Collector Highlight

Aaron’s numismatic journey began some four decades ago at the age of 11. That’s when he received a partially filled album of Mercury Dimes from his mom, who received them from her grandmother. “I didn’t know much at the time about the coins, but I knew I should hold onto them and resisted the idea of spending them, knowing that Mercury Dimes weren’t common in the 1980s,” recalls Aaron. Years later, in 2016, he set out to complete that set of Mercury Dimes. Before long, he moved on to Lincoln Cents, Washington Quarters, and a 20th Century Type Set.

He eventually moved into building PCGS Registry Sets, beginning with a 2009 Proof Set to honor his daughter’s birth year. “That expanded into my favorite coin, the Peace Dollar,” he says. Aaron then ventured into a set showcasing the 100 Greatest Women on Coins, which he notes is currently #3 on the PCGS Set Registry and is separated from the top contenders by mere tenths of a percentage point.

Today, Aaron has 40 active sets on the PCGS Set Registry, and they span the gamut of United States coins and represent nations from around the world. He owes his international tastes to global travel during his time serving in the United States military. “Since deploying numerous times overseas in the U.S. Marine Corps and later in the U.S. Army National Guard, I had accumulated currency and coins from all over the world.” Completing the 100 Greatest Women on Coins set gave Aaron a leg up on his global numismatic journey. “The achievement of having coins from each continent gave me a head start,” he adds.

The retired serviceman finds great joy in collecting coins on the PCGS Set Registry, saying he likes the “competitive nature of the categories.” He also realizes how challenging some of the sets can be, something he’s taken note of with his current endeavors: building a top-ranked 1983 Mint Set. “I like the coins from 1983 since they’re difficult to locate in higher Mint State grades.”

He also dreams of pursuing a set of coins missing their mintmark or engraver’s initials, particularly as he already owns many of the coins necessary to complete such an assemblage. “I have a 1922 No D Lincoln Cent, 1969 No FG Cent Lincoln Cent, 1982 No FG Kennedy Half Dollar, and 1982 No Mintmark and 1983 No S Roosevelt Dimes,” remarks Aaron. He says the biggest obstacle in finishing that set is its price.

“Completing a ‘No’ set would break the bank with the 1971 No S Proof Nickel and others.”

As he awaits the day when he can finally afford some of those expensive “No” coins, he continues building his numismatic expertise. “I went from having a base knowledge of coins to becoming the guy my friends go to for advice when a family member finds coins. I usually steer them to PCGS.com and the trusted local coin shop.”

He implores other collectors to go to coin club meetings, attend coin shows, and always learn something new about the coins they want to collect. “Don’t buy coins without doing your research!” He further advises, “Coins and currency will always have a value, but be careful! Learn the basics of grading, read, and get advice from the PCGS Message Board forum members. The folks on the message board are a great source of information for the new collector and veteran. I read it every day.”