Call me dumb, but what is CAC

[AstroTrain]

I have seen the stickers and I have a general idea, but I still don't get it.

[habaraca]

just another TPG to take your monies....

 

might just want to google it to hear thier side

[MarkFeld]

just another TPG to take your monies....

 

might just want to google it to hear thier side

 

And the point of view of a multitude of happy customers who have used their services and benefited in a number of important ways.

 

In the mean time, here is a link to CAC's website.

[$ilverHawk]

I have seen the stickers and I have a general idea, but I still don't get it.

 

CAC is a fourth party grading company that authenticates graded TPG (read NGC or PCGS) coins and establishes whether the coin grades in the bottom, middle or top tier of the assigned grade.

 

Try this web site www.caccoin.com

 

Carl

[michael]

cac is the best

 

www.caccoin.com

 

check it out yourself

[mkman123]

they put nice gold or green stickers on your slabs! The kid inside all of us likes stickers :D

[$ilverHawk]

they put nice gold or green stickers on your slabs! The kid inside all of us likes stickers :D

 

And a informed collector likes them even more.

 

Carl

[mumu]

CAC is an illegal lottery operation. If you scratch off to reveal a gold sticker, you win lots of money that has nothing to do with coins.

[$ilverHawk]

just another TPG to take your monies....

 

might just want to google it to hear thier side

 

Not true. CAC is a fourth party (not TPG) authentication company. Yes, there is a charge for their services. I challenge you, habaraca, to review prices realized for CAC authenticated coins versus non CAC authenticated coins. Whether you like it or not, a CAC authentication results in a higher sales price in a great majority of coin sales.

 

Carl

[$ilverHawk]

CAC is an illegal lottery operation. If you scratch off to reveal a gold sticker, you win lots of money that has nothing to do with coins.

 

Please explain your comment. I'm very interested in your insights.

 

Carl

[AstroTrain]

It's starting to come together. Thanks for the insight

[Walkerfan]

CAC is an illegal lottery operation. If you scratch off to reveal a gold sticker, you win lots of money that has nothing to do with coins.

 

Please explain your comment. I'm very interested in your insights.

 

Carl

 

[physics-fan3.14]

Post redacted to prevent opening a can of worms.

[comicdonna]

CAC is an illegal lottery operation. If you scratch off to reveal a gold sticker, you win lots of money that has nothing to do with coins.

 

 

[MarkFeld]

just another TPG to take your monies....

 

might just want to google it to hear thier side

 

Not true. CAC is a fourth party (not TPG) authentication company. Yes, there is a charge for their services. I challenge you, habaraca, to review prices realized for CAC authenticated coins versus non CAC authenticated coins. Whether you like it or not, a CAC authentication results in a higher sales price in a great majority of coin sales.

 

Carl

 

It seems that the very large majority of those who don't like CAC and/or have negative things to ay about them, haven't even used their services. On the other hand, I have heard very few complaints from those who have actually submitted coins to CAC.

[breakdown-migration]

just another TPG to take your monies....

 

might just want to google it to hear thier side

 

Not true. CAC is a fourth party (not TPG) authentication company. Yes, there is a charge for their services. I challenge you, habaraca, to review prices realized for CAC authenticated coins versus non CAC authenticated coins. Whether you like it or not, a CAC authentication results in a higher sales price in a great majority of coin sales.

 

Carl

 

It seems that the very large majority of those who don't like CAC and/or have negative things to ay about them, haven't even used their services. On the other hand, I have heard very few complaints from those who have actually submitted coins to CAC.

 

I certainly agree with Mark -- I have benefited from CAC as have many collectors. I would mention that CAC states the value of its service slightly different than what Carl said above. CAC has said repeatedly that a CAC sticker does not add value to coin, but rather that the service identifies the coins that deserve to bring a greater price.

 

[gmarguli]

It seems that the very large majority of those who don't like CAC and/or have negative things to ay about them, haven't even used their services. On the other hand, I have heard very few complaints from those who have actually submitted coins to CAC.

 

It seems that the very large majority of those who don't like the KKK and/or have negative things to say about them, haven't even used their services. On the other hand, I have heard very few complaints from those who have actually used the KKK services.

 

I'm sure you're not saying that a useful barometer of a service is opinions of only those that use them.

 

The one thing that really strikes me about this thread is how so many people have so many different ideas of what CAC is. That has been their problem since day one. They have never been able to give the marketplace a clear statement of what they do and why they are needed.

[MarkFeld]

It seems that the very large majority of those who don't like CAC and/or have negative things to ay about them, haven't even used their services. On the other hand, I have heard very few complaints from those who have actually submitted coins to CAC.

 

It seems that the very large majority of those who don't like the KKK and/or have negative things to say about them, haven't even used their services. On the other hand, I have heard very few complaints from those who have actually used the KKK services.

 

I'm sure you're not saying that a useful barometer of a service is opinions of only those that use them.

