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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;CamaroDMD, post: 2953766, member: 5233&quot;]Well...that&#039;s how today&#039;s market is. </p><p><br /></p><p>Let me totally up front...I don&#039;t know a single coin with a CAC sticker and as far as I can remember I have never owned one.&nbsp; It&#039;s not that I avoid them, but I have never sought one out either. </p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;m pretty neutral on TPGs in general.&nbsp; I think that to buy a coin, one should educate themselves and be able to evaluate them personally and decide what they are worth.&nbsp; But, with the internet now playing a huge role in coin purchasing (and thus a reduction in in person buying)...TPGs suddenly have a lot more value.&nbsp; I see them as a safety net for buying coins not in person...and as a way for newer collectors to lessen the chance of getting burned during the learning process.</p><p><br /></p><p>Frankly, in the days before the internet (which is really before my time)...I&#039;m not sure what value the TPGs really had.&nbsp; I know PCGS and NGC were founded in the 1980s...but the internet didn&#039;t really start to blossom until the mid 1990s.&nbsp; So, I don&#039;t really know how they got a foothold during those first 15 years but they must have.</p><p><br /></p><p>I guess the idea of CAC was the next natural progression.&nbsp; This is simply because every grade (no matter who&#039;s grading scale we are talking about) has a range of qualities.&nbsp; I could give you 50 MS-65 1881-S Morgan&#039;s and all 50 will have different traits and characteristics.&nbsp; So, somewhere along the way, someone decided to create a business to help identify coins within that range. </p><p><br /></p><p>To me, that seems a little excessive.&nbsp; I mean, I get the idea of using TPGs as protection for online buying...but even with bad photos one should still evaluate the coin.&nbsp; So, to me...the product that CAC has is a little overkill. </p><p><br /></p><p>As far as the trickle down effect of cost...you are right.&nbsp; At some point, we are paying for this.&nbsp; I think the best thing to do is stick to your guns.&nbsp; Evaluate the coin and decide what it&#039;s worth to you and don&#039;t pay anymore than that.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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