The following post is pulled from Coin World editor Steve Roach’s Market Analysis column in the Aug. 18 issue.

If green Certified Acceptance Corp. stickers indicate that a certified coin is nice for the grade, what does a gold CAC sticker mean? Last year CAC founder John Albanese described the coveted gold sticker as identifying a coin that could easily receive a green CAC sticker at the next highest grade level. 

Only around 2 percent of the coins that CAC has examined have received a CAC gold sticker, and they’re valued by collectors. 

Here is one of three examples, sold at recent auctions, that teach different lessons about valuing CAC gold-stickered coins:

The coin: 1911 Liberty Head 5-cent piece, Proof 65 Cameo, CAC (gold)

The price: $2,702.50

The story: Nice Proof Liberty Head 5-cent pieces aren’t especially hard to come by. Each major auction will likely have several, if not dozens, to select from. Finding ones with cameo contrast is more of a challenge, as is finding an example without carbon spotting. 

The Proof 1911 “V Nickel” is not a rare issue, having a mintage of 1,733 pieces. An average Proof 65 example might sell at the $425 to $450 level at auction. 

Add cameo contrast between the fields and devices, and the issue becomes much scarcer, with examples trading at the $700 level in Proof 65 Cameo. A Professional Coin Grading Service Proof 66 Cameo example sold for $1,046 at a recent GreatCollections.com auction. 

The $2,702.50 that a PCGS Proof 65 Cameo 1911 Liberty Head 5-cent piece with a gold CAC sticker brought at Legend Auctions’ July 17 auction puts it right between what recent Proof 66 Cameo and Proof 67 Cameo pieces have sold for recently. 

The catalog noted the coin’s tremendous eye appeal as a result of beautiful toning, stating, “Icy mirrors are deep, clear, clean, and have bold reflectivity, while gorgeous pastels swirl all over."

Read the rest of Steve Roach's Aug. 18 Market Analysis:

• CAC gold sticker doesn't do much for MS-64 1936 Wisconsin commemorative half dollar sold in Heritage auction
• 1974-S Eisenhower dollar with CAC's gold sticker sold in GreatCollections.com auction

Keep up with all CoinWorld.com news and features:

• Sign up for our free eNewsletters
• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter