The editorial in the December 2015 issue of the British publication Coin News highlights some differences between British and American numismatics. John W. Mussell notes that the American emphasis on “the minutiae of grading,” slabbing and viewing coins as investments is largely antithetical to British numismatists. And yet, he asks, with the aging of British coin collectors, is it appropriate to “learn a thing or two from the Americans?” He ends by musing, “Is it time to take ourselves down that same path as they have trodden in order to expand our hobby, or is that a step too far?” It will be interesting to see how that plays out.

"The slab has allowed the collector to buy and sell coins much more easily and this has led, logically, to a boom in coins as investment. In the UK, with grading being so subjective such trading solely as a money-making exercise isn’t quite so easy.

"... Is it now time to look at encouraging investors? Encourage the looking at coins as commodities as well as collectables? Is it (shock, horror) time to slab?"