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Proposed Red CAC Sticker For Plus + Coins

I think it’s time to revisit the topic of a different color sticker for CAC coins that merit a plus grade. To many of us collectors are faced with a difficult and uncomfortable choice. Keep our older valuable holders or resubmit them for a plus grade and lose them. It would be great if more collectors would try and convince John Albanese to issue a new different color sticker for green CAC stickered that are evaluated to be worthy of the plus grade. This would benefit the collector while producing additional revenue for their N.J. division. What do you all think of CAC adding this service for collectors desiring to upgrade their CAC coins?

Comments

  • Coins3675Coins3675 Posts: 951 ✭✭✭✭

    I don't think this is worth it.

  • WalkerloverWalkerlover Posts: 968 ✭✭✭✭

    @291fifth said:
    NO more stickers!

    What’s wrong with a little innovation. We have had the same green and gold stickers for 16 years.

  • MFeldMFeld Posts: 15,522 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Walkerlover said:

    @291fifth said:
    NO more stickers!

    What’s wrong with a little innovation. We have had the same green and gold stickers for 16 years.

    CAC is looking to phase itself out, slowly, so innovation of the type you’re seeking probably isn’t part of the plan.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • WalkerfanWalkerfan Posts: 9,896 ✭✭✭✭✭

    ‘If I want stickers; I’ll buy bananas!’ Lol

    I can’t remember the old-time board member who said that, but it was hilarious 😆

    Seriously, John has already said that he doesn’t recognize plus grades, so introducing such a sticker this late in the game would be incongruent. And as Mark has said, they’re eventually going to phase out stickers, altogether, so why build on it, now? That would be counterproductive.

    Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍

    My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):

    https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,853 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Walkerlover said:

    @291fifth said:
    NO more stickers!

    What’s wrong with a little innovation. We have had the same green and gold stickers for 16 years.

    16 years too long.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • WalkerloverWalkerlover Posts: 968 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2025 2:05PM

    @MFeld said:

    @Walkerlover said:

    @291fifth said:
    NO more stickers!

    What’s wrong with a little innovation. We have had the same green and gold stickers for 16 years.

    CAC is looking to phase itself out, slowly, so innovation of the type you’re seeking probably isn’t part of the plan.

    As far as I understand John committed to stickering for close to 10 years. Perhaps he could provide such a service for a short time maybe a year for collectors to convert their green stickers to a plus so we could get the upgrade without loss of our older holders. After all CACG recognizes plus grade and they are basically the same grading companies

  • WalkerloverWalkerlover Posts: 968 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2025 2:31PM

    @Walkerlover said:

    @MFeld said:

    @Walkerlover said:

    @291fifth said:
    NO more stickers!

    What’s wrong with a little innovation. We have had the same green and gold stickers for 16 years.

    CAC is looking to phase itself out, slowly, so innovation of the type you’re seeking probably isn’t part of the plan.

    As far as I understand John committed to stickering for close to 10 years. Perhaps he could provide such a service for a short time maybe a year for collectors to convert their green stickers to a plus so we could get the upgrade without loss of our older holders. After all CACG recognizes plus grade and they are basically both the same grading company standards.

    As an aside my personal opinion is CACG will never attain the popularity of the PCGS/CAC sticker combination. I do believe that most classic raw coins will have been completely exhausted after the baby boomers estates come to the market. So to discontinue stickering is a mistake in my opinion. I think CACG will do okay with modern coins though

  • coinbufcoinbuf Posts: 12,048 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Bad idea that is never going to happen.

    My Lincoln Registry
    My Collection of Old Holders

    Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
  • GoldbullyGoldbully Posts: 18,139 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MFeld said:

    @Walkerlover said:

    @291fifth said:
    NO more stickers!

    What’s wrong with a little innovation. We have had the same green and gold stickers for 16 years.

    CAC is looking to phase itself out, slowly, so innovation of the type you’re seeking probably isn’t part of the plan.


    I did not know that. Thank you @MFeld.

    I like that CAC is going to phase out the sticker service immensely.

    Per @Walkerlover, 10 years(one decade) should be plenty of time to have examined the majority of the CAC candidates, especially the top tier ones.

  • WalkerloverWalkerlover Posts: 968 ✭✭✭✭

    @Goldbully said:

    @MFeld said:

    @Walkerlover said:

    @291fifth said:
    NO more stickers!

    What’s wrong with a little innovation. We have had the same green and gold stickers for 16 years.

    CAC is looking to phase itself out, slowly, so innovation of the type you’re seeking probably isn’t part of the plan.


    I did not know that. Thank you @MFeld.

    I like that CAC is going to phase out the sticker service immensely.

    Per @Walkerlover, 10 years(one decade) should be plenty of time to have examined the majority of the CAC candidates, especially the top tier ones.

    I respectfully disagree. There are a good many high quality plastic coins that has not yet been sent to CAC, $500-2000.

