Congratulations, 2024 CGC Cards Registry Award Winners!
Posted on 31/01/2025
CGC Cards™ is excited to announce the winners of the 2024 CGC Cards Registry Awards, including sets for TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards! With so many options, it was a difficult decision for our panel of judges to select the 20 Best Sets of the Year across all of the categories. After much deliberation, our panel selected the following winners. Congratulations to all!
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Sports Card Winners
The American Tobacco company produced an extraordinary set in the T205 Gold Border. An update to the previous White Border, this set features players from the Minor, American and National Leagues. Each league is distinguished by their design, including the first-known facsimile autographs for the Nationals, baseball diamond pattern for the American and ornately styled borders for the Minors. All cards in this set are rendered in beautiful, rich colors with illustrations of players replacing the previous photorealistic images.
This set is well-known for its condition quality. Small-size cigarette pack distribution as well as the fragility of the gold leaf border make for a tough collecting challenge in any grade.
jhopp’s 1911 T205 Gold Border set is ranked #1 on the CGC Sports Cards Registry for this set type with more than 80,000 points achieved over 46 cards so far. This collection includes Chicago Cub Floyd M. Kroh graded a very respectable CGC 5, Washington Senators player Bob Groom graded CGC 4 and Bobby Wallace with Cap, one of three variations for this American Leaguer from the St. Louis Browns.
Albert Pujols Player Set – Bill8181
With two World Series championships and an expansive list of accolades including the Roberto Clemente Award, two Hank Aaron Awards and two Gold Glove Awards, “The Machine” lives up to the moniker.
Awards mark an incredible career, but watching Albert Pujols at Dodger Stadium on September 22, 2022 is to understand what makes baseball America’s pastime and the Dominican-born player an undisputed legend. The grand slam to deep left in the 4th inning marked his 700th home run, and with it, his entry into the 700 club. He joined Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth as the only players to reach the coveted MLB milestone.
Bill8181’s Albert Pujols Player set is ranked #1 for this set type on the CGC Sports Cards Registry and racks up over 378,000 points across more than 200 high-grade cards. Take a look at the set gallery of this colossal collection to find dozens of CGC Gem Mint 10s and high-grade examples sitting at the top of the pop.
1987 Wonderama NWA Wrestling Supercards Test Market Run – Staches
Released a full year before the 343-card successor set, the 1987 Wonderama NWA Wrestling Supercards Test Market run is an interesting set featuring some of the greatest icons of wrestling. These cards are a collecting challenge, to say the least, but there’s no shortage of flashy poses and awesome action shots in this 49-card set!
High grades abound in Stache’s 1987 Wonderama NWA Wrestling Supercards Test Market Run collection, racking up nearly 74,000 points. This 100% complete set tops the ranks in the #1 position for this set type on the CGC Sports Cards Registry. The #1 Ric Flair is a familiar favorite, and check out card #17 capturing Sting in an awesome Scorpion Deathlock.
Diego Maradona Player Set – Mr. Futbol
No player has occupied the number 10 position quite like Diego Maradona. Though his career is striped with controversy, the Argentine still tops the list as one of the greatest players that soccer has ever known. With more than 300 goals in his career, 66 created chances in World Cup matches, and the only player to ever score and assist at least 5 goals in a single World Cup, Maradona’s talent is undeniable.
Maradona played in the Lega Serie A during a time when the game was oriented around defense. Serie A clubs were primed with talent, and attackers like Maradona had to absorb defenders’ ruthlessness on the pitch. Despite the style of play, Maradona’s time with Napoli brought the club two Serie A titles and the 1989 UEFA Cup — a monumental achievement and a testament to the genius of his advanced playmaking skills.
Mr. Futbol’s Diego Maradona Player set is ranked #1 in the CGC Sports Cards Registry for this set type, boasting solid grades that achieve more than 75,000 points. Many cards in this collection are scarce examples from the early days of Maradona’s professional career. Check out the 1982 Danone Futbol En Accion #94 graded CGC 7 and a very rare 1978 Crack Campeonato Mundial Maradona rookie card.
