Set Registry 2020 Award Winners

Message from PSA:

Welcome to the 2020 PSA Set Registry Awards. We are extremely excited to announce this year’s winners in various categories and regret that we were unable to recognize these well-deserving Set Registry members in person this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. We will work toward acknowledging their outstanding efforts in a grander way at the very next National Sports Collectors Convention that allows us to reconvene face to face.

As you may have witnessed, we continue to make design and functionality improvements to our website and mobile application, so we encourage continued involvement from our dedicated members.

As always, thank you for your time and patronage to the PSA Set Registry. Now, let’s get back to what we do best and collect!

Steve Sloan

President, PSA

Jeffrey Griffith - Best Collection of the Year
Dr. Jeffrey Griffith began his trading card collection much like other young sports fans. As a child in the 1990s, he was a rabid supporter of his hometown team, the National Hockey League’s Anaheim Ducks. However, living in Southern California also gave Griffith the opportunity to watch The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, of the Los Angeles Kings. Though never a member of Griffith’s beloved Ducks, Gretzky absolutely mesmerized the young hockey fan.

Jeffrey Griffith’s collection began simply with a few raw Wayne Gretzky trading cards and a signed puck. But “Jeffrey Griffith” and “simple collection” did not stay together for long. The budding hockey historian and collector quickly decided to collect as many different Wayne Gretzky cards as he could find and after learning a bit about the hobby, he determined that his collection needed to be PSA graded. In 2009, Griffith self-published a 6,000-card Wayne Gretzky checklist, and today he owns one of the greatest hockey card collections on the PSA Set Registry.

A scroll through Dr. Griffith’s Set Registry listings reveals that he has a shared passion for excellence and completion. Of the 275 sets in which he currently participates, 269 are complete and he is the category leader in all but 20. There are some company sets to be sure, but his main focus is in sets that recognize success: Hockey Hall of Fame Rookies, 1983 Hall of Fame Postcards, NHL 300 Wins Club and 1st Overall Draft Pick sets are just a sample. He has also built annual All-Star Team sets from 1930-2016, assembled notable player and rookie sets, and completed collections for the recipients of each major NHL award. Like the players he collects, Jeffrey Griffith’s hockey card collection is worthy of recognition.

In 2020, we are honored to add the hockey card collection of Dr. Jeffrey Griffith to our exclusive list of annual award winners for Best Collection of the Year.

hacnac - 1959 Topps Baseball - Super - Best Set of the Year
(Note that this award also includes the 2 sub-sets in this collection.)
The 1959 Topps set is a hobby classic. A circular image atop a solid background makes for a fantastic presentation that is worthy of the legendary players included in the checklist. All-Star cards, Baseball Thrills and Rookie Stars are notable subsets and the late-50s lineup of players like Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Musial, Koufax, Gibson and Snider is hard to beat. The super set, which accounts for all variations and stock types, requires 670 cards; 98 more than a standard base set. This entry stands alone with 100% completion and does so with an incredible 9.23 GPA, an achievement worthy of honor.

Cooperstown Collection - 1911 T205 Gold Border Baseball - Basic - Best Rookie Set of the Year
There is a new kid on the T205 Gold Border block and the accompanying entry on the PSA Set Registry just stunned the competition. Regardless of condition, this set is a challenge. It takes 206 cards to complete, with several cards found in multiple varieties. Hall of Famers abound, with Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Addie Joss, Christy Mathewson, John McGraw and Cy Young being the most notable. And yet this newcomer arrived not only at 100% completion, but with a 7.69 GPA that tops the previous category leader by nearly 1.5 full points. Truly an incredible showing for a newcomer on the Set Registry scene.

Baseball

Jim Chanin (Jim's) - Cracker Jack 1914-1915 Mega Set - Best Pre-War Vintage Baseball Set of the Year
(Note that this award also includes the 1 sub-set in this collection.)
It takes a special kind of dedication to tackle any 100-year-old set, but the 1914-15 Cracker Jack Master requires a truly concerted effort. In building this set a collector must locate dozens of desirable vintage hall of famers, contend with thin card stock and candy stains that are devastating to condition, and recognize that with 320 cards, this project could take decades. This entry has been the category leader since 2014. It is the only set currently at 100% completion and it boasts an incredible 7.01 GPA. Shoeless Joe, The Georgia Peach, Wahoo Sam, The Big Train and the boys never looked so good!

