If I can infer a conclusion from my last few CAC submissions, CAC seems to have wisely decided to no longer allow submitters to leave external stickers on the slabs as they go to the graders.
CAC submission guidelines urge submitters to remove all stickers from slabs prior to submittal to CAC, but they did not seem to enforce this. Stickers with company logos, inventory numbers, etc. could be left ON, potentially influencing the graders.
But my most recent submission came back with all my inventory # stickers removed. BRAVO!
Comments
Steve
But it was not being done, at least not in my case, nor in the case of several dealers I have talked with about this.
Also, consider that we are really talking about four different "types" of stickers here-
1] There are the legitimate 'Sticker Company' stickers: QA, Eagle Eye, Wings, etc
2]The quasi legit to bogus 'Sticker Companys': Tomaska's EVEREST, MacAble, Bright White (or something like that)
3] The dealer advertising stickers like: Joe Blows Rare Coins
4] Inventory control stickers
I must say, if I submitted to CAC a coin with an EVEREST sticker and CAC removed it, I'd be pissed, especially so if said slab did not Bean.
Of the 4 classes my opinion is that #3, Dealer identity stickers may have the most potential to influence graders. If the grader opens a box of super looking high end Peace Dollars and 3 Centers, all having "LSRC" dealer stickers, that grader will surely suspect "this is probably Larry Shapiro's".
That being said, I am not even sure if anonymity of submitters from the graders perspective is part of CAC's game plan...
Steve
I know that if I had an Everest sticker on a coin that I submitted and CAC removed it, I would be very upset like @Bushmaster.
PQ+++++++ on half the coins in inventory hahaha
1. If CAC submission rules say they will remove all stickers - then that's too bad for a submitter who wanted one left on the slab, especially if the sticker was removed and the slab was not beaned.
2. There should be no exceptions for any sticker service!
3. To think that any professional grader is going to be influenced by any TPGS label or sticker is something I don't believe. It sounds like an excuse to remove free advertising for other sticker services. As yet I have not met a professional who does not think they are "the best there is." Therefore, I think TP stickers should be left on the slabs no matter how unattractive several labels signify its travels.
On a similar note and kind of an example of the above, I recently saw a CoinGeek video with a whole bunch of coins he sent in to CAC. In general, I'd say I was running about 75% whether coins would or wouldn't CAC. However, one Mercury dime stuck out in particular. I'd call it a 65 CAC. It turned out to be a 66 Gold CAC. The coin was clean, yes, but a 67? I was shocked. To this day I still see it as a good 65 or an ok 66. The eye appeal wasn't there for a 67.
If I had a CAC membership, the scramble to gather all of my proof Mercs for submission would have been intense.
If I was a grader and that coin came across my desk, all other coins in that submission would probably be subliminally influenced downwards if they had a sticker. Regardless of if that one coin was a mistake by CAC or not, I certainly wouldn't be blindly trusting that opinion any more as far as the grading went.