How to Choose the Right PCGS Collectors Club Membership

Of all the questions we receive at PCGS on a daily basis, the two most frequently asked are inquiries like, “How do I find out how much my coins are worth?” and, “How can I submit my coins or banknotes to PCGS for grading?”

For the first question, we’re able to refer people to a number of free tools we offer that can assist you in determining an approximate value for your coins. These free resources include the PCGS Price Guide, PCGS Photograde, and PCGS CoinFacts, which not only has coin values listed under each grade but also recent auction listings.

The question of how to send coins into PCGS is a little more nuanced and is often accompanied with this question: “How do I choose the right PCGS Collectors Club membership?”

Much like there is no one right way to collect coins, there are also many factors to consider when choosing the right PCGS Collectors Club membership. First, let’s take a look at the different levels of PCGS memberships that are available and what benefits each one comes with.

There are currently three PCGS Collectors Club membership levels that will allow you to unlock direct submission privileges. The three PCGS Collectors Club memberships are Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

All PCGS Collectors Club membership levels allow customers to submit items to PCGS for authentication and grading, including special submission services like Gold Shield™ and Restoration. As an added benefit for those who prefer submitting their coins or banknotes in person, a PCGS Collectors Club membership offers access to our exclusive PCGS Members Only Shows that take place around the United States in cities like Las Vegas, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and more throughout the year.

These shows offer a great opportunity to submit coins and banknotes in a smaller show setting and do business with PCGS Authorized Dealers face-to-face on a private bourse floor. PCGS Members Only Shows offer onsite PCGS grading services where customers can submit and pick up their items at the show.

For those who prefer a larger trade-show setting, a PCGS Collectors Club membership also includes free admission to each of the three Long Beach Expo shows that occur within the duration of the annual membership. This longstanding event in Long Beach, California, celebrated its 60th year in 2024 and features hundreds of dealers and amazing displays. And that’s not all! Each membership comes with a subscription to the PCGS Market Report magazine. The comprehensive collecting guide offers insights into the numismatic market, auction highlights, interviews with collectors and/or industry professionals, and educational pieces direct from the PCGS grading room. Finally, an important benefit that you’re sure to enjoy with all those items waiting to be sent in, is 10% off all collecting supplies from the PCGS e-store, including mylar coin flips, white stickers, cardboard shipping boxes, and plastic storage boxes.

Now that you know what comes with a PCGS Collectors Club membership, you’re probably wondering what separates each membership tier. One of the biggest factors that collectors consider when choosing their membership is the number of grading vouchers that are included with each type of membership.

Silver is the basic level that unlocks direct-submission privileges and does not include vouchers. Gold has four grading vouchers included, and Platinum comes with eight vouchers. Using these free grading vouchers is a great way to get started building your PCGS-graded coin and banknote collection. They are valid for submissions of U.S. or world (non-U.S.) coins or banknotes equivalent to the Regular service level, which now includes Gold Shield.

You may also be wondering at this point, how long is a PCGS Collectors Club membership good for? A PCGS Collectors Club membership is good for one calendar year from the date of activation. Members have the option to automatically renew or can do so manually. You can see how many days are remaining for your current membership as well as how many grading vouchers you have at any time by simply logging in to your account online or via the free PCGS My Account mobile app.

There’s been a lot of information presented so far, which speaks to the reason it can be tough for some to figure out how to decide which PCGS Collectors Club membership is best for them.

What it seems to boil down to most often is the number of vouchers and the reason(s) for wanting to get items graded. Like most any membership or subscription, much of the decision is a value proposition. If you are planning to submit multiple coins or banknotes annually, then a higher-level membership like Gold or Platinum is likely the better option because of the higher number of grading vouchers available with those memberships. If you’re a new collector, (perhaps someone who inherited a collection of coins) or an individual who is new to getting coins, tokens, medals, and banknotes graded and encapsulated, the Silver level might be the place to start. After all, you can always decide later on that a higher tier might be a better fit.

We hope you’ve found this article informative and that you are now ready to get your numismatic adventure started as an official PCGS Collectors Club member! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Customer Care team via online form or by calling (800) 447-8848.