some of these got high grades. I know my eyes arent the best nowadays, but geez some of those high grades look like rubbish to me.
For example how did this make ms65.  http://www.pcgs.com/pop/valueview.aspx?s=144605 (appologies if you own it)
It's not the only one I've seen that has a high grade and to tell the truth I wouldn't buy it.
Then there's the decimal coins, had a look through the pop report, pictures etc and I keep asking the same question why would you bother slabbing that.
The penny just hasn't dropped yet.
I've bought some slabs to try and learn and hone my grading skills. It's like everything new, I suppose, and it's probably going to be a long road ahead.

I do have a couple of nice coins I was considering getting slabbed, but the unsure factor is still there.
I know buy the coin, not the slab.

The best graders are grading high value coins - mostly US.
They dont want to get the grade wrong for them.
The inexperienced graders grade low value world coins.
Hence there is more variation - sometimes lots.
To learn about their standards I look at the higher value stuff.

[gnome]

Ok thanks, echidna. Still doing alot reading, it's going to take awhile.

[Goose]

If you're grading to find out whether a coin is a XF or an AU on a certain coin, just flip it.....heads it's XF, tails it's AU. This way you'll be at least 50% right......or wrong.

[trout]

The inexperienced graders grade low value world coins.
Hence there is more variation - sometimes lots.

Something like paying $130 per hr to get work done on your car by an apprentice.
It is Sooo annoying having to pay Experts rates for something that is done by a novice :dash1:

[gnome]

What I was thinking as well, trout. Thanks for the tip, Goose. :)Anyway Is there a section somewhere about slabbed australian error coins.