  • DisneyFanDisneyFan Posts: 2,615 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Walkerlover said:

    After all CACG recognizes plus grade and they are basically the same grading companies

    It is very difficult to get a plus grade from CACG. Most likely the CACG pluses are downgrades from a higher grade.

  • winestevenwinesteven Posts: 5,117 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2025 5:36PM

    As I often do, I’ll comment on the side of the minority.

    1. As @Walkerlover correctly says, CACG (where JA not only has a significant financial interest, but was set up by JA with his beliefs in mind) recognizes plus grades! So while it is correct to say CAC stickering does not recognize plus grades, it is incorrect to say JA does not believe in Plus grades!
    2. Regardless, while I would love for the OP suggestion to be incorporated (roughly half of my hundreds of CAC graded coins have plus grades), I doubt that it will happen. JA would prefer that people with plus graded coins just attempt to cross those coins over to CACG “at the current plus grade on the label, or better”.

    Steve

    A day without fine wine and working on your coin collection is like a day without sunshine!!!

    My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
    https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 9,086 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think it’s time for the sticker thing to go now that they have CACG.

    Investor
  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 9,086 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2025 6:04PM

    I had stickered coins won in auc ages ago but since sold them in retail transactions.

    Since then have procured CACG (vs CAC stickered). Have nothing against the stickered coins.

    Investor
  • ashelandasheland Posts: 24,072 ✭✭✭✭✭

    FWIW, a red sticker would look kind of cool.

  • humanssuckhumanssuck Posts: 573 ✭✭✭✭✭

    While we're at it lets also add:
    -Brown stickers for overgraded coins
    -Black stickers for ugly coins
    -Diamond stickers for coins with good luster
    -Maybe "A", "B" & ""C" stickers so people will finally know what theirs coins are

  • WalkerloverWalkerlover Posts: 968 ✭✭✭✭

    @Cougar1978 said:
    I think it’s time for the sticker thing to go now that they have CACG.

    @Cougar1978 said:
    I think it’s time for the sticker thing to go now that they have CACG.

    I believe a good portion of collectors do not like the asthetics of the CACG holder and its propensity to scratch. Further I think most collectors prefer the PCGS:CAC combination and will never cross to CACG. Except if CACG ever surpasses CAC graded coins in prices substantially. Not likely scenario.

  • EastonCollectionEastonCollection Posts: 1,590 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My opinion is JA has done so much for our hobby asking him to do more is going too far. Further, he started CACG to protect collectors now and in the future.

    Easton Collection
  • WalkerloverWalkerlover Posts: 968 ✭✭✭✭

    @EastonCollection said:
    My opinion is JA has done so much for our hobby asking him to do more is going too far. Further, he started CACG to protect collectors now and in the future.

    I don’t know why you feel that way. Nobody is asking him to do this for free like a charity. This would be a paid service for the benefit of us collectors who want to get the plus grade and not lose the holder,

  • SeattleSlammerSeattleSlammer Posts: 10,082 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @EastonCollection said:
    My opinion is JA has done so much for our hobby asking him to do more is going too far. Further, he started CACG to protect collectors now and in the future.

    The man is a saint. A beacon in the darkness.

  • Morgan13Morgan13 Posts: 1,901 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I just recently posted a thread on this. I think the majority here believe gold and green id adequate.

    Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
    Successful BST transactions with: Namvet Justindan Mattniss RWW olah_in_MA
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  • coinbufcoinbuf Posts: 12,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 30, 2025 10:46AM

    @Walkerlover said:
    As far as I understand John committed to stickering for close to 10 years. Perhaps he could provide such a service for a short time maybe a year for collectors to convert their green stickers to a plus so we could get the upgrade without loss of our older holders. After all CACG recognizes plus grade and they are basically the same grading companies

    You are trying to conflate CAC and CACG, that is wrong. CAC and CACG have different purposes and do not align on everything. CACG does use plus grades but that is simply a reality of the marketplace, however, CAC does not recognize plus grades for stickers. Just as CACG grades moderns and series like Jefferson nickels which CAC does not sticker except for a few exceptions. These are two different operations with different goals and objectives, they do not have to nor do they align 100%. Your argument also assumes that collectors are all motivated to max out the grade, not all are.

    @Walkerlover said:
    Further I think most collectors prefer the PCGS:CAC combination and will never cross to CACG.

    You are allowing your personal bias to act as fact; I would bet that well less than half of all collectors care or prefer this combo. This forum is not in the least indicative of the overall collector base.

    My Lincoln Registry
    My Collection of Old Holders

    Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
  • AcarrollAcarroll Posts: 38 ✭✭✭

    If they're going to use red, maybe it should be for coins that do not CAC, and it should have an adhesive that basically welds the sticker to the slab.

  • winestevenwinesteven Posts: 5,117 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Acarroll said:
    If they're going to use red, maybe it should be for coins that do not CAC, and it should have an adhesive that basically welds the sticker to the slab.

