Heat resistant coating composition

A heat resistant coating composition having improved properties comprising 5 to less than 42 parts by weight of an aqueous latex polymer and more than 58 to 95 parts by weight of a water-soluble or water-dispersible resin, based upon 100 parts by weight of both the latex polymer and the water-soluble or water-dispersible resin, which water-soluble or water-dispersible resin is selected from the group consisting of a copolymer of maleic acid or anhydride with a monomer selected from the group consisting of styrene, methyl vinyl ether, (meth)acrylic acid, alpha methyl styrene, and combinations thereof, a copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and styrene or alpha methyl styrene, and a copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and an amide containing a vinyl group, and contains a sufficient number of either (a) carboxyl groups or (b) carboxyl and amide groups such that at least one anhydride ring or imide, respectively, will form in the presence of sufficient heat and release water to provide the coating with heat resistance, said latex polymer having a particle size of less than 1000 Angstroms and containing an effective mount of nitrogen-containing volatile base whereby the pH is greater than about 7.5, wherein said latex polymer is made by polymerizing latex monomers in the presence of said water-soluble or water-dispersible resin, and said coating composition provides heat resistance and a 60" gloss of greater than 58.4, as measured in accordance with ASTM Standard D-523.