Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) has partnered with APMEX (www.APMEX.com), the largest online retailer of precious metals, to offer an exciting new product geared toward bullion enthusiasts beginning in 2020. It combines APMEX’s popular MintDirect® products with desirable PCGS FirstStrike® certification eligibility.
For years, APMEX has had success selling United States Mint products sealed in protective plastic to ensure they remain in the same unopened, untouched, unsorted and unsearched condition just as they were received from the U.S. Mint.
PCGS has reviewed and confirmed the process APMEX has in place to secure coins from mints around the world and proudly stands by their products being received within 30 days of initial release and stored in a way that ensures the condition of the coins. Now select APMEX coins can qualify for PCGS FirstStrike designation.
Under the new partnership (www.PCGS.com/APMEX), APMEX will offer MintDirect Premier products with PCGS FirstStrike eligibility, a winning combination that offers FirstStrike® designation long after the eligibility cutoff date.
“PCGS is delighted to be partnering with APMEX on their latest innovative product offering. As two of the companies in the hobby most synonymous with consumer confidence and dependability, we believe this is a partnership designed to better serve collectors for years to come,” said PCGS President Brett Charville.
Starting with 2020 US Silver Eagles, PCGS will recognize any APMEX MintDirect Premier products with the PCGS logo as FirstStrike eligible indefinitely, as long as the coins are not removed from the tamper-evident APMEX packaging.
“The secondary market value of coins with the FirstStrike designation is often greater than that for coins graded without the FirstStrike designation, thus adding value over the years,” explained Charville.
“PCGS is one of the most respected names in the industry, and we’re very excited to partner with them to offer our customers the added value of FirstStrike eligibility on MintDirect Premier Silver Eagles,” said Kyle Klosinski, Senior Product Manager at APMEX.
“PCGS FirstStrike certified coins are among the most popular graded products, and the verification that our process meets PCGS’s strict standards for this designation provides an additional layer of assurance for our customers, regardless of whether they intend to submit their coins for grading,” added Klosinski.
PCGS is also offering free Silver Collectors Club Memberships, valued at $69, on all submissions of sealed MintDirect Premier with PCGS FirstStrike tubes and boxes, making it an ideal choice for beginner and advanced collectors alike.
As the leader in third-party authentication and grading, PCGS welcomes new collectors to take advantage of APMEX-sealed monster box, mini monster box, tube and blister single pack products and enjoy direct submission privileges with FirstStrike eligibility. Contact PCGS Customer Service at 800-447-8848 for information on eligibility for membership and services.
To take advantage of your free PCGS membership, simply follow these steps:
1. Create a PCGS account via www.PCGS.com/myaccount/create.
2. Fill out your free Collectors Club voucher found here www.pcgs.com/media.ashx/pcgs-apmex-cc-voucher.pdf.
3. Complete a Submission Form and include the Collectors Club voucher in the shipment with sealed APMEX MintDirect Premier with PCGS FirstStrike tubes and boxes.