 

The one thing that really strikes me about this thread is how so many people have so many different ideas of what CAC is. That has been their problem since day one. They have never been able to give the marketplace a clear statement of what they do and why they are needed.

 

No, Greg, I'm not saying that, precisely. But I do place a great deal more credence in the opinions of those who have utilized and are familiar with the service, than I do in those who have not.

 

I am surprised that/if there is as much confusion or disagreement regarding the services they provide, as you seem to think there is. But, I trust that you are basing your comment on feedback from a good number of people.

[EVillageProwler]

I find myself in the unusual position of (publicly) agreeing with Greg and disagreeing with Mark.

 

I think the negative opinions of CAC is due to misinformation, which is most likely due to gaps in CAC's marketing.

 

EVP

[comicdonna]

For what it's worth, a new company has surfaced in the comic industry (sticker and all). It was laughed at by most collectors. I wonder if they will be able to earn the credibility in time, that CAC has.

[DaveG]

I know one of the CAC graders and he's someone: a) whose opinion of a coin I have sought many times over the years; b) whose opinion of a coin other people (much more skilled than I) often seek; and, c) many people pay good money to fly to Colorado every summer to learn from.

 

(Obviously, if I had the choice between submitting to CAC and spending a week or two annually in Colorado, I know which I'd choose - but, so far, no one's given me that option.)

 

Now, my friend has also mentioned that "If you know what you're doing, you don't need CAC." All I can say to that is: "compared to him, I don't know what I'm doing."

[lehigh96]

The one thing that really strikes me about this thread is how so many people have so many different ideas of what CAC is. That has been their problem since day one. They have never been able to give the marketplace a clear statement of what they do and why they are needed.

 

Greg,

 

What the CAC does is very simple, straight forward, and well articulated on their website. The confusion comes from those who have made a negative conclusion about the CAC and follow an agenda designed specifically to discredit the CAC.

 

Coincidentally, most of those people who have come to that conclusion and are following that agenda have no idea why they are doing so. And that is Mark's point.

[physics-fan3.14]

The one thing that really strikes me about this thread is how so many people have so many different ideas of what CAC is. That has been their problem since day one. They have never been able to give the marketplace a clear statement of what they do and why they are needed.

 

Greg,

 

What the CAC does is very simple, straight forward, and well articulated on their website. The confusion comes from those who have made a negative conclusion about the CAC and follow an agenda designed specifically to discredit the CAC.

 

Coincidentally, most of those people who have come to that conclusion and are following that agenda have no idea why they are doing so. And that is Mark's point.

 

I'm perfectly clear what CAC does. I think by now we've mostly figured that part out. They have yet to fully explain to me why I should care, why I should pay for them, or why I should use their services (or pay a premium for their coins just because a magic green sticker is on it). They are kinda like Pepsi - I know what they do, I'm familiar with their product, I'm just not entirely sure why they do it or care if they remain in business.

[AnkurJ]

The one thing that really strikes me about this thread is how so many people have so many different ideas of what CAC is. That has been their problem since day one. They have never been able to give the marketplace a clear statement of what they do and why they are needed.

 

Greg,

 

What the CAC does is very simple, straight forward, and well articulated on their website. The confusion comes from those who have made a negative conclusion about the CAC and follow an agenda designed specifically to discredit the CAC.

 

Coincidentally, most of those people who have come to that conclusion and are following that agenda have no idea why they are doing so. And that is Mark's point.

 

I'm perfectly clear what CAC does. I think by now we've mostly figured that part out. They have yet to fully explain to me why I should care, why I should pay for them, or why I should use their services (or pay a premium for their coins just because a magic green sticker is on it). They are kinda like Pepsi - I know what they do, I'm familiar with their product, I'm just not entirely sure why they do it or care if they remain in business.

 

Why? Simply said: liquidity and education.

[AstroTrain]

I never thought such a simple question would spawn such a debate. I'm gonna kick back and enjoy, then find my own conclusions. But I truly believe I can't form a valid opinion until I use there service in some way. Be it that I submit something or because their sticker affects my pocket good or bad.

[gmarguli]

What the CAC does is very simple, straight forward, and well articulated on their website. The confusion comes from those who have made a negative conclusion about the CAC and follow an agenda designed specifically to discredit the CAC.

 

Ignoring the reality of how "well articulated on their website" CAC is, the fact remains that there is a significant percentage of people - computer savvy people - who can't figure out exactly what CAC does. The marketing of CAC is very poor and I say that not just as a coin person, but as someone who spends a significant portion of his day working in marketing and I have an MBA in marketing. A super simple test would be for them to go to a major show and ask people at random, "Can you explain what CAC does?" I bet only a very small percentage could come up with an answer that is close to what CAC thinks it does.

 

As for their well articulated website, let's look at their front page:

 

Whether you're a novice or advanced collector, you know that quality is what determines the value of a rare coin.