Charles M. Merkel (olemiss (2)) - 1956 Topps Master Set - Best Post-War Vintage Baseball Set of the Year (1948-1959)
The 1956 Topps set has long been a hobby classic. The horizontal design, dual player images and artistic styling make for a very attractive presentation. What the set lacks in rookie cards is more than made up for in overall star power, with many of the biggest names of the day making appearances, including Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Williams, Koufax and Banks. The list goes on and on… More than 25 entries on the PSA Set Registry stand at 90% completion-or-better and competition is fierce. But this particular 354-card collection has been the leader of the pack since 2016 and currently maintains a 9.29 GPA.

Charles M. Merkel (olemiss) - 1961 Topps Master Set - Best Vintage Baseball Set of the Year
The 1961 Topps set has a lot going for it. In addition to being released the year Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris challenged Babe Ruth’s single season home run record, the attractive design, excellent player selection, interesting subsets, difficult high series and numerous short prints offer an exciting collecting experience. As such, more than 20 entries on the PSA Set Registry stand at 90%-or-higher completion. Yet this particular listing has kept the competition at bay since 2016. Other than five cards graded PSA 8, this set is comprised of a stunning array of PSA 9s and 10s and maintains a weighted GPA of 9.29. It is an incredible achievement in a very competitive collecting area.

Bob Fisk (bobsbbcards) - 1990 Donruss Aqueous Test - Best Modern Baseball Set of the Year
It’s not often that modern sets are steeped in mystery, as the hobby is too robust to allow for many secrets. But such is most definitely the case with the 1990 Donruss Aqueous Test issue. Print runs and mode of distribution are unsure, though it is thought that just 20 of each card were produced. These cards appear similar in design to the standard 1990 Donruss issue, yet they have “Aqueous Test” stamped on the reverse. This is the only complete set to be found on the PSA Set Registry and it maintains a GPA of 8.15. This is a collecting accomplishment worthy of recognition.

Basketball

Dave's '61 Fleers - 1961-62 Fleer - Best Vintage Basketball Set of the Year
With more than 20 PSA Set Registry entries at 100% completion, competition in the 1961 Fleer category is strong. No major basketball set had been issued since 1957, resulting in the ’61 Fleer issue containing rookie cards of Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. Additionally, 44% of the total checklist represents Hall of Fame members, which ensures this set appeals to the masses. In spite of all challenges, this particular listing has been built with a GPA of 8.89, making it a shining star on the PSA Set Registry, an incredible accomplishment in such a competitive area.

Football

Walt Bettinger (131313) - 1954 Bowman with Wax Pack - Master - Best Vintage Football Set of the Year (pre-1960)
(Note that this award also includes the 2 sub-sets in this collection.)
Similar to their hardball counterparts, 1954 Bowman football cards give the appearance of small works of art and collectors appreciate them as such. No other PSA Set Registry listing in this category has reached 100% completion and doing so with an 8.95 GPA further places this set in a class by itself. As though the Blandas, Tittles and Van Brocklins and are not enough, an unopened wax pack accompanies the individual cards to round out this very desirable 1950s NFL collection.

Walt Bettinger (131313) - Philadelphia 1964-1967 Mega Set - Best Vintage Football Set of the Year
(Note that this award also includes the 4 sub-sets in this collection.)
At a time when Topps was producing cards of “The Other League,” the NFL was represented by the Philadelphia Gum Company, who produced four classic football card sets in the mid-1960s. These Golden Era issues contain rookie cards of many of the game’s greats – Deacon Jones, Dick Butkus, and Gale Sayers to name a few. But at 792 cards necessary for completion much more is required than a handful of rookies. One of just two collections to reach 100% completion on the PSA Set Registry and the only one with a 9.07 GPA, this collection of mid-60s legends ranks nearly a full point above the competition.

Matthew Putzer (Matt P.) - 1976 Topps - Best Modern Football Set of the Year
Though the rookie cards of legendary defensive Hall of Famers Randy White and Jack Lambert are included, collectors know that the Walter Payton card is the crown jewel of the 1976 Topps football set. And yet it takes more than a bit of Sweetness to build a 1976 Topps football set. A daunting 528 cards are necessary for completion, which means that anyone attempting this challenge had better be in it for the long haul. No finer example can be found on the PSA Set Registry and the 9.75 GPA for this entry all but ensures it will remain that way. A true classic from pro football’s glory years.