    Wow! That would really punish the owners of CAC failed coins, presumably with lower market values.

    A day without fine wine and working on your coin collection is like a day without sunshine!!!

    My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
    https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
  • GoldFinger1969GoldFinger1969 Posts: 2,872 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What is the definition of a "+" grade from the TPGs, assuming they've given it ?

    Is it a coin that is much better than the majority or virtually all of the coins with that specific number ? Or does it just mean the coin is definitely at least 0.5 points better than the grade ?

    Or maybe it means the grade is fine but it has spectacular luster or some other characteristic that merits a plus grade ?

    I know a CAC sticker means that the coin is "A' or "B" and "strong for the grade" (JA's own words)....but what about a plus grade from the TPGs ?

  • MFeldMFeld Posts: 15,522 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @GoldFinger1969 said:
    What is the definition of a "+" grade from the TPGs, assuming they've given it ?

    Is it a coin that is much better than the majority or virtually all of the coins with that specific number ? Or does it just mean the coin is definitely at least 0.5 points better than the grade ?

    Or maybe it means the grade is fine but it has spectacular luster or some other characteristic that merits a plus grade ?

    I know a CAC sticker means that the coin is "A' or "B" and "strong for the grade" (JA's own words)....but what about a plus grade from the TPGs ?

    It sounds like you haven’t checked to see what the major TPG’s have to say on the subject.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • NJCoinNJCoin Posts: 3,416 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 30, 2025 12:59PM

    @winesteven said:

    @Cougar1978 said:
    I think it’s time for the sticker thing to go now that they have CACG.

    From a purely selfish point of view, when CAC stops stickering coins, that would be great for the valuing of my collection, since every coin I have that is eligible for a CAC sticker has one! I plan to sell my collection starting in four years, so while I’m still hunting for a few coins for two or three of my sets, my sense is most of the few coins I buy going forward will have already been stickered, and are not newly stickered.

    I’m convinced that when the time comes that unstickered coins will no longer be stickered, the current pricing differential between stickered coins and their non-stickered counterparts will increase even more! That’s good financially for me and my heirs!

    Separately, I believe that when the day comes that CAC Stickering stops stickering unstickered coins, they will still retain a small presence (whether in NJ or VA) for restickering coins that retain the same cert numbers, but for one reason or another have been reholdered, or have had a plus added via Reconsideration.

    Steve

    And I'm equally convinced that day won't come until CACG is firmly established as a 1:1 equivalent to a PCGS or NGC coin with a sticker. At which point there will be no premium to CACG coins, and any unstickered coin worth stickering will just go to CACG.

    So the premium to unstickered coins will not expand, since the supply of stickers will not be constrained. They will just be replaced by CACG slabs. Which is clearly JA's goal in sunsetting stickering in the first place. To capture all of the TPG plus stickering revenue, rather than sharing it with his competitors.

  • winestevenwinesteven Posts: 5,117 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 30, 2025 1:09PM

    @NJCoin said:

    @winesteven said:

    @Cougar1978 said:
    I think it’s time for the sticker thing to go now that they have CACG.

    From a purely selfish point of view, when CAC stops stickering coins, that would be great for the valuing of my collection, since every coin I have that is eligible for a CAC sticker has one! I plan to sell my collection starting in four years, so while I’m still hunting for a few coins for two or three of my sets, my sense is most of the few coins I buy going forward will have already been stickered, and are not newly stickered.

    I’m convinced that when the time comes that unstickered coins will no longer be stickered, the current pricing differential between stickered coins and their non-stickered counterparts will increase even more! That’s good financially for me and my heirs!

    Separately, I believe that when the day comes that CAC Stickering stops stickering unstickered coins, they will still retain a small presence (whether in NJ or VA) for restickering coins that retain the same cert numbers, but for one reason or another have been reholdered, or have had a plus added via Reconsideration.

    Steve

    And I'm equally convinced that day won't come until CACG is firmly established as a 1:1 equivalent to a PCGS or NGC coin with a sticker. At which point there will be no premium to CACG coins, and any unstickered coin worth stickering will just go to CACG.

    So the premium to unstickered coins will not expand, since the supply of stickers will not be constrained. They will just be replaced by CACG slabs. Which is clearly JA's goal in sunsetting stickering in the first place. To capture all of the TPG plus stickering revenue, rather than sharing it with his competitors.

    Time will tell if collectors looking for the peace of mind of the coins they buy are “solid for the grade”, and have not had surface treatments that are unacceptable to CAC and CACG, but apparently are for the other TPG’s, can find comfort with CACG (as they should), or like many collectors today, will still favor the PCGS w/CAC combo over CACG.

    I actually hope you’re right, but as I said at the top, time will tell.

    Steve

    A day without fine wine and working on your coin collection is like a day without sunshine!!!

    My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
    https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996

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