Education9 min read

CAC Stickers Explained: Do They Add Value?

You'll see a small green (or gold) bean on some PCGS and NGC slabs. It's a CAC sticker — a second opinion that a coin is solid for its grade. Here's what it means and whether it's worth paying for.

Bottom Line: CAC verifies that an already-graded coin is high-end for its grade. On better coins, a green CAC sticker reliably commands a premium and improves liquidity. On cheap or common coins, it matters little.

What CAC actually is

CAC (Certified Acceptance Corporation), founded in 2007 by John Albanese — a co-founder of both NGC and PCGS — reviews coins already graded by PCGS or NGC. If a coin is solid-to-premium quality for its assigned grade, CAC affixes a sticker. If it's low-end ("C" quality), it gets no sticker. In 2023 CAC also launched its own grading service, CACG.

Green bean vs gold bean

Sticker	Meaning
Green	Solid-to-premium quality for the assigned grade — an "A" or "B" coin.
Gold	Undergraded — CAC believes the coin merits a higher grade than the slab says. Rare and valuable.
No sticker	Either low-end for grade, not submitted, or didn't qualify. Not a condemnation by itself.

Does it add value?

Yes — on coins where grade quality varies

Within a single grade, coins range from low-end to premium. CAC sorts for the premium ones, so green-bean coins routinely trade at a premium and sell faster. The effect grows with the coin's value.

Less so — on cheap or common coins

For inexpensive type coins and common bullion, the CAC premium is small or absent. Don't overpay for a sticker on a coin where it doesn't move the market.

It's a second opinion, not a different grade

A CAC sticker doesn't change the PCGS/NGC grade on the holder — it endorses it. Treat it as added confidence, and always verify the sticker on CAC's site.