Hockey

Ben Trudeau (Benoitben28) - 1924-25 Champs Cigarettes (C144) - Best Pre-War Vintage Hockey Set of the Year
Coinciding with the 1924-25 season, the Tobacco Products Corporation of Canada, Ltd. Issued this 60-card set to the public by inserting a single card into packages of Champ’s Cigarettes. Though simple in design, this set contains many of the most important hockey cards of the era. King Clancy, Aurel Joliat, Howie Morenz, and Georges Vezina are all depicted, in addition to numerous rookies. At nearly 100 years old, just locating the cards is an accomplishment, but doing so with a 7.49 GPA practically defies logic. This is the greatest set of its kind ever listed on the PSA Set Registry.

Joseph R. Henninger, III (Joester) - Topps 1960s Run Mega Set - Best Vintage Hockey Set of the Year
(Note that this award also includes the 2 sub-sets in this collection.)
It is one thing to build a high-grade trading card set, but quite another to tackle a decade-long master set. The 1960s Topps Hockey Run consists of 1,030 individual cards and contains many of the greatest pasteboards in the hockey card genre. Rookies, Hall of Famers, short prints, checklists and rarities are all required for completion. This 10-year run has been built carefully and in wonderfully high grade. It is the only entry to reach 100% completion, which is impressive on its own. But to do so while maintaining a weighted GPA of 10.39 is simply magnificent.

rjmjr - O-Pee-Chee WHA 1970s Run Mega Set - Best Modern Hockey Set of the Year
(Note that this award also includes the 1 sub-set in this collection.)
For seven seasons the World Hockey Association challenged the NHL for legitimacy in the professional hockey community. At the end of the protracted battle, four WHA teams merged into the NHL prior to the 1979-1980 season, thus ending a colorful era of pro hockey. The WHA was celebrated by trading cards of their own, and this compilation of 396 O-Pee-Chee trading cards recognizes the league in all of its icy glory. Quality has not been forsaken in building this collection. In fact, with a GPA of 9.03, it is the PSA Set Registry’s All-Time Finest and the first to eclipse the 9.0 level..

Miscellaneous Sports

Thomas Kaczmarek (KAZ Collection) - 1910 Mecca Champions Boxing (T220) - Best Vintage Miscellaneous Sports Set of the Year
The 1910 T220 Mecca “Champion Athlete and Prize Fighters” series is one of the most visually appealing of pre-war boxing sets. The 50-card issue consists of the world’s greatest boxers and fight scenes, presented in high-quality artistic rendering and surrounded by a classic silver border. The passing of time and soft card stock wreak havoc on those collectors attempting to assemble this collection in high grade. The particular entry has overcome both issues and was put together in a quality rarely seen. Gentleman James Corbett, Jack Dempsey, John L. Sullivan and the rest have earned a 7.16 GPA, the highest in PSA Set Registry history.

Mike Branham (Mike's) - 1986 Sports Illustrated Poster Test Stickers - Best Modern Miscellaneous Sports Set of the Year
Test issues are often interesting, but when they contain an early card of one of the world’s most recognizable athletes, their appreciation reaches immeasurable heights. This 20-card multi-sport set includes many fine athletes – John Elway, Larry Bird and Rickey Henderson among them. But the Michael Jordan card is desired above all others. Only twice has this collection been completed on the PSA Set Registry. This, example however, is the greatest set in existence. It boasts an 8.55 GPA, more than a half-point higher than the next-best entry.

Ronald A. Sparschu (RAS) - Joe Louis Master Set - Best Vintage Player Set of the Year
In light of world events at the time, Joe Louis’s fights with Germany’s Max Schmeling in the 1930s took on much greater meaning than a standard boxing match and contributed significantly to Louis becoming one of America’s greatest sporting icons. As a world champion, Joe Louis has been well-represented in trading cards. His first issues were released in 1930 and he has continued to be celebrated through modern day. The Joe Louis Master set has been completed only once on the PSA Set Registry. The listing carries a 7.37 GPA, making this a hobby accomplishment worthy of the man it celebrates.

Donald L. Wilburn (D.L.'s) - Peyton Manning Basic & Collector Issues Set - Best Modern Player Set of the Year
(Note that this award also includes the 1 sub-set in this collection.)
Over the course of 17 NFL seasons, Peyton Manning distinguished himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks to set foot on the gridiron. Trading card companies reveled is his popularity, resulting in the fact that 531 cards are needed to complete his Basic & Collector Issues Registry Set. This is the first PSA Set Registry collection to reach 100% completion, and it did so with an 8.87 GPA. Forty-three rookie cards are required and all but three have been collected here in PSA 10.

