Congratulations, 2026 CGC Cards Registry Award Winners!

CGC is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 CGC Cards Registry Awards, including sets for TCGs, sports cards, and non-sports cards! As always, everyone who entered did a fantastic job, and our panel of judges had a difficult time narrowing down entries for Best Set of the Year. After much deliberation, our panel selected the following winners. Congratulations to all!

TCG and Non-sports Card Winners

Pokémon

Pokémon Base Set Shadowless - Master Set – Shadowless Joe

Slight were the differences and short was the print run, but long are the laments from those who parted ways early on with their Pokémon Base Set Shadowless cards!

Having characteristics of both 1st Edition and Unlimited counterparts, the origins of Base Set Shadowless cards are still theorized and debated, making them some of the most notorious of the Original Series. And though they take second podium to 1st Edition cards in terms of value, it’s no small feat to put this set together.

Shadowless Joe has assembled a Pokémon Base Set - Shadowless Master Set on the CGC Cards Registry in beautiful high grades. Racking up over 700,000 points with a spread of primarily 10’s, this set is a real pleasure to see. Drop into the set gallery for the CGC Gem Mint 10 Holos, but stick around for all the CGC Pristine 10’s.

Pokémon Fossil – 1^st Edition - Pokesin

In October of 1999, North America saw the smallest Pokémon expansion ever released. Like the companion video games, Fossil was inspired by one of the biggest films of all time: Jurassic Park. This prehistoric partnership proved to be timeless despite Fossil’s short checklist: 30 years after we were welcomed to Jurassic Park, The Field Museum in Chicago welcomed the Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibit in May of 2026.

Fossil introduced new elements to gameplay that allowed players to disrupt Poke-Powers, turn attacks against opponents, and disable Trainer cards. Employing these new strategies made for exciting and effective counters to massive damage dealers from Base Set, like Blastoise or Mewtwo.

Top-ranked and teeming with high grades, CGC Cards Registry member Pokesin has been working on this stunning Fossil 1st Edition - Master Set since 2022! Check out the set gallery for the first appearances of Articuno, Dragonite, and Gengar, all graded CGC Pristine 10.

Charizard Japanese Character Set – Bozoo10

Since its debut, Charizard has reigned supreme over the Pokémon franchise. With cultural weight on par with Godzilla, this fiery Pokémon created by Atsuko Nishida continues to capture hearts in an ever-growing legion of fans across the globe.

It was Charizard’s appearance in Base Set that sent him soaring as a pop culture phenomenon. With iconic art from Mitsuhiro Arita and colossal 100 HP attack, Charizard was the quintessential playground status symbol at the time. Today, many of these iconic cards have ascended to become blue-chip investment collectibles.

CGC Cards Registry member Bozoo10 has put together a top-ranked Charizard Japanese Character set with more than 80 cards featuring the draconic Pokémon in beautiful high grades. Check out his many renditions across the entire set gallery, but don’t miss the Charizard V Special Art Rare #211/172 graded CGC Pristine 10, with gorgeous art from Oswaldo Kato.

Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering – Revised Edition Main Set - dubba

With Revised, Wizards of the Coast dialed back the glaring power and complexity issues that were present in Alpha and Beta. Additionally, printing plates worn from preceding runs resulted in the subdued colors that the Revised set is well known for. This unintentional but striking symmetry between the tamed mechanics and visual aesthetic of Revised makes it a unique entry among the early core sets.

Revised is a set of several firsts. This was the first set to replace existing cards (most notably the Power Nine) with cards from previous expansions. The introduction of the tap and mana color symbols brought greater consistency to templating, alleviating the confusion of certain card interactions. Perhaps most importantly, Revised was the first set printed in multiple languages, bringing countless new players to the table.

Assembled over the better part of a year, dubba's gorgeous Revised set teeming with CGC Gem Mint 10's and Pristine 10’s tops the ranks. Drop into the set gallery and check out key cards Kird Ape and Sol Ring, both graded CGC Pristine 10.

Non-sports Cards

Marvel Metal 1995 Inaugural Edition Master Set – Toy house

With the technological boom of the 1990s, we proverbially hit 88 miles per hour and blasted off into the future. The world of collectibles was immediately inspired, and suddenly comics and cards were decked out in an aesthetic punctuated by shiny metallics and holograms. It didn’t matter if naysayers chalked it all up to gimmick; to young collectors at the time, this stuff was the coolest!

Fleer’s Marvel Metal 1995 Inaugural Edition trading card set is an archetype of an era when collectibles reflected a bright future that stoked the imagination. This 313-card set gave us Marvel’s roster of heroes and villains in shining metallics with early CGI art from a host of industry greats. Card backs featured a Power Grid of stats for each character ranking speed, strength, and agility. Aptly, the small Alternate M insert set highlights Marvel storylines exploring alternate futures.

Toy house began assembling this top-ranked set in 2025 and has racked up over 400,000 points across this collection of high-grade cards. Drop into the set gallery and check out #45 Doom 2099 and #133 Silver Surfer, both graded CGC Gem Mint 10.