1938 Churchman’s Boxing Personalities – Calvin Woods
Distributed in cigarette packs by British tobacco company W.A. & A.C. Churchman, the 1938 Churchman’s Boxing Personalities set is full of champions and Hall of Famers dating back as far as the 1800s. Fighters are rendered in rich, sepia-toned pictures on the fronts of this handsome set, with many featuring in-action shots, and biographies filling out the backs.
Calvin Woods' 1938 Churchman’s Boxing Personalities set is ranked #1 for this set type on the CGC Sports Cards Registry with more than 62,000 points achieved. Many of the high-grade cards in this set top the pop. Check out the #12 Jack Dempsey and the #20 Jack Johnson, both graded CGC 8.
1983 NFL Properties Huddles – TheRealKyleMcC
In 1983, NFL Properties launched the Huddles line of products featuring NFL mascots that are rendered in a playful, cartoon style. NFL Huddles were targeted toward kids and adult collectors alike, and included figurines, watches, diecast cars, plush toys and, of course, trading cards.
Distributed in NFL-licensed products and football-shaped soap from Avon, this 28-card set pairs the Huddles mascots with classic team logos on the fronts while the backs offer snippets of team history.
TheRealKyleMcC’s 1983 NFL Properties Huddles set is a 100% complete set and ranks #1 for this set type on the CGC Sports Cards Registry with more than 45,000 points achieved. This fun set is packed with high-grade cards that top the pop, including many CGC-graded Gem Mint 10s.
1950 Bowman Football – SGTHOFFMANN
After a one-year hiatus in 1949, Bowman returned to football cards in style with their 1950 set. Distributed in nickel gum packs containing six cards apiece, this 144-card set is considered the first modern set representing the gridiron and is the first color Bowman football set.
Bowman's design was a timely one: this set marks the merger of the AAFC with the new NFL. Colorized action-shots framed in white are showcased on the fronts with numbering and player details found on the backs. This simple and effective approach lends an artistic distinction to this set celebrated by collectors.
SGTHOFFMANN's 1950 Bowman Football set is 100% complete with nearly 280,000 points achieved and is ranked #1 on the CGC Sports Cards Registry in this set type. Solid grades are seen throughout the set and many cards top the pop, including the #8 Mac Speedie rookie card, Hall of Famer #9 Tony Canadeo and Heisman Trophy-winner #16 Glenn Davis.
Stephen Curry Player Set – Alejandro Rodriguez
In 2016, something unprecedented happened in the NBA: Stephen Curry topped the list across all 131 votes cast for MVP. It was the first — and remains the only — unanimous MVP in NBA history.
Looking back to the start of Curry’s career, the pundits may not have seen it coming. Curry was plagued with injuries that kept him off the court in his early years, but what followed surgery was a road lined with accolades leading to 2016’s unanimous MVP, consecutive 3-point records, the Warriors' first NBA Championship title in 40 years in 2015 and 402 three-pointers in the 2015-16 season alone. Yet these were just a sampling.
At the 2016 MVP acceptance speech, Curry said, “I never really set out to change the game...what I wanted to do was just be myself.” Turns out he could do both.
Alejandro Rodriguez’s Stephen Curry Player set is ranked #1 on the CGC Sports Card Registry with more than 600,000 points across nearly 140 cards. Check out the 2009-10 Bowman '48 #106 rookie card graded CGC 8, and the 2009-10 Topps #321 Rookie graded CGC Gem Mint 10.
1987-88 Fleer Basketball Stickers – Jmorr33
Once firmly an underdog to its predecessor, the 1987-88 Fleer Basketball set has seen a meteoric rise in popularity, and with it, the All-Stars sticker insert set is now a small but mighty gem among basketball card collectors.
Low print runs, centering problems and condition issues are common in the 1987-88 Fleer Basketball Stickers set, making it challenging to obtain high grades. The 11-card sticker insert set features some of the greatest to ever grace the court, including Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and, of course, Michael Jordan. The set also benefits from an all-American design scheme that furthers the nostalgia factor of these stickers.
Jmorr33’s 1987-88 Fleer Basketball Stickers set is ranked #1 on the CGC Sports Card Registry and achieves more than 16,000 points. Scroll through the set gallery for snapshots of some of the best basketball ever played.
