Encapsulated Stamps

Comics use a numerical 1-10 scale. Actually a 0.5 to 10 scale for
the rare example where the interior is present, but the cover is
missing. A vague generalization on one of my comic book webshops
for grading http://www.theuncannyxmen.com/grading.html.

Allen,
The idea of slabbing originated as a means to preserve the opinion
of the third party grading arbitrator between buying and selling
parties. Once the item has been marketed, it's quite easy to "crack"
the slab open to read the comic. By cracking the slab open, you of
course have invalidated the grading. I have done this dozens of times
with comics that I've wanted to read. My main comic book focus is
"Tom and Jerry". I've opened every slab I've ever bought for that
line of books.
If you are flipping the comic for investment, or financial gain, you
will never crack one open. The high end of the market is very
touchy about restoration, and the slabbing folks are very very good
at spotting restoration.

i love tom and jerry sigh those were the years

It would seem to me, that for these rare copies, it might make sense to make a digital copy before slabbing said comic. That way you can read it all you want, without potentially destroying any value. That still doesn't mean I agree with the practice, at least for stamps. Maybe it makes sense in other markets.

-Allen

Two words for "slabbing". Boo. Hiss.

now for coins we really need protection slabbing intercept airtite you name it I got it :)

New here to Stampcommunity.org. I took a ten-year break from stamp collecting, and for a lot of that break expanded my 'raw' coin collection. This means that my coins are pretty much grading XF-40 or lower (on a scale of 70). Basically, the coin market is 'mature' in that the real money is in slabbed coins - that is if you can get lucky and buy an unworn rare raw coin, get it encapsulated, and then sell it for big bucks. Otherwise, you're either buying and selling garbage coins (reasonable cost, reasonable profit/loss), or buying and selling high value coins (buy high and sell at that elevated level). But my interest is back in stamps because of the opportunity now to get your/my high-value 'raw' stamps graded (and yes, slabbed/encapsulated) "while the gettin's good". The coin market is mature in this regard, but the stamp market isn't. Believe me, just like you, I have the albums, the wax packages, the covers, the sheets, boxes and boxes, by topic, country, etc., and seeing an encapsulated stamp is at first odd. BUT, it's the way of the internet now. And I actually don't mind encapsulating a stamp since it makes handling it safer, and catalogued/graded forever. I've actually always thought encapsulating coins was odd since we all think of coins/change as jangling in your pocket. You never handle stamps like coins, especially since they are on envelopes anyway, so IMHO, it's natural for stamps....surprised it's taken so long to take hold. I know there are some other topics/discussions about grading, but I'm replying to this one from 2010 to put into perspective the reality of internet selling now, versus the comments posted above - mostly in opposition to this encapsulating thing. Cheers! George.

I'm afraid it's not the way of the internet or the world. It's the province of a few aesthetically challenged people in the USA. Grading and slabbing are not practised elsewhere.

I remember last year when I'd gone to an estate sale to look at a few banker's boxes of stamps. The person in charge of the estate insisted the collection from his uncle was worth thousands and thousands and almost all of the stamps in the boxes were the button type capsules and rectangular slabs. He was annoyed at me because I mentioned there weren't many I'd be interested in because the slabs had been glued shut where you SHOULD be able to slip the stamp out. He couldn't believe I'd want to remove the stamp or that I wouldn't pay $5000 for boxes of plastic and semi interesting issues.

I really don't see "slabbing", and grading, stamps making a huge impact in the hobby. There are just too many variables to consider. Things that might cause a stamp to be graded low might actually be the very thing that makes it worth money. Centering is one of those things. A well-centered stamp gets graded high, and off centered stamps get graded low. But what about stamps that are mis-perfed to the point that they are considered EFO's? Those tend to sell for more money, but I'm assuming they would grade really low because they are not perfectly centered. How about nicely centered SON cancels, that are on a stamp that is off-center? Too many variables..........

PSE shows no added cost for encapsulation. They will charge a fee to convert an encapsulated stamp to a reg cert. As far as self removal, the plastic holder is all hollow with the stamp held in place by 4 small tabs. It can be cut thru and split apart without damaging the item.

I think most of the overpriced modern slabbed stamps on ebay were bought at auction. Siegel often offers them in group lots.