I thought the slab was worth something like 5 bucks. Or cheaper. But umm oh it's a joke. I see. Well eBay's not fun and games if you're making a bid. If you don't have the money to buy it, why place the bid?
Really interesting. And umm yeah thanks for putting that up.
Kenny
- Verifying your Asian and British-territorial coins everyday with the best quality photos and the best information.
Because umm that's how I talk. Although I'm admin of the best website in the world, I like to talk refined. And umm that's really how I talk. Whenever I text, or in a normal umm verbal conversation.
Uhh thanks for asking, Tony.
Kenny
- Verifying your Asian and British-territorial coins everyday with the best quality photos and the best information.
Umm; is that the right page - if so ...
I do not understand anything about this topic !?!
Mintage 1,098,201,100
What does slabbed mean
What does PCGS mean
What does XF45 mean
So it is an American one cent coin made in 1956 with a D mintmark. There are over a thousand million made, so can someone explain please? I see the main picture in the eBay link shows the coin in a plastic holder and a barcode label at the top. Then there is a large grey circle surrounding the coin - is that part of the plastic holder, or is it added to the coin (welded / glued etc). Then one reply above mentions a 5 cents, which confused me even more. Whatever slabbed means, it must be an American term as I have never heard of it in UK. What is the purpose?
Zac, a slabbed coin is usually an extremely high value piece sealed in a plastic container - slab. For a fee of around $20 to $30 dollars you can have your coins professionally graded and permanently sealed. Each "slab" has a barcode which can be used to verify that the coin is genuine and that it's grade has been established.
For the vast majority of coins in the hands of collectors this is unneccessary. Unslabbed or "raw" coins make up the vast majority of collections. However if you are collecting high value gold coins or buying rare coins with a substantial dollar value then it makes sense to buy slabbed coins. The Chinese are pumping out thousands of very good fake coins which are almost impossible for the regular collector to detect.
XF45 is the grade of the coin. Grading is done on a 1-70 scale, with 1 being a barely regognisable lump of metal and 70 being a coin which is perfect in every respect, not even a single small blemish. A MS 70 coin is very, very uncommon. Grades are G (Good), VG, F (Fine), VF (Very Fine) EF or XF (Extrtemely Fine) Unc (Uncircualted). These are the grades for 1-60. Anything above 60 is termed Mint State (MS) usually in the format, MS62, MS66 etc. This numerical scale is known as the Sheldon Scale.
PCGS is Professional Coin Grading Service which is, along with NCG, ANACS and ICG, the best known third party grading companies.
Due to the premium paid for a certified, professionally graded coin, a lot of unscrupulous traders have started putting coins which are basically pocket change into their own cheap slabs and selling thm to unwary buyers as MS70 coins. These are known as "self slabbers" and should be avoided like a dose of crabs. INB is a typical example where every single coin they sell is "MS70" and is usually worth less than the nasty plastic case it comes in. If you have had the misfortune to be scammed by these parasites, all is not lost. You can break open the cases and use the money to buy a pack of cigarettes.
In short, a slab means nothing unless it is from a well established and reputable company.
Non illegitimis carborundum est. Excellent advice for all coins.
Make Numismatics Great Again!
Gosh - thanks. Some of those I asked about I had an idea but was not sure. I have not seen anything like it in UK myself, but maybe there is. So the joke is that there is nothing special about the one cent coin; just someone paid $20 to $30 dollars, to put in a plastic holder something that many millions were made. That grey circle around the coin is just part of the plastic holder and is not permanently fixed to the coin then - that is what I thought 'slabbed' meant, and then it was put in the holder. So it is an ordinary coin, and anyone could have a 1956D and theirs too would not be worth anything really. On that page I looked at was mentioned a D over D variety (presumably the D mintmark) and wondered if it was one of those being sold. Well, I know a few more things now. Thanks
BUY 10 OR MORE AND GET FREE SHIPPING!!!! 
but pnightngale put it right as to usa traders do??? 
