Sample slab collecting, a formerly obscure numismatic niche, is about to move to the edge of the mainstream with the publication of the first book on the subject on September 17, 2015.

When third-party grading services began encapsulating coins in 1986, they often gave away samples of their new coin holders. Originally distributed free to collectors, these sample slabs have an active secondary market, with many desirable varieties commanding $100 - $300.

Although, like vintage coin boards and coin albums, samples have become collectibles in their own right, the field had no comprehensive catalog and value guide.

Sample Slabs by COINage columnist and The Numismatist contributor David Schwager, which covers 580 types from 32 grading services, fills that gap. Like other seminal works, from Lyman Low's Hard Times Tokens in the 19th century to Charlie Rogers' A History of Disney Dollars in the 21st, Sample Slabs has the potential to define, organize, and energize the field.

More details and a 70-page sample chapter are available at SampleSlabBook.com .

To read the complete article, see:
Sample Slab Market about to Expand with Publication of First Catalog (www.coinweek.com/education/coin-grading/sample-slab-market-about-to-expand-with-publication-of-first-catalog/)