 

However, within any certified coin grade, not all coins are "solid" quality coins.

 

Now there's an easy way to identify coins that are solid for the grade - a CAC verification sticker.

 

CAC was founded by leading members of the numismatic community who recognized the need for a higher level of grading.

 

With CAC, prices for the solid quality coins can be untethered from the lesser quality counterparts.

 

That is what they want to get across to the marketplace. That's 5 sentences of babble with keywords that are meaningless, but try to sound good. That is their biggest problem. They cannot explain themselves to the marketplace.

 

I need more info on CAC, so let me click on the FAQ: Recently, though it [gold] had risen to over $800 per ounce... Seems a little outdated to me.

 

I'm not bashing CAC because I don't think their service is necessary. I'm not trying to bash them at all here. I'm just pointing out that they have failed to deliver their message to the coin community. Their marketing efforts are not paying off in terms of brand understanding. Don't ask me, ask other collectors.

[jerseycat10]

The one thing that really strikes me about this thread is how so many people have so many different ideas of what CAC is. That has been their problem since day one. They have never been able to give the marketplace a clear statement of what they do and why they are needed.

 

Greg,

 

What the CAC does is very simple, straight forward, and well articulated on their website. The confusion comes from those who have made a negative conclusion about the CAC and follow an agenda designed specifically to discredit the CAC.

 

Coincidentally, most of those people who have come to that conclusion and are following that agenda have no idea why they are doing so. And that is Mark's point.

 

I'm perfectly clear what CAC does. I think by now we've mostly figured that part out. They have yet to fully explain to me why I should care, why I should pay for them, or why I should use their services (or pay a premium for their coins just because a magic green sticker is on it). They are kinda like Pepsi - I know what they do, I'm familiar with their product, I'm just not entirely sure why they do it or care if they remain in business.

 

I find it hard to believe that someone as numismatically adept as yourself has failed to see the disparity of market prices between CAC and non-CAC coins.

 

It is obvious that the CAC sticker inspires collector confidence, which does increase liquidity and resale value.

[coinman_23885]

The one thing that really strikes me about this thread is how so many people have so many different ideas of what CAC is. That has been their problem since day one. They have never been able to give the marketplace a clear statement of what they do and why they are needed.

 

Greg,

 

What the CAC does is very simple, straight forward, and well articulated on their website. The confusion comes from those who have made a negative conclusion about the CAC and follow an agenda designed specifically to discredit the CAC.

 

Coincidentally, most of those people who have come to that conclusion and are following that agenda have no idea why they are doing so. And that is Mark's point.

 

I'm perfectly clear what CAC does. I think by now we've mostly figured that part out. They have yet to fully explain to me why I should care, why I should pay for them, or why I should use their services (or pay a premium for their coins just because a magic green sticker is on it). They are kinda like Pepsi - I know what they do, I'm familiar with their product, I'm just not entirely sure why they do it or care if they remain in business.

 

I find it hard to believe that someone as numismatically adept as yourself has failed to see the disparity of market prices between CAC and non-CAC coins.

 

It is obvious that the CAC sticker inspires collector confidence, which does increase liquidity and resale value.

 

Agreed, and the coins are highly liquid. In fact, CAC makes strong bids on CAC coins and on more than one occasion, they have offered me more (sometimes substantially more) than I paid for items. I have seen them pay close to retail prices at times (at least retail for non CAC pieces). For example, they offered me more on a silver classic commemorative than normal examples were routinely selling for on eBay.

[Kurtdog]

I'm perfectly clear what CAC does. I think by now we've mostly figured that part out. They have yet to fully explain to me why I should care, why I should pay for them, or why I should use their services (or pay a premium for their coins just because a magic green sticker is on it). They are kinda like Pepsi - I know what they do, I'm familiar with their product, I'm just not entirely sure why they do it or care if they remain in business.

I find it hard to believe that someone as numismatically adept as yourself has failed to see the disparity of market prices between CAC and non-CAC coins.

 

It is obvious that the CAC sticker inspires collector confidence, which does increase liquidity and resale value.

I agree with you. There are a lot of suckers out there. Good point!

[physics-fan3.14]

I find it hard to believe that someone as numismatically adept as yourself has failed to see the disparity of market prices between CAC and non-CAC coins.

 

It is obvious that the CAC sticker inspires collector confidence, which does increase liquidity and resale value.

 

I'm fully aware that CAC coins trade for premiums. I'm saying - I don't see why I should pay a premium for a CAC coin. I'm perfectly willing to pay a premium for a nice coin, but I can view the coin and make up my own mind, I don't need someone else telling me that this coin is nice for the grade or not. It's just another crutch for people who can't grade. What I'm saying is - I'm not convinced I need to pay CAC for their services, and I'm not convinced that just because a coin has a green sticker it is worth so much more than one which doesn't.