1996-97 SkyBox Premium New Editions – Warner85
With a unique, die-cut design scheme rooted firmly in the colorful trends of the 1990s, the Skybox Premium New Editions 10-card insert set cast rookies in a fun limelight.
The theme of the future is front and center in this set. The featured rookies would carry basketball into a new era, and the lime green, video game border design ties neatly to the futuristic elements of video games like NBA Jam Extreme, the first of that game series to use 3D graphics.
These cards were only found in Series Two packs in a 1:36 ratio, making them a little tougher than some to collect, and with the die-cut borders and foil backgrounds, this set is no stranger to condition issues.
Warner85’s 1996-97 Skybox Premium New Editions set is ranked #1 on the CGC Sports Card Registry for this set type, tallying nearly 40,000 points. Check out the front and back of card #3, which features two great snapshots of an 18-year-old Kobe Bryant.
TCG and Non-sports Card Winners
Pokémon
CGC 10 Complete Master Ball Set – RockDoc1228
The Pokémon Card 151 - sv2a - Master Ball Reverse Holos set is an impressive 165 cards and includes the Master Ball reverse holo pattern. The Master Ball is a Poké ball that has a 100% chance of catching any wild Pokémon it’s used on. Looks like the Master Ball was at work here, given RockDoc1228’s set is 100% complete!
RockDoc1228’s set is ranked #2 with 632,204 points and is comprised of cards graded only Gem Mint 10 or Pristine 10. Take a look at his Pristine 10 Charmeleon, as well as his Gem Mint 10 Eevee!
McDonald's Collection 2021 - Confetti Holo – IrishPrince
The McDonald’s Collection 2021 set was released in celebration of Pokémon’s 25th anniversary and features the 25th anniversary Pikachu stamp. This limited-edition set was available only from participating McDonald’s restaurants and is comprised of all the starter Pokémon from Generations I through VIII.
IrishPrince’s McDonald’s Collection 2021 set is ranked #1 with 86,250 points and is 100% complete and every card in this set is graded Gem Mint 10. As his set comments note, no one can top this confetti holo set, and since he’s ranked #1, we’d say he’s right! This set contains some of the most well-known and popular Pokémon; check out his set gallery for Pikachu and Charmander!
Jungle - No Symbol – Guitar Hero
During the Jungle expansion, a large print run of the Unlimited holo rare cards were mistakenly printed without the Jungle set symbol. This unique error set is comprised of all 16 holo rare cards affected by the printing error in the Jungle Unlimited set.
Guitar Hero’s Jungle - No Symbol set is ranked #1 with 47,663 points, is 100% complete and features cards graded CGC 8 or higher! Check out his CGC 9 Flareon and Jolteon, as well as several other cards graded CGC 9!
Magic: The Gathering
As the name implies, this set contains all the dual lands cards from the Magic: The Gathering Revised Edition. Dual lands are powerful cards that provide two colors of mana instead of the one color of mana obtained from basic land cards. These dual lands are unique in that they also have two land subtypes and qualify as both land types, making them a shrewd choice for players wanting to maximize mana combinations without sacrificing deck space.
These cards are part of the Reserved List, a list of cards that Wizards of the Coast will never reprint, and as such, they are among some of the most valued cards in Magic. Plob’s set is ranked #2 with 164,695 points and is 90% complete, short only one card. Plob’s set is made up completely of cards graded Gem Mint 10 or Pristine 10, including a Pristine 10 Tropical Island and a Gem Mint 10 Bayou!
Limited Edition Alpha - Power 9 – Benjamin Be
The Limited Edition Alpha - Power 9 cards are some of the most sought-after Magic: The Gathering cards out there. These cards are extremely powerful in gameplay, so powerful in fact that they’ve been banned in almost all gameplay formats. And as part of MTG’s Reserved List, these cards will never be reprinted due to game-balancing reasons, making these cards rare and expensive.
Benjamin Be’s set is ranked #1, with 2,789,986 points and is 100% complete. All cards in this set are graded Pristine 10, an incredible feat for cards so rare and valuable. For some great examples, check out his CGC Pristine 10 Black Lotus and Pristine 10 Ancestral Recall!
