If you're an enthusiastic young numismatist who also has a way with words, here's a chance to combine your interest and talent to make a great first impression on the numismatic world. You could even win a $5,000 college scholarship and a trip to the ANA World's Fair of Money in Atlanta, Georgia, this summer!

PCGS has announced the Sixth Annual Young Numismatist Essay Contest, a competition open to all U.S. and Canadian students who are either currently attending high school or will be graduating seniors as of June 30, 2001. If you're a numismatist in high school, PCGS invites you to write an essay on one of the following topics and submit it by June 1, 2001: The history of the rare coin market; Any individual United States coin series; or A coin variety or group of varieties.

The essay should be five to ten typewritten (double-spaced) pages long, and must include a bibliography along with a cover sheet with the student's name, address, telephone number, grade level and the name of her/his high school. Applicants should also mention how they heard about the scholarship program.

Entries will be judged on content, creativity, and originality, and winners will be determined by a panel of judges composed of noted numismatists David Hall, John Dannreuther and Q. David Bowers. The grand prize is a $5,000 college scholarship. PCGS will also award two $500 college scholarships as runner-up prizes. The top prize winner will be presented with her/his award at the annual summer convention of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), to be held August 9 - 12, 2001 in Atlanta, Georgia. Grand prize includes an expense-paid trip for the winner and a parent or guardian to the convention to receive the award. The three winning essays will also be published on the PCGS website.

All entries must be submitted by mail and be received no later than June 1, 2001. Address for submission is: PCGS Essay Contest P.O. Box 9458 Newport Beach, CA 92658. Previous grand prize winners of the PCGS Young Numismatist Essay Contest, employees and family members of PCGS or its related comapnies are not eligible to enter the contest. If you have additional questions, please contact Rebecca Tran at: 800-447-8848, or e-mail Rebecca@collectors.com.

So sharpen those pencils or warm up those PCs and get writing today! Your essay on coins might just win you a whole lot of them to be used toward your college education.

Last year's winners of the Fifth Annual Young Numismatist Essay Contest were:
First Place ($5,000 College Scholarship): Michael Berkman's "The United States Pattern Coinage of 1792"
Second Place ($500 College Scholarship): David Ferris' "More Than a Nickel's Worth: A History of Hobo Nickels and Their Role in American Numismatics"
Third Place ($500 College Scholarship): Michelle Elizabeth Frazer's "1870 Carson City Double Eagle & the Astounding Story of the Missing Hand Trunks of Henry F. Rice"

For a look at some of the winning essays from past competitions, follow these links:
1999 Grand Prize winner: A History of American Numismatic Literature, by Michael Berkman.
1999 First Runner-Up: The King of Coins: The Story of the 1804 Silver Dollar by Erin Theis.
1999 Second Runner-Up - American Coinage During The Reign Of Norton I of California: The Only Emperor of the United States, by Cameron Keifer.

Click here for all three 1998 winning essays.