Laurence E. Stempel, M.D. (stempel.1) - 1964 Topps Stand Up Baseball - Best Topps Specialty Set of the Year
The 1964 Topps Stand Up set has a lot going for it. A small checklist, unique design, condition sensitivity, multiple short prints and dense star power makes this set enticing to collectors. Competition is intense in this PSA Set Registry category with less than one point separating the top 12 participants and nearly 50 participants overalls. But this set stands above all the rest with a GPA of 8.94. Of the 77 cards in the checklist, 62 are found in the highest available grade. These 1960s hardball legends never looked so good!

Jeffrey Griffith (GretzkyCards') - Calder Trophy Winners - Best Overall Specialty Set of the Year
The Calder Memorial Trophy is the award given annually to “the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League.” Un layman’s terms, it is the NHL’s Rookie of the Year Award. It was first awarded after the 1936-37 season and in the decades since has become an iconic element of NHL history. This spectacular collection pays tribute to the Calder Award with rookie cards of each annual winner. The lone entry on the PSA Set Registry to reach 100% completion did not sacrifice quality along the way and boasts a 9.04 weighted GPA.

Tom Clark (TC Collection) - Kellogg's Baseball 1970-1994 - Basic Mega Set - Best Regional Set of the Year
(Note that this award also includes the 18 sub-sets in this collection.)
Few childhood hobby memories are more vivid than those of pulling trading cards out of your favorite breakfast cereal. The Kellogg’s sets of 1970-1994 were all-time classics with their 3-D lenticular technology and high-caliber checklists. Nearly 1,000 cards are required to assemble the multi-decade Kellogg’s run and while many have tried, only one collector has successfully finish the challenge. This All-Time Finest entry on this PSA Set Registry is complete at 915 cards and carries a weighted GPA of 9.93.

Riley / Chet - 1910-12 Sweet Caporal Pins P2 Baseball - Best Oddball Set of the Year
The 1910-12 Sweet Caporal Pins are an interesting collectible for someone wanting a break from trading cards. The set consists of 204 small pins. It features many of the same players and images as the famed T205 set, but it a very different format. Small and large-letter variations add significant challenge to the hunt for completion. Though not necessarily a mainstream collectible, hobbyists understand the desirability of these pins and competition on the PSA Set Registry is tight. However, this set stands above all others with an 8.26 GPA and 100% completion.

Aarron Minson (AceOfBass) - Ryne Sandberg Unopened Packs - Top (1983-Present) - Best Unopened Pack Set of the Year
There are countless ways for collectors to express interest in a particular player, and this PSA Set Registry entry is one of the most unique. There are 49 different trading card packs in this collection – cello, wax, American, Canadian, regionals, oddballs and more. Each one has been acquired because it has a Ryne Sandberg card visible within the high-grade packaging. The cards range in issue date from 1983-2018 and cover every area of the Cub legend’s Hall of Fame career. This Ryno tribute collection carries a weighted GPA of 9.33.

Non-Sports

Daniel Mims (Mims Collection) - 1887 Allen & Ginter Flags of All Nations (N9) - Best 19th Century Non-Sports Set of the Year (Pre-1900)
The 1887 Allen & Ginter Flags of All Nations set incorporates stunning lithography of the day to colorfully represent 50 flags from around the world. Each card is an individual work of art and when brought together the complete set is a visual treat. With a weighted GPA of 7.26, this listing is the PSA Set Registry’s All-Time Finest and the first to reach 100% completion. More than 80% of the cards in this entry represent the highest graded example in the hobby today, a truly incredible accomplishment for an issue more than 130 years old.

Greg Libersher (Golf Pro Greg) - 1933 Goudey Indian Gum - Best Pre-War Vintage Non-Sports Set of the Year (1900-1947)
The 1933 Indian Gum issue is of the most popular sets in the pre-war non-sports category. This set contains 216 cards depicting artistic renderings of historic individuals and scenes from early America. Cards such as those representing Davy Crockett, Sitting Bull and Billy the Kid have sparked the imaginations of collectors, young and old, for nearly a century. Of the 24 participants on the PSA Set registry entry, this collection stand along with a 7.04 weighted GPA. The subject, imagery and condition ensure that it is a classic in every sense of the word.

