Expert Comments:
We are pleased this year to present our first annual PSE Set Registry Awards. It has been a good first year, with over 165 sets registered. Collecting U.S. stamps by sets presents an enormous opportunity for collectors to specialize, and focus their energies into a specific area. Until now, U.S. stamps have essentially been collected as an entire single set, with completion being an nearly impossible goal. The Set Registry also permits friendly competition on an equal basis, since the stamps are judged by an independent third party.

In the coming year, we will be offering additional set compositions and we expect to see many new participants. If you want to see what a mature Set Registry looks like, check out our U.S. Coin Registry. Click here.

Till next year,
Mike Sherman

Best Overall Set of 2004

Parker Simmons - Federal Duck Stamps RW1-71 (NH)

Best 19th Century Regular Issue Set of 2004

2BtheBest - 1894 1st Bureau Issues (NH)
While there weren't yet a large number of entries in the 19th Century Regular Issue category, here's a set that is well on its way to becoming a classic. With the advent of third party grading, collectors are just beginning to realize how tough stamps formerly considered "common" are in truly high grade.

Best 19th Century Commemorative Set of 2004

2BtheBest - 1893 Columbian (NH)
This is truly a great set, containing the finest 245 ($5 Columbian in XF-Sup 95) PSE has yet seen. And if that weren't enough, the $4 is graded the same. While not yet complete, it seems obvious that if the missing stamps are added in the quality typical of the rest of the set, it will raise the bar for this extremely popular set.

Best 20th Century Regular Issue Set of 2004

Wayne Schuetz - 1922-25 Regular Issues (NH)
While this set doesn't contain any ultra-rarities, finding all 23 stamps in this lofty condition is no easy task! The difficulty here is not so much paying for the stamps as finding them in the first place. The collector in this case painstakingly examined many thousands of stamps to put together what is easily the finest known example of this important set.

Best 20th Century Commemorative Set of 2004

Wayne Schuetz (DWP) - 1932 Washington Bicentennial (NH)
What else can you say about a set that's 100% complete, with an average grade of 97.77? Include the fact that exactly half the set is comprised of Jumbos, and you realize just what an accomplishment this is. The Washington Bicentennial Set provides an outstanding look at our first President at nearly all ages of his life.

Best Back-of-the-Book Set of 2004

Parker Simmons - Federal Duck Stamps RW1-71 (NH)
This incredible set was one of the first up on the Set Registry when it opened last summer, and has continued to improve! Federal Duck Stamps have always been one of the most popular and beautiful U.S. Sets, and amassing a complete set with an average grade of nearly 97 took both a lot of patience and Parker's dad's money.

Best of the Registry Certificate Winners of 2004