(Newport Beach, CA) - Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) announced today that it is offering a new service for collectors. The company now is grading chop marked Trade dollars.

"Chop marks are an interesting collecting subspecialty. By far, most are found on United States Trade dollars, specially minted from 1873 to 1885 to be sent to the Orient for use in commerce. But chop marks are also known on a host of other U.S. coins, such as Bust and Seated halves and Seated dollars, and even found on an occasional gold coin," explained David Hall, PCGS President.

PCGS now is designating chop marked Trade dollars as a separate variety and listing the coins in a set of their own for the popular PCGS Set Registry program. The announcement of the chop mark designation was made at the Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo where the Legend Collection of chop marked Trade Dollars was on display at the PCGS booth.

The Legend Collection is graded by PCGS, and is owned by the same person who owns the finest sets of both Mint State and Proof un-chop marked Trade dollars. The owner now is attempting to assemble a complete set of high-grade chop marked Trade Dollars.

"That's a difficult undertaking, but nearing its goal. The collection already has an 1874-CC graded PCGS MS65 (chop marked). That's a lofty grade for a chop marked coin, but even more impressive because PCGS has graded only one other 1874-CC without chop marks above MS64," said Hall.

Several notable chop mark collections have been completed in the recent past -- including the Rose Collection and the New England Collection.

"There are collectors who attempt to collect chop marked Trade dollars by date. The rarity factors for chop marked Trade dollars are sometimes quite different from those of un-chop marked coins. The mintage of a particular date and mint might have been partially retained in the country, and thus be common without chop marks. Or, it might have been shipped overseas in large quantities, used in commerce, and thus very common with chop marks," said Hall.

For additional information, contact PCGS at P.O. Box 9458, Newport Beach, CA 92658. Phone: (800) 447-8848. Web: www.pcgs.com. E-mail: info@pcgs.com.

About Collectors Universe:
Collectors Universe, Inc. is the leading provider of products and essential services to the high-end collectibles market. The Collectors Universe brands are among the strongest and best known in their respective markets. The company grades and authenticates collectible coins, sports cards, stamps, and autographs. The company engages in collectibles commerce, selling coins, currency, sportscards and sports memorabilia, and entertainment memorabilia through direct sales, auctions, catalogs, and the Internet. The company also compiles and publishes authoritative information about collectible sportscards and sports memorabilia, United States and world coins, and entertainment memorabilia. Its divisions include Bowers and Merena Galleries; David Hall Rare Coins; Lyn Knight Currency Auctions; Odyssey Publications; Professional Coin Grading Service; Professional Stamp Experts; Professional Sports Authenticator; and Superior Sports. This information is accessible to collectors and dealers at the company's website, www.collectors.com, and is also published in print.