Marvel Trading Cards
Marvel: The Silver Age Autograph – AJ858
This small set packs a punch! Marvel: The Silver Age Autograph set features photos and caricatures of some of Marvel’s most famous names, including Stan Lee, John Romita Sr. and Sal Buscema. These pack-pulled autograph cards feature an image and signature of some of Marvel’s most famous names.
AJ858’s Marvel: The Silver Age Autograph set is ranked #1 with 67,820 points and is 100% complete! His set includes cards graded CGC 8.5 or higher, with several high-grade examples. Check out his Sal Buscema and John Buscema graded Pristine 10, and several other cards graded Pristine 10 or Gem Mint 10!
Marvel Masterpieces (1992) - Battle Spectra – Markmel
Markmel’s Marvel Masterpieces (1992) - Battle Spectra set is small but mighty! This five-card subset of the Marvel Masterpieces (1992) set features famous matchups, such as Spider-Man vs. Venom and Captain America vs. Red Skull. The card backs include the comic book in which the two featured characters had their first encounter and a brief background of these characters' classic showdowns.
Markmel’s set is ranked #1 with 7,152 points and is 100% complete. As an added bonus, all the cards are CGC Signature Series and feature an autograph from none other than Joe Jusko himself! Markmel’s set includes Thing vs. Hulk graded CGC 9, Silver Surfer vs. Thanos graded CGC 8.5 and three cards graded CGC 8!
Disney Lorcana
The First Chapter - Cold Foil – Sensei Ryan
Launched in 2023 at the D23 Expo, Disney Lorcana is one of the newest TCGs in the registry. The First Chapter was the first set released in August 2023, and Sensei Ryan has wasted no time getting started. Set comments let fellow collectors know that he has been a die-hard Disney fan since childhood. His goal is to collect all the cards from this set in a Gem Mint 10 or Pristine 10, and at 64% complete, he is well on the way.
This set contains all the Cold Foil cards from The First Chapter, making it an impressive 204-card set. Ranked #1 with 481,678 points, every card in Sensei Ryan’s set is graded Gem Mint 10 or Pristine 10! Some set highlights include a CGC Pristine 10 Elsa - Snow Queen and a Pristine 10 Stitch – Rock Star!
Other Non-sports Cards
Cinema Stars (1937 Richard Lloyd & Sons) – TwoYewts
This vintage set features famous film actresses such as Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo. At almost 90 years old, it’s one of the oldest sets on the registry!
These cards were included in cigarette packages distributed by Richard Lloyd & Sons, which was a tobacco manufacturer in the United Kingdom. Cards were inserted into the packs to help stiffen the boxes, so the cigarettes wouldn’t get crushed in transport. Called stiffeners, the first cards included were blank until cigarette manufacturers realized they could include images on the cards. The idea was to encourage people to buy more cigarettes to complete their collections of all cards in a particular set.
TwoYewts’ 1937 Richard Lloyd & Sons Cinema Stars set is 100% complete with 23,337 points! This set features 24 classic film actresses, with two Joan Crawford cards that round out the 25-card set. TwoYewts’ set features several incredible examples, including a CGC 9 Mabel Poulton, a CGC 9 Janet Gaynor and several other cards graded CGC 8.5. That’s an incredible accomplishment for cards from 1937!
You'll Die Laughing (1973 Topps) - Master Set – Fisk the Cat
Officially called Creature Feature cards but commonly called You’ll Die Laughing because of the phrase that is prominently featured on the card backs, this 1973 set features images from classic Universal monster movies such as "Frankenstein," "The Wolf Man" and "Phantom of the Opera," which are each paired with amusing punchlines. The card backs include jokes such as this one from card #8: First Fiend – “This liniment makes my arm smart.” Second Fiend – “Why don’t you rub some on your head?”
Fisk the Cat’s set comments let other collectors know this incredible set comes from his childhood collection. This set is 100% complete, with 65,319 points and includes several great examples, with cards graded CGC 8, such as cards #41 and #68 and several graded CGC 7 as well!
The CGC Cards Registry Awards are open to all CGC Cards Registry participants. To participate in the CGC Cards Registry, visit the Registry at CGCcards.com, register your CGC-graded cards and create a competitive set. It’s free and easy to join!
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