PSUinCT - 1949 Bowman Wild West - Best Vintage Non-Sports Set of the Year (1948-1959)
This mid-century non-sports classic contains 180 cards depicting life in the Wild West. All manners of events are represented in colorful illustrations, including gold mining, the Pony Express, the settling of Texas, buffalo stampedes and more. Quality control challenges most collectors of this set as centering and print issues are common challenges for collections. But all problems have been overcome in this instance. With a weighted GPA of 8.28, this set became a category leader for the first time in 2011, and is the finest assembly ever recorded on the PSA Set Registry.

Bob Oliver (Olivertwistnc) - 1966 Topps Batman Complete Set - Best Vintage Non-Sports Set of the Year (1960-1969)
The Batman television show of the mid-1960s is considered a classic by those who enjoyed it as children. Topps capitalized on its popularity by issuing this fun trading card set in 1966, using still images of characters and scenes from the show. The result, nearly 60 years later, is very desirable and competitive set on the PSA Set Registry, with this entry being the best ever listed. All 281 cards have been collected in high grade and carry a weighted GPA of 9.0. Truly, Batman and Robin have never looked better, nor been in finer shape to tackle the likes of The Joker and Riddler!

Fly Eagles Fly - Topps Wacky Packages Series (1-16) 1970s Run - Best Modern Non-Sports Set of the Year
Wacky Packages were synonymous with adolescence in the 1970s. Using crude humor and sometimes stomach-turning images, these decal-cards have remained popular for decades and inspired several recent reissues. This complete run contains all 489 cards from the 16 original 1970s sets – 10 years of classically crude cards! Crust Toothpaste, Minute Lice, Paul Maul and the rest are found here in their high-grade glory. With an overall GPA of 10.68, this is truly an amazing assembly of wonderful Wackys.

Tickets

Rare Bear AZ - Super Bowl Basic Set (1967-Present) - Best Ticket Set of the Year
From rather humble beginnings, the Super Bowl has become the greatest annual sporting spectacle in the world. Excellence in these games alone ensures that an otherwise ordinary player will be thought of as a legend whose accomplishments are remembered for decades to come. The Super Bowl ticket, once a simple paper admission pass, has become a work of art itself and is now a desired collectible. This grouping is the highest graded complete set to be assembled on the PSA Set Registry. Every entry is a high-grade full ticket that calls to mind the greatness of Starr, Staubach, Bradshaw, Brady and the handful of men that have played on the NFL’s biggest stage.

Autographs

Mike Mehan - Scottsdale Hitman - AL & NL Cy Young Award Winners - Best Single Signed Baseball Set of the Year
Major League Baseball’s Cy Young Award recognizes the top pitcher in each league over the course of a season. As such, the list of past winners includes many historic hurlers. This collection, which grows annually with each new awardee, is a simple and classy, yet distinctly challenging tribute to the winners of this iconic award. Currently 78 different single-signed baseballs are found on the checklist and this is the first collection on the PSA Set Registry to achieve 100% completion. Each crisp, white ball features a stunning sweet spot signature, making the overall presentation a thing of precision, consistency and beauty.

Jim Doyle (Doyle Collection) - All-Century Baseball Team (Any Medium) - Best PSA/DNA Autograph Set of the Year
There are too few adjectives in the English language to accurately describe the ballplayers found in this collection. The All Century Baseball Team contains the best of the 1900s… From Grover Cleveland Alexander to Carl Yastrzemski and everyone in between, one legend even greater than the last. This collection represents the first entry on the PSA Set Registry to achieve 100% completions with all 95 mandatory players. The signatures are found on a variety of items including government postcards, HOF plaques and canceled checks, each of which might be the centerpiece of other collections.

Best of the Registry Winners of 2020

Sets in the following categories that were #1 on 5/29/20 5pm EST (2pm PST) have been recognized as "Best of the Registry." They meet one of the following requirements:

• 95% complete for vintage sets pre-1970
• 100% complete for modern sets (1970-present)
• 1,000 or more cards registered in player and mega sets

Baseball
Basketball
Football
Hockey
Packs
Misc Sports
Non-Sports
Tickets
Autographs

10 Year Anniversary Recipients

To celebrate collectors who have won awards for being number one in their category for at least ten years in a row, we recognize their sets with the 10 Year Anniversary icon. To these collectors, you have our thanks for your loyalty and friendship. We appreciate all you do for the PSA Set Registry. To view a list of these award winning sets, please click here.