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Most Active Countries Within the PCGS Set Registry Universe

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1904 20 Centavos from The Maharlika Collection, PR67. Courtesy of PCGS ValueView. Click image to enlarge.

The winter months have passed, we are in the spring season, and summer is right around the corner. Tchaikovsky would probably mention fall to complete The Seasons, which some say was his greatest work. Aficionados of classical music could debate what Tchaikovsky’s best work is until the break of dawn. But there is no debating that the PCGS Set Registry is a powerful inventory management tool built for coin collectors of all levels.

Some countries represented within the Set Registry are more active than others. Below we’ve highlighted three countries that have been popular with collectors over the past few months.

Bulgaria

1984 Decade For Women (1976-1985), PR68DCAM. Courtesy of PCGS ValueView. Click image to enlarge.

A few months ago, one of our colleagues in Europe mentioned that PCGS members were asking for more sets to be added to the country of Bulgaria. We listened! Now we have more than 200+ active sets, which is the largest registry of Bulgarian coins offered by any numismatic company worldwide. One of the most active sets is the Bulgarian Three Rulers with 1916 Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1881-1943), which consists of 72 items to complete the set.

The late-19th-century silver issues within this set will be the most difficult to find in uncirculated grades as the metal content is .835-fine silver, and they were heavily circulated. The early 20th-century issues consist of the same silver purity, which are easier to locate, but the 1916 issues (50 Stotinki, 1 Lev, and 2 Leva) were nearly all melted. Few examples exist and beware of the forgeries that loom. Collectors may have to accept whatever their budgets permit as the elusive 1916-dated coins fetch lofty prices in any condition. PCGS will be adding modern issues to the country of Bulgaria soon.

Australia

2019 Queen Victoria Cameo 200th Anniversary $2, PCGS MS70. Courtesy of PCGS ValueView. Click image to enlarge.
When I joined PCGS, I knew little about the Set Registry and learned that our largest world market was Australia. Weighing in at 5,700+ sets, this country has a loyal member base, which we at PCGS appreciate. Nobody worldwide has a larger Australian Set Registry presence than PCGS. By working with our PCGS global partners and members “Down Under,” Australia continues to be the largest Set Registry country within our world coinage category. The comprehensive selection of sets created, requested, and available to our members is vast. Our most popular set within Australia is the 1966 Australian Proof Set with 60+ participants. Competition is so fierce that the winner for the last eight years was knocked out of first place by a new member in 2021.

U.S. Philippines

In the last two years, earlier U.S. Philippines coinage has gone virtually parabolic in terms of price. Toned and visually appealing examples are commanding strong premiums, and Gem+ (MS66 and above) grades are highly sought after by collectors. Proof coinage from this era also has strong demand and the series is short-lived as the supply it seems.

Members have been populating sets and one, The Maharlika Collection, boasts the finest proof sets for 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, and 1908 — the whole gamut! Not only do they have all the sets, but 20 out of the 35 coins are top pop, and the eye appeal for some of these coins makes them masterpieces to view. This is another category where PCGS is the clear leader with the most members and sets available for members to build within any Set Registry.

I remember the first time I heard “Canon in D” from Pachelbel, whom at the time I had never heard of. But I recall my ears could focus only on the music for six minutes, from beginning to end. I feel the same way about visual acuity within numismatics. The designs, shapes, colors, frost of a proof, and reds glowing on copper at times draw me into a deeper appreciation of the arts. Maybe other collectors feel the same way I do, and the places numismatics can take us to seem to be endless paths of learning, which is awesome.

The PCGS Set Registry could possibly take one on an endless tour of history as I have described above with just a few clicks. We now have over 145,000+ registered sets and counting. By actively listening to our members, we have been able to continue to build on our success within the Set Registry, and grow with you, the collector. The PCGS Set Registry owes its success to all members. We will continue to innovate, and teamwork makes the dream work. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at [email protected].

Set Registry World: Others Australian Asian

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