Question for Newcomers / Recent Hobby Come-Backers

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by ASF123

Yeah, that was confusing at first. "Slab" I get, but where the hell did "flip" come from?

From the coin world.

[ASF123]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

From the coin world.

Ok...but it doesn’t make any more sense there either.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by ASF123

Ok...but it doesn’t make any more sense there either.

It originated from an early coin holder that was briefly popular.
Picture having two pockets from a page that fold over to the size of one. The coin ones were 2"x2" like other coin holders. The coin went on the front pocket, and the dealer or collector could write the info they wanted about the coin on a piece of paper to put in the other pocket as a label.

I vaguely remember a slightly larger one that had enough room for a folded grading certificate. Yes, a fairly simple certificate that said the coin was genuine and sometimes the grade. People started swapping coins that might pass for a higher grade... so they started including a photo tied to the certificate with a stamp like a notary seal. Which also did pretty much nothing to stop the switching.
Anyway......

You'd have to flip them open to view the information on the 2x2 piece of paper. Hence the name flips.

The holders themselves were vinyl, with all the usual problems of vinyl.
They fell out of favor very quickly when the authenticators/graders started using slabs.

How a coin holder term that was out of style by the early 80's translated to card grading so much later... I think may have to remain a mystery.

[ASF123]

Ohhh, I remember those! I collected coins for a little while as a kid too. Thanks for explaining.

[Casey2296]

As kids we played "flippers" & "leaners" with our cards all the time.