CAC and MAC stickers 0

[powermad5000]

I have decided to open this discussion in the newbie section of the forum as newbies can benefit from this discussion. I have recently seen these MAC stickers on slabs [MAC (modern approved coin)] similar to the green CAC stickers. These MAC stickers are basically assigning their own grading system to the coins. Two I have seen so far are for "spotless" and "PL" for proof-like. My gripe is MS 67 may not necessarily be spotless, and if the coin is proof like, then NGC would put PL on the tag inside the slab. To me these stickers are just an opinion and newbies should be wary of thinking these stickers in some way enhance the value of the coin in the slab.

I would like to see what others think of these stickers.

[WayneT9639]

Thanks for bringing this up @powermad5000. Us newbies will certainly benefit from this knowledge. I share the same opinion as you. I consider the CAC and MAC stickers to be like that colorful star or smiley face sticker my first grade teacher would give us whenever we aced a test . That stuff used to get me so hyped up! 

[EagleRJO]

I could see the point of having the CAC stickers before the TPG's introduced the "+" designation in the grading.  Now it seems pointless.

[J P M]

On 3/2/2023 at 4:00 PM, WayneT9639 said:

Thanks for bringing this up @powermad5000. Us newbies will certainly benefit from this knowledge. I share the same opinion as you. I consider the CAC and MAC stickers to be like that colorful star or smiley face sticker my first grade teacher would give us whenever we aced a test . That stuff used to get me so hyped up! 

The MAC stickers are not as trustworthy . The CAC green and gold sticker coins do have a place in the NGC registry.   

[JT2]

This has been a sore spot with me for years!!!!  So you have your coin slabbed by one of the 2 main TPG,  ( they only ones accepted) and they tell you a grade.   you are not happy with that so you send it to another.  WTF!! WHY???  coin grading and stickering are opinions and you know what they say about that!  everyone has one!   This is why i sell my do it at home stickering kit.  you can get the colors of your choosing  of course gold starts and stickers cost 99 cents more per sheet....  the do it your self kit is only $19.95 for sheets of 20 stickers...this way you can out anything on there you want......  No in all seriousness these to me are just gimmicks.  i have seen some of these stickered coins and sometimes i just ask myself.. slef why did they sticker this one???   well i guess you can tell  what side of the fence i am on...............

[Coinbuf]

MAC stickers are a joke (imo) and are completely meaningless to me.   CAC on the other hand caries weight and has meaning both to myself and to the coin marketplace as a whole.   At the end of the day it is up to each collector to decide what, if any, value the opinion behind the sticker is worth to them.

[Lem E]

I agree with Coinbuf. I’m ok with CAC. It’s the MAC stickered coins with their “almost made it” strike designations or “grade enhancement” as they call it. The price markups they ask for these MAC coins are off the rails. A MS65 nickel with “4 full steps” is still just a MS65 nickel and a $10/15 coin at best. To put a sticker on it and ask $1000 for it is beyond ridiculous. 

[Fenntucky Mike]

I agree with CB and Lem, MAC means nothing CAC has weight,  but... I would have a hard time justifying paying the prices CAC'd coins seem to bring. I wouldn't pay extra for a CAC'd coin but I would for one I liked.  Being a primarily non U.S. collector these fourth party stickers have zero impact on what I collect. 

[EagleRJO]

CAC previously held weight in terms of the grade of a coin, and possibly being an exceptional coin within a grade.  Say you had a coin that was graded MS67, but it was a really nice 67 approaching but not quite getting to a 68.  You could submit that exceptional MS67 to CAC and get a sticker indicating the exceptional nature of that coin, approaching the next grade.  Contrast that with another MS67 that just barely made that grade.  That coin would not be eligible for a CAC sticker as it wouldn't qualify as exceptional within that grade.

Then the TPG's introduced the "+" designation indicating essentially the same thing as the CAC sticker, that a coin was exceptional within a grade, approaching the next grade.  So imo the "+" designation by the TPG"s basically replaced the CAC stickers.

[“”]

There is now a sticker “sight white” I have seen on some coins.

 

CAC is recognized in the market as top tier because their reputation of grading is considered some of the best in the market. I also think CAC coins have a better chance of crossover from one TPG to another. 

[powermad5000]

This is direct from their website.....

Sight White “acceptable” is only certified for white coins that meet our very rigid standards. The Sight White hologram sticker represents coins with minimalto no dark areas, large white spots, grease marks, dark toning or several black spots that would distract from the coin’s visual appeal.

