PCGS Set Registry® Awards Right Around the Corner

This is always a crazy time for the Set Registry staff. The deadline for the PSA Set Registry® awards is at the end of May. Judging occurs during June with announcements made at the end of the month. This year, June 29^th is the deadline for PCGS Set Registry awards. Judging takes place in July with winners announced later in the month. The season culminates with the annual awards luncheons held at the National Sports Collectors Convention and the American Numismatic Association’s World Fair of Money.

There are several ways to win top honors in PCGS. If your set is ranked number one and is at least 95% complete, you are guaranteed to win a "Best of the Registry" blue star icon by your set name. From there, your set is reviewed for the sought-after gold star award. These winners will have noteworthy sets in the following categories:

• Classic Sets - 1792-1964
• Modern Sets - 1950 to date
• Mint and Proof Sets
• Colonials, Private Issues & Territorial Gold, Pattern & Medals Sets
• Low Ball Sets
• Everyman Sets
• World Coin Sets
• New Sets
• Digital Albums

If you have won gold in previous years, there’s a good possibility that you will win another gold if your set is still ranked number one and complete. But this is not guaranteed. There are several reasons you could be bumped. If your set has been tied during the year, gold may not be awarded. Also, if a number of sets have achieved dominance in set compositions that may be more difficult to complete than your own, your set may be passed by.

You may have several sets in the same category using many of the same coins. For example, you may have a date, basic and variety Lincoln cent set. These sets are considered a collection and will win one gold award. The sets must have the same date run and strike (circulation, proof, etc.). So, for example, the Lincoln Cents Date Set, Circulation Strikes (1909-Present), Lincoln Cents Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1909-Present), and Lincoln Cents with Major Varieties, Circulation Strikes (1909-Present) are considered a collection. But if you also have a Lincoln Cents Complete Variety Set, Circulation Strikes (1909-1958) and a Lincoln Cents with Major Varieties, Circulation Strikes and Proof (1909-Present) set, these will not be considered part of the winning collection because the date run and/or the strike are not the same.

If you have won gold for five years in a row, then you have reached the coveted platinum level. This means your set is still active and has remained the top slot, but is no longer in contention for gold. This allows other up and comers to win gold in same category if deserved. By remaining in the top slot, you will continue to win the platinum award year after year until your set is retired.

What most collectors strive for is induction into the PCGS Set Registry Hall of Fame. This represents PCGS’s highest honor. The criteria for entry into the HOF includes set popularity, difficulty, grade average, completion percentage, domination, and degree of competition within the set category. Both active and retired sets can be considered for this honor.

The awards for the Best Digital Albums are judged by fellow collectors. Ten to twelve sets are nominated by the judges and listed in the PCGS Set Registry Forum for a vote by forum members. This gives everyone a good opportunity to see how beautiful a set can look in the album format. And, this is one area where a "set" registered in the Collectors Showcase could win gold.

Finally, sets are awarded for longevity. If your set has been ranked number one for ten years in a row, you will receive the 10 Year Anniversary icon by your set. To qualify, you will have either a blue, gold, platinum or HOF icon by your set for ten straight years.

Details about 2018 awards and links to all past year winners including the HOF can be found here. We look forward to what may be our biggest award season yet! Should you have any questions, please contact [email protected].