What ever happened to -Florida firm stickering certified coins with grade enhancements
1630Boston
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The website seems to be active http://www.macablege.com/
Published: Jan 28, 2015
A new Florida firm has begun identifying what it calls “Grade Enhancements” on certified and encapsulated modern coins, by adding a sticker to the slabs of coins meeting company criteria.
MACge LLC, Monroe, Fla., offers a two-pronged system for designating specific elements of coins that exhibit value-added characteristics. Each coin that meets the firm’s criteria will be have the holder stickered with a copyrighted hologram.
The MACge principals are Charles Alan Hager, Eli Meisels and Mike Rubin.
MACge will accept for MAC stickering all U.S. and foreign Mint State coins from 1960 to the present, though only coins already graded and encapsulated by Professional Coin Grading Service or Numismatic Guaranty Corp.
The “MAC” component of the company name is an acronym for “Modern Approved Coin,” and “ge” stands for “Grade Enhancement.”
Any modern coin that MACge believes to be undergraded by one of the two top grading services — a coin the firm considers “premium quality,” or “PQ” — is considered to be “MACABLE.”
According to the firm, a PCGS- or NGC-certified coin that has exceptional characteristics for its grade, say Mint State 67, would be designed MS-67 MAC (PQ).
The GE or Grade Enhancements component of the company’s designation “refers to valuing a coin taking into consideration features that may not have been considered previously,” according to the firm.
“For example, in the 1953 mintage, a tiny fraction of the Jefferson nickels have full steps, due to poor die quality that year,” according to the MACge website. Also according to the firm’s website: “A 1953-S Full Step Jefferson nickel in MS-66 sells for $35,000 due to its rarity. The vast majority of the 1953-S nickels have no steps, and sell for around $150. However, there are a few 1953-S nickels that have 4 steps, and those should be designated as such and valued accordingly. We will designate that coin with a MACge sticker ‘4Steps/4FS’, and that coin will increase in value beyond the $150 for the 1953-S nickel with no steps.”
While MACge officials note that full step Jefferson 5-cent coins, full bands Winged Liberty Head and Roosevelt dimes, full head Standing Liberty quarter dollars and full bell lines Franklin half dollars, among other designations, have been accepted elements of numismatic nomenclature in determining value for decades, they also note that other elements have been overlooked.
Grade enhancement
The company identifies 17 copyrighted Grade Enhancement categories. Grade Enhancements can be applied to all traditional coins, such as Standing Liberty quarter dollars and Walking Liberty half dollars, and some modern coins, according to MACge officials:
Examples cited by the firm include Mint State Lincoln cents, 1959 to 1990 — Full Step Memorial; Mint State Indian Head 5-cent coins, 1913 to 1938 — Full Split Tail; Mint State Roosevelt dimes, 1946 to 2015 — 90 percent Full Torch Bands; Mint State Washington quarter dollars, 1932 to 1998 — Full Split Beak; Mint State Walking Liberty, half dollars, 1916 to 1947 — Full Split Thumb; and Mint State Peace dollars, 1921 to 1935 — Exceptional Full Strike.
Separate fee structures will be assessed depending on whether the submissions are from the public or dealers. The fees rise depending on how quickly a submitter wants the submitted coins examined and returned.
The basic turnaround time is two weeks, with a minimum submission of five coins.
The firm displays information on membership levels for submitting coins.
MACge also will be posting a census of stickered coins, as well as a MAC Value Guide and GE Value Guide, at its website.
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Comments
They are still around as far as I know. I don't believe there is much demand for the sticker in the general market. Some sell on eBay but most people probably don't pay much attention (at least no where close to the level of CAC stickers).
Totally worthless.
Poor man's CAC?
Maybe the QA sticker put them out of market awareness with a better sticker?
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
When I read the name Charles Alan Hager, I immediately thought whether this is the same person as Alan Hager of days gone by. There were lots of law suits flying around including Mr. Hagar the PNG, Ebay, Barry Stuppler and others. His main claim to fame was founding ACCUGRADE, most likely the first company to slab coins. PCGS (or David Hall) bought the license to use Accugrade's slab design (think the first rattlers), IIRC.
Alan used to have somewhat of a questionable reputation in the numismatic community. Whether or not it was deserved, I don't know.
I personally believe his reputation was earned. I was on the boards back in those days. Yikes. I found what was the likely result of the lawsuit as well. It was favorable to the forum people. Wish some of those guys were still here.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
I've seen him in action at the Central States show 25 years ago when he loudly berated a young guy working for him in front of everyone at the show. I was not favorably impressed.
Years ago I heard a negotiation on what grade a coin would get and how much it would cost at a show I was set up at.
Does this mean another division could be called:
“CAC” is an acronym for “Classic Approved Coin”?
Stickers seem to be appearing rapidly.... I can think of about six off hand.... probably more out there... and more to come. Time for some new angle....and the first with a new twist, wins the market.
Cheers, RickO
May take a while, but it will be AI grading of coins..............it will happen and eventually be accepted. JMO
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@1630Boston .... I agree, and posted that many times in the past. Usually scoffed at, so I just stopped... But AI has come a long way... heck, it performs surgery now....No reason it cannot grade coins....It just takes programming... It will be far more efficient, accurate and repeatable than human opinions. Cheers, RickO
Grade enhancements.
First I’ve heard stickers called that.
In many cases, "Ask price enhancements" would be more accurate.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Not unlike a certain other stickering service.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
LOL! Several of us in our area came up with a nickname for a dealer friend of ours who puts a sticker on most of his coins. We call him Shot 65!
I have such a 1953-S with five steps imo but not designated FS on the PCGS MS65 holder (bought it that way). Have no pics of this coin but the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th steps are there but the notorious 4th step has its usual sleight bridges under the 2nd and third pillars. Viewing the bridge under the 2nd pillar in other angles, it looks so minor. And, of course, there is an ample quarter 6th step segment to make up what little in missing on the 4th step. But a collector who can't buy one at $22,500 would be happy filling that void in his/her collection for less. I just wish the guy would improve his photography or hire someone who could show the steps on his coins.
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
Wow @leothelyon
That is a fantastic collection [ that you amassed over 30 years, it will take me a long while to view it but your pics are fantastic, your collection could be a thread of its own
Boston
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