To me, another worthless label that you can blow your money on. I think I can see blast white versus toning or spots on a coin without needing a sticker. I had heard of them but forgot about them. They had a rep at the Central States coin show handing out their little cards which I looked into when I got home and then put the card in the recycling bin.

[Coinbuf]

Both the MAC and Slight White firms were in attendance at the 2023 ANA Money show in Phoenix this week.   I got a kick out of viewing the coins in the cases of both tables. 

[World Colonial]

On 3/2/2023 at 7:36 PM, Coinbuf said:

MAC stickers are a joke (imo) and are completely meaningless to me.   CAC on the other hand caries weight and has meaning both to myself and to the coin marketplace as a whole.   At the end of the day it is up to each collector to decide what, if any, value the opinion behind the sticker is worth to them.

CAC are market makers in the coins they sticker.  Never heard MAC does that.

I see plenty of MAC stickered coins on eBay for South Africa Union (1923-1960) and Republic of South Africa (RSA).  Usually, the higher or highest graded Union proofs from the more common dates and same for RSA proofs and circulation strikes, with all of the latter common.  I think they are the seller too which makes them a "self-slabber" or this case, a self-sticker-er. (Is that even a word?)

They did sell a 1931 Union shilling (one of the two XF-45) and I think someone bought it.  It's legitimately scarce overall and rare in this grade.

Otherwise, the rest of these listings are either contributing to an on-line museum or will "bury" the buyer.

[“”]

There is / was the QA stickers as well.

[Hoghead515]

On 3/2/2023 at 7:48 PM, Lem E said:

I agree with Coinbuf. I’m ok with CAC. It’s the MAC stickered coins with their “almost made it” strike designations or “grade enhancement” as they call it. The price markups they ask for these MAC coins are off the rails. A MS65 nickel with “4 full steps” is still just a MS65 nickel and a $10/15 coin at best. To put a sticker on it and ask $1000 for it is beyond ridiculous. 

Yep. Also the 90% full torch. Its a joke. 

[Coinbuf]

On 3/6/2023 at 7:02 AM, Simple Collector said:

There is / was the QA stickers as well.

Pretty sure that QA is still in business, this was started by a well known coin dealer James Sego who if memory serves is very knowledgeable about Ike dollars.   Now I don't put any weight into this sticker myself, but I do think that the fellow that started the service is considered to be above board with his dealings, and not a fly-by-night type of organization.

[JT2]

On 3/6/2023 at 10:06 PM, Coinbuf said:

James Sego who if memory serves is very knowledgeable about Ike dollars

Is this the  DIVa sticker? for Ike's  i seem to remember that the Ike group had their own sticker as well??

[Coinbuf]

On 3/7/2023 at 1:52 PM, JT2 said:

Is this the  DIVa sticker? for Ike's  i seem to remember that the Ike group had their own sticker as well??

No Sego is the QA sticker guy, or at least QA is the only one I know he is associated with.   I'm not a collector of Ike dollars so if there is another sticker that is devoted to the Ike dollar I've not heard about it.

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

CAC is the only sticker that matters across all series.  Eagle Eye is good for Eagle and Indian cents, but still does not pull any weight.  All other stickers (MAC, Sight White, QA, PQ, Almost full Split Bands, Split Beak...etc.) are just junk.

Edited March 7, 2023 by The Neophyte Numismatist

[VKurtB]

On 3/7/2023 at 4:08 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

CAC is the only sticker that matters across all series.  Eagle Eye is good for Eagle and Indian cents, but still does not pull any weight.  All other stickers (MAC, Sight White, QA, PQ, Almost full Split Bands, Split Beak...etc.) are just junk.

Sight White is great for those who like blast white coins. I do.   But they are just getting rolling. 

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

Does Bob Paul really need to tell me a coin is white though?  I don't think so.

[RWB]

"Cheese" stickers will be out of the oven soon.

Edited March 10, 2023 by RWB

[Just Bob]

My favorite kind of stickers - Pot stickers (aka dumplings):

 

[World Colonial]

On 3/7/2023 at 5:08 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

CAC is the only sticker that matters across all series.  Eagle Eye is good for Eagle and Indian cents, but still does not pull any weight.  All other stickers (MAC, Sight White, QA, PQ, Almost full Split Bands, Split Beak...etc.) are just junk.

Agree

I don't own or collect FE cents or IHC, but at least Rick Snow might make an offer on one he stickered that reflects market.  The only other two I've seen are Wings (for world coinage) and MAC who seem to sticker any series.

Given the prices I've seen MAC ask on eBay, I can't imagine they would ever make a strong offer compared to their ask.  I don't know if Wings stickers and sells their own coins.  I've only seen others sell it.