What are your thoughts on grading vs omp. When I buy these new series, I do not always send in for grading. Matter of fact many I prefer in omp. Many people worry about authenticity, but the items I buy I have never had any problems. Think like: classical gardens, lunar panda, or temple of heaven. I never heard of any counterfeit issues relating to these medals . If money was no issue I guess it would be nice to have a graded set as well as an omp set. Let me also throw in first release or early release on graded low mintage coins. If there are only small number of coins minted ( say under 75) and all minted at same time, what is difference between regular label and early release?
Various reasons of grading coins (fiat & non fiat) Some of my customers grade coins because :- 1. easy to stack and storage. 2. ensure authenticity. 3. fulfill the rarity and achievement of high grade among others with so emotional on gambling characteristics. 4. Grade the item to hope get high grade to flip the coins instead of keeping it by not thinking omp will be more valuable in future if majority of the coins get graded. 5. Many thought higher grade means better design and quality of the coins which is not true. Regular label and early release for ultra low mintage coins have no meaning for me. However, it is more meaning for first batch of striking coin for high mintage coins. Different mints use their ways to identify first batch of striking coins. However, this not make know to public for all coins strike by them. Some big coin companies start working with mints for those first strike grading like 1 out of 10,000 first strike and so on and charge a very high premium on it recently. willing buyer and willing seller which you need to make your own decision on it. Many also debate in forums of the early release label and so on. It is never ending debate.
I do not like boxes and COAs as I have to keep them safely and find storage space for them is an issue once you have collected a sizable amount of medals. I like them graded in slabs as storage will be easier......just me.
I have no set strategy per se but I am more inclined to send in older items for authentication and grading than new items. Also, sometimes it depend where I buy from. If from eBay and it's from a seller I'm not familiar with, there's a higher liklihood that I'd send in for authentication and grading than buying direct from a trusted seller. Now the obvious reason why I'd buy from eBay from a seller I'm not familiar with and an item I am unable to fully authenticate myself is if I can get for a significantly lower price. And this has happened plenty of times....fortunately for me, every time I sent in the item I has concerns about, it turned out to be genuine (though not necessarily always the condition it was described ("perfect" or "uncirculated" or whatever) or that I assumed it was from the pictures. So the short answer is no, I don't always send in for grading every medal I purchase.
Reasons why I send stuff for grading: I hope that medal or coin will preserve original state longer and will be better protected against physical and other damages. In case if item has a special meaning for me. In case if I'm not sure if it's genuine item and I cannot determine myself. Based on what I read so far, grading it's much more popular in the US than in Europe. I guess most of the people store medals and coins in SDB without original boxes, so I doubt slabbed stuff saves place. Especially big fatty slabs take quite a lot of space. Medal stored in zip bags takes less place for sure. Slabbed medal is probably better protected for carrying around, but it also depends how you protect your medals and coins when you carry them around. Grading PM is not so cheap so for me it doesn't make sense for items that are not "worth" some "decent" money, therefore I sent to grading mainly only silver medals and coins, unless the item fits 2nd point in the list above.
Hi Stark, good points. From my understanding, slabs (perhaps even including PCGS's newest 'submersible' slab) are not completely air tight meaning that over time, environmental conditions can potentially affect the coins inside. Do you store your slabbed coins in protective plastic?
I store majority of main coins and medals in Coin Armour bags (2 bags usually) which are then vacuum sealed in bags that have certificates for their material (e.g. no PDA, etc.).
I think Stark and barsenault have the best ways of storage. It might be more expensive than my way but I think better in both their cases.
Decent vacuum sealer can be bought for around 50$. Maybe even less. It's also useful for storing food, etc. 2nd I bought it's much better than 1st: quieter, faster, smaller and with better build quality. CA bags might be more expensive, but they look nicer to me than normal ones and have more "premium" feel to them. I only wish they would be transparent on both "sides". Only time will tell if coins and medals were stored properly. As somebody here said some stuff already comes with problems from mint and cannot be (completely) prevented.
Vacuum seal, best NGC or PCGS slab vacuum seal, dry box, de-humidifier and so on and on are good for storage and delay white spot and toning. However, it is not sound proof forever. IT IS DELAY NOT STOP. Majority articles and discussion on forums of toning and white spots has pointed none of us knowing the exact of white spot forming :- chemical wash residue, minting environment, minting procedures, minting technology, external environment factors, change of temperatures during transportation, excuses from mints and so on and on. Check those out which None can give scientific and proven answers at all. NGC and other also dare not say the conserved can totally stop white spot. https://www.ngccoin.com/coin-grading/coins-we-grade/white-spots/ http://www.coinweek.com/education/c...s-crying-milk-spotted-american-silver-eagles/ http://news.coinupdate.com/milk-spots-on-modern-silver-coins-how-big-of-an-issue/ http://china-mint.info/forum/index.php?topic=1776.0 http://thesilverforum.com/topic/930-no-milk-spot-coins/ http://china-mint.info/forum/index.php?topic=10575.0 NON institute, numic expert, mints and private company yet to get the formula to get rid of white spot. There are multi mio of silver collector and some will pay money to get the product to stop and get rid of white spot without affect the grading result and so on. I do not believe it is not a good business and motivation for someone to research on it and try to get it right. I do believe it is not easy and chance of getting the formula right is very very slim and noone get it right for century. It is the same theory the medicine can cure your cold BUT NOT STOP IT. Purer Brass and copper are more easy to react with environmental factors than follow by silver. Gold is far better than those metals. However, it is much more expensive to other metals. The prevention and delay white spot approaches also ranging from cheap to expensive. Which metal to buy and prevention approaches to use are very personal, affect by personal financial ability and many other factors. Not buying silver because of a possible white spot on it and BUY gold which is better and lower chance of getting red spot? Do you have the money to buy the same quantity of gold as compare to silver ? Many other factors to consider too. This has been debate for long long time. I did a check on NGC stock photo on NGC webpage PF/MS 69 & 70 items which have white after grading immediately regardless of western and eastern mints. As at now, none has got the database and statistic which mint tend to get more white spots problem than another. I have made appointed to all my re-sellers which customer spot the white spot on silver items after delivery within xx days which can be exchange, getting discount or certain form of approaches. However, It is not formally announce because some customers are tending to take advantages of it because they want MS/PF70 for the omp item they bought. Why not buy PF/MS70 if you want MS/PF70? any dealers can ensure the third party grading companies grade all coins in PF70? If yes, it will not have PF66-70. As my experience as when come to money and emotion which the most logic and cool person will become illogical if he/she really self-center. This is one of my experience which the family members fight for the wealth among themselves after their love one pass away. Many type of news of it in the worlds. everyone say they are right and none will say they are wrong. The recent fighting case of Singapore PM and siblings which even bring to Parliament. I did collect my own database which come to my radar for my sponsor items and discussion with mints for white spot on and off. However, no mints from Shenyang and Nanjing get conclusion like all other world mints. While you do not see a white spot on certain item do not means it has no white spot. You see white spot on some cases post in forum or elsewhere which do not means all items of it get white spot. The most important is the approach of the buyer and seller to solve this case. As when I am free which I will post some NGC photos MS/PF70 from various mints which show white spot. However, it does not stop collectors to buy silver coin and swift totally to buy gold as my personal view.
