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Message:: [QUOTE="johnmilton, post: 4500933, member: 101855"]You don't need to get this material certified, especially if you buying modern “restrikes” which are really copies because they are not struck with the original dies. I have all of the Comitia Americana medals in formats that were struck before 1880s, except for the original Diplomatic medal, which is nearly impossible to obtain and the John Stuart medal which is, for all intents and purposes, impossible. I don't view the Diplomatic medal as an essential part of the set, which one reason why I have never bought one of the Philadelphia Mint made pieces made circa 1850. The main advantage to getting them certified is that you can avoid physical damage such as dropping them and giving them rim bumps or scratches. The big disadvantage is that the holders huge and take up incredible amounts of space in storage places, like a safe deposit box. I wish that PCGS and NGC could find a way to make a smaller holder. As a collector, I have generally avoided the certified pieces when I could for that reason. If I were you, I would purchase this set with the booklet by Vladimir and Elvira Clain-Stefanelli. The medals, which are cheap pewter knock-offs, don't amount to much, but they will give you the "lay of land" which might inspire you to get more into the set. This set was issued by the mint during the 1975-6 Bicentennial period. Cover [ATTACH=full]1116211[/ATTACH] Interior [ATTACH=full]1116212[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]