The Certified Acceptance Corp. (CAC) is offering free space on its Internet Web site for informational ads and other postings that are educational in nature.
The offer is intended as a way to provide exposure for coin clubs and other hobby organizations at a well-trafficked Internet site, according to John Albanese, CAC’s founder and president. At the same time, he said, collectors and dealers who do business with CAC will find the ads helpful as sources of information about recent activities and upcoming events in numismatic fields that appeal to them.
“We see this as a two-way street,” Albanese said. “It will enable people who possess special knowledge about various segments of the
hobby to share it with others. Conversely, it will enable clients with an interest in these areas to get in touch with people who share their interest. It will serve as a contact point.”
Already, Albanese said, CAC has informally agreed to accept postings from the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, a group of collectors and dealers dedicated to the study and attribution of Liberty Seated coinage from the 19th century.
“Their advertising,” he said, “is educational in nature, not commercial.”
Other organizations that might take part, he suggested, include the Token and Medal Society, the Original Hobo Nickel Society and the Bust Half Nut Club.
“We’ll take ads,” he said, “from any organization that engages in educational activities. That could include postings by the American Numismatic Association and the American Numismatic Society – and even exchanges with publications such as Coin World or Numismatic
News. They don’t have to be non-profit; all we require is that what they post on our Web site is non-commercial.
“We’ll take any ad that we find positive for the industry and educational.”
CAC has not set a firm date for posting the first free banner ads, Albanese said, but he invited potential participants to submit prospective ad copy at this time.
“We’ll be doing this within the next few months,” he said, “and we’ll need a little time to screen the ads before we post them online.”
The Web site also will carry postings by the Numismatic Consumer Alliance, Inc., a not-for-profit watchdog organization launched by Albanese in 2005 to help recover funds for unwitting buyers of overpriced coins.
Currently, CAC is not accepting paid advertising on its Web site from commercial entities. Albanese said this might change in the future if space permits, but educational ads will always have priority.
Unlike NCA, CAC is a commercial venture, best known for its coin evaluation service. CAC experts examine coins previously certified
by either the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) or the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation of America (NGC). CAC then affixes
a distinctive green sticker to the holder of each coin which, in its judgment, fully merits the grade that was assigned.
The New Jersey-based company also has become a major buyer and seller of rare coins. To date, CAC has purchased more than $200 million worth of coins. It also has processed more than 200,000 evaluation submissions with declared insurance value totaling more than $1 billion.
Further information about the company can be found at its Web site, www.caccoin.com.
