A Collector’s Dilemma

This short and amusing poem about numismatics has been written from the perspective of the coins that hobbyists collect.

Crack or CAC? Ever higher grows the stack of slabs.
Some are dupes.

Gaps in albums see the gleaming slabs and shout,
“Crack them out; display is what it’s all about!”
“Market value!” retort the holders. “Empty out those useless folders.
It’s a question of survival. Go with storage that’s archival.”
“Poppycock,” the folders groan. “Contemplate our album tone!”

Other holdered coins have genes which bear the stamp of Castaing machines,
and they dissent.
They have a voice and seek to verbalize their choice.
“The hell with bloody market value!
Make us happy. Smash this nappy.
Coins are not inflation hedges.
We want you to see our edges.”

Finally, hear the cries of gems in tubes.
“We’re not rubes; these tubes mean nothing but perdition.
Slabs will give us recognition.
Send us off, and don’t look back.
Besides…

If grading fails, comes back ‘details,’ what’s a few more slabs to crack?”