In February 2026, CAC-graded and CAC-stickered coins were favored at auction and performed well in online sales. From the selection of auction sales sampled here, CAC Grading Premiums ranged from 23% to 90% while CAC Stickering premiums ranged from 9% to 154%. The CAC-graded Arkansas Centennial commemorative half dollar realized almost 2x the amount of the non-CAC counterpart sold just 2 days earlier. CAC-graded coins are bringing in a larger percentage of premiums as the market shifts from CAC-Approved (stickered) to CAC-graded. The famous little green bean embedded in the CACG labels is adding significant value to collectors’ coins. These premiums are indicative of CAC coins, whether CACG or stickered, consistently bring higher premiums than their non-CAC counterparts.
1936 Lynchburg 50c – MS66
On Feb. 2, Heritage sold two certified MS66 grade 1936 Lynchburg commemorative half dollars. A CAC-graded coin brought $451.40 and an NGC-graded MS66 1936 Lynchburg half brought $366. On Feb. 15, GreatCollections sold a PCGS graded MS66 1936 Lynchburg half, without a CAC sticker, for $377.30.
1883-S Morgan $1 – MS64
On Feb. 3, Stack’s Bowers auctioned a CACG graded MS64 1883-S Morgan silver dollar for $8,700. On Jan. 15, Heritage auctioned a PCGS graded MS64 1883-S Morgan dollar, without a CAC sticker, for $5,612.
1939-S Arkansas 50c – MS67
On Feb. 3, Stack’s Bowers auctioned a CACG-graded MS67 1939-S Arkansas Centennial commemorative half dollar for $3,840. On Feb. 1, GreatCollections sold a PCGS-graded MS67 1939-S Arkansas half dollar, without a CAC sticker, for $2,025. On Oct. 5, Heritage sold a PCGS-graded MS67 1939-S Arkansas half dollar, without a CAC sticker, for $2,280.
1909 VDB Lincoln 1c – MS66RD
On Feb. 8, at 4:13:03 PM Pacific Time, GreatCollections sold a CACG-certified MS66 Red 1909-VDB Lincoln cent for $605.02. Three seconds earlier, GreatCollections sold a PCGS-certified MS66 Red 1909-VDB Lincoln cent, without a CAC sticker, for $397.10. On Feb. 15, GreatCollections sold an NGC-certified MS66 Red 1909-VDB Lincoln cent, without a CAC sticker, for $363. All three of these received a ‘full red’ (RD) color designation from the respective grading service.
1893 Isabella 25c – MS65
On Feb. 22, at 6:59:48 PM Pacific Time, GreatCollections sold a CACG-graded MS65 1893 Isabella quarter for $1,765.50. Three seconds later, GreatCollections sold a PCGS-graded MS65 1893 Isabella quarter, without a CAC sticker, for $1,218.94.
1925-S California 50c – MS65
On Feb. 2, in successive lots, Heritage sold two PCGS graded MS65 1925-S California commemorative half dollars. The one with a CAC sticker brought $915. The other, without a sticker, brought $524.60.
1936 Gettysburg 50c – MS66
On Feb. 2, in successive lots, Heritage sold two PCGS graded MS66 1936 Gettysburg commemorative half dollars. One with a CAC sticker brought $1,464. The other, a PCGS graded MS65 coin without a CAC sticker, brought $976. In the following lot, an NGC graded MS67 (a higher grade!) 1936 Gettysburg half, without a CAC sticker, went for $1,342, significantly less than the price realized, $1,464, of the just-mentioned CAC-approved MS66 grade Gettysburg half dollar.
1911 Indian $5 – PR67
On Feb. 3, Stack’s Bowers auctioned a CAC-approved, PCGS-certified Proof 67 1911 $5 gold coin for $162,000. On Aug. 18, 2021, Heritage auctioned a PCGS-certified Proof 67 1911 $5 gold coin, without a CAC sticker, for $99,000. Market levels for these were probably around 12% higher in February 2026 than they were in August 2021.
1973 Eisenhower $1 – MS66
On Feb. 15, GreatCollections sold a CAC-approved MS66 grade 1973 Eisenhower dollar for $675.40. On Feb. 11, Heritage sold a different CAC-approved MS66 grade 1973 Eisenhower dollar for $640.50. On Feb. 1, GreatCollections sold a PCGS-graded MS66 1973 Eisenhower dollar, without a CAC sticker, for $423.50. On Dec. 24, Heritage sold an NGC-graded MS66 1973 Eisenhower dollar, without a CAC sticker, for $216.
1937-D Buffalo 5c – AU55
On Feb. 12, DLRC sold a CAC-approved AU55 grade 1937-D Three-Legged Buffalo nickel for $2,820. On Aug. 19, Heritage sold a PCGS graded AU55 1937-D Three Legged Buffalo nickel, without a CAC sticker, for $1,740. On Sept. 2, Stack’s Bowers sold a different PCGS graded AU55 1937-D Three Legged Buffalo nickel, without a CAC sticker, for $1,800. Market values for these have increased around 6% over the last six months, not enough to account for the difference between a CAC-approved AU55 grade 1937-D Three Legged nickel realizing $2,820 in February and non-CAC AU55 grade Three Legged nickels realizing less than $2,000 each in 2025.
1871 Liberty Seated $1 – VF25
On Feb. 15, DLRC sold a CAC-approved VF25 grade 1871 silver dollar for $800. On Feb. 1, GreatCollections sold a PCGS-graded VF30 (higher grade!) 1871 silver dollar, without a CAC sticker, for $638.
1937 Walking Liberty 50c – MS65
On Feb. 19, DLRC sold a CAC-approved MS65 grade 1937 half dollar for $426. On Feb. 24, Heritage sold an NGC-graded MS66 (higher grade) 1937 half dollar, without a CAC sticker, for $390.40. On Jan. 14, Stack’s Bowers sold two PCGS-graded MS65 1937 half dollars, neither of which had a CAC sticker, for $145 and $168.
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