Sports Cards

1987-88 Fleer Basketball – BODA91

Twenty-seven seconds were all that remained in Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals when a roar erupted from hoarse-voiced fans at Boston Garden. With a beautiful layup, Larry Bird pushed the Celtics' lead to 114-109 over Dominique Wilkins’ Atlanta Hawks. As he jogged casually from the court and took a seat on the sidelines, CBS play-by-play announcer Brent Musburger remarked on the prodigious shootout between the two titans: “You are watching what greatness is all about.”

Musburger’s statement really captures the 1987-88 season as a whole. This was the year Michael Jordan scored a perfect 50 on his final dunk in the Slam Dunk contest at NBA All-Star weekend. John Stockton and Karl Malone would make their start together as one of the GOAT pick-and-roll duos. And with unreal grit, Detroit Pistons “Bad Boy” Isiah Thomas would put up 25 points in the 3rd quarter of Game 6 in the NBA Finals against the Lakers — after spraining his ankle.

The classic design of the Fleer 1987-88 card set recalls the nostalgia of one of the greatest seasons in a golden era of the NBA, and CGC Cards Registry member BODA91 has assembled it in high grades. Visit the gallery of this throwback set and check out top picks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Paxson, and the incredible Dominique Wilkins.

Mark Price Player Set - tspsellers

If you were an NBA guard during the 1988-89 season, Mark Price was your worst nightmare. Second only to Larry Bird in the 50-40-90 club that season, Price worked the court with lethal shooting accuracy and unmatched flair, and any team going up against the Cleveland Cavaliers knew they were in for a long, tough night.

Price harnessed a combination of agility, grit, and speed to split the pick like a smooth criminal, a revolutionary tactic for which he’s best known. The only thing more criminal than Price’s swagger on the court is his absence from the NBA Hall of Fame; he’s long been considered one of the most underrated offensive players. Isiah Thomas echoed the sentiment, stating Price was one of the greatest shooters ever seen in the game and “almost unguardable” during his era.

CGC Cards Registry member tspsellers has focused on autographs and game-worn materials cards in this fantastic Mark Price Player set. Drop into the set gallery and check out this gorgeous collection dedicated to one of the coolest Cavs ever.

2023 Panini Prizm WNBA – rjr2167

When the New York Liberty added free agents Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot, “sixth player” Kayla Thornton, and 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones to its roster, the franchise became the most anticipated in WNBA history. And when they stepped onto the home court of the champion Las Vegas Aces in June 2023, the 27th season of the WNBA became the era of the Super Teams with this foremost rivalry.

Though dominated by the monumental Liberty-Aces clash, history was made throughout the 2023 season by some absolute fire players. Phoenix Mercury point guard Diana Taurasi became the first player to score 10,000 career points, Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston was the first rookie to lead the entire league with field goal percentage, and with 939 points, Seattle Storm guard “The Gold Mamba” Jewell Loyd scored the most in a single season.

Panini Prizm captures the 2023 WNBA season with shallow depth of field action shots set against bokeh backgrounds framed out in signature chromium. CGC Cards Registry member rjr2167 shows off this modern classic set with Top Pop cards. Stop by the gallery and don’t miss #21 Elizabeth Williams, #67 Brittney Sykes, and #141 Jordan Horston, all graded CGC Pristine 10.

Ken Griffey Jr. Player Set – Vintage Card Junkie

On the evening of April 3, 1989, Oakland Athletics pitcher Dave Stewart sent a forkball to the southpaw at the plate. The 19-year-old Seattle Mariner sent it flying with a sweet swing into the gap at left center field, where it bounced off the wall for a double. Forty-six thousand fans in attendance erupted into cheers. It was the very first MLB at-bat for the Kid from Cincinnati, and it marked the colossal career to come.

Ken Griffey Jr. was just 17 years old and still in the minors when Mariners manager Dick Williams said, “I’ll take him on the team right now…we don’t have a player who can hit, field, run, and throw like this kid.” He was right. From his first career HR one week after his MLB debut, to the infamous “Spider-Man” catch, the 1^st inning back-to-back HR’s with Griffey Sr., to his final walk-off single against the Blue Jays, Ken Griffey Jr. brought monumental talent to baseball that made him the face of the game during his era and one of the most decorated players of all time.

CGC Cards Registry member Vintage Card Junkie has assembled a top-ranked player set dedicated to “The Kid” full of high grades and Top Pop cards. Swing into this sweet set gallery for a look at all the CGC Gem Mint 10's and Pristine 10’s!

Josh Allen Player Set – THoma315

In November of 2014, a young quarterback playing football for a junior college sent out 1,000 cold emails to Division I coaches across the US. Included was a video reel of highlights showcasing the sort of talent found in the wildest dreams of any football coach. Josh Allen shot his shot but got zero response until University of Wyoming coach Craig Bohl saw what nobody else had and offered the farmer’s son the runway he needed to take off.

Josh Allen has been called a late bloomer, but it was worth the wait for such a talented dual threat quarterback. Already with an NFL MVP, the Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship, and five AFC East Division titles on record, Allen is just beginning to hit his stride, and football fans can look forward to much more from him.

The No. 1 ranked Josh Allen player set has been assembled since 2023 by CGC Cards Registry member THoma315 and is teeming with high-grade cards that top the pop. Hang out in the set gallery and don’t miss the 2022 Panini Absolute Glass graded CGC Pristine 10.

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!