Read the slab label, then examine the enclosed silver dollar
Transcribe the grading service, attribution, grade and certification details exactly as printed. Keep that description beside, but distinct from, the year, denomination and designs visible on the coin.
The plastic can limit the evidence
List which inscriptions, surface areas or edge sections remain clear and which are obscured by the insert, glare or scratches. The limit belongs in the assessment.
State whether weight and diameter are direct coin readings, unavailable through the slab, or used only as published background.
Record weight and diameter only when they are genuinely obtainable, with the tool and native unit. A slab's gross weight must never be presented as the enclosed coin's weight.
Match the label to both faces
Photograph the entire holder front and back before taking close views through the plastic. Check that the printed type, year and denomination agree with the visible inscriptions and principal designs.
Use raking light to distinguish marks on the holder from features on the metal. If the plastic prevents that distinction, state the uncertainty without assigning a surface grade.
Map every accessible part of the edge
Capture the visible circumference in overlapping sections, noting the portions hidden by prongs or gasket. Never prise the slab apart solely to obtain a continuous edge photograph.
If a joint, piercing, solder trace or rim alteration appears, locate it against the complete face views. An unexplained line seen only through plastic needs direct confirmation.
Keep the original slab information intact
Photograph the certification number and any old labels without removing or covering them. Later comments should be dated additions rather than edits to the original wording.
Where label and coin disagree, transcribe both. Recheck orientation, visible legends, design and accessible edge before deciding whether an in-hand inspection is justified.
Condition through plastic requires restraint
Separate visible toning, circulation wear and strike weakness from scratches, haze or reflections on the holder. Avoid confident cleaning claims when the optical barrier is decisive.
Images can establish obvious damage, but composition, delicate repair and concealed surfaces may remain unresolved. Explain what direct access might answer and what risk opening would create.
Prepare a useful slabbed-coin comparison
Begin with full holder photographs, then match the label to the coin's readable year, denomination and design. Mark every mismatch rather than choosing the more convenient description.
Add any reliable diameter and the safely visible edge sections. Keep a separate note when a published coin specification is used only as background.
Preserve colour-neutral originals alongside raking-light images. Holder glare can change the apparent patina and exaggerate or conceal fine lines.
If another review changes the tentative attribution, retain the first version and its date. The audit trail matters when the slab has not been opened.
A specialist enquiry should state the exact limitation: hidden edge, conflicting label, uncertain surface or unavailable coin-only weight. That focus is more useful than a premature grade.
