<PAGE>   1

     As Filed With the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 11, 2000

                                                Registration No. 333-___________
================================================================================


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON. D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                   ----------

                            COLLECTORS UNIVERSE, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            DELAWARE                                     33-0846191
 (State or other jurisdiction of                      (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                      Identification No.)

                 1936 DEERE STREET, SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92705
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                   ----------

                            1999 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                            PCGS STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (Full titles of the plans)

                                   ----------

                     David G. Hall, Chief Executive Officer
                            Collectors Universe, Inc.
                                1936 Deere Street
                           Santa Ana, California 92705
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (949) 567-1234
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                    Copy to:
                              Ben A. Frydman, Esq.
           Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a Professional Corporation
      660 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1600, Newport Beach, California 92660
                                 (949) 725-4000


                                PAGE 1 OF 7 PAGES
                             EXHIBIT INDEX ON PAGE 7
<PAGE>   2

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
=================================================================================================
                                        Proposed Maximum    Proposed Maximum
Title of Securities    Amount To Be      Offering Price     Aggregate Offering     Amount of
 To Be Registered     Registered(1)         Per Share            Price          Registration Fee
=================================================================================================
<S>                  <C>                <C>                 <C>                 <C>
   Common Stock,
 $0.001 par value    2,825,402 shares          (2)          $ 12,651,431 (2)       $ 3,340.00
=================================================================================================
</TABLE>

     (1) Includes additional shares of Common Stock that may become issuable
     pursuant to the anti-dilution adjustment provisions of the 1999 Stock
     Incentive Plan (the "1999 Plan"), and the PCGS Stock Incentive Plan (the
     "PCGS Plan").

     (2) In accordance with Rule 457(h), the aggregate offering price of
     2,677,717 shares of Common Stock registered hereby which would be issued
     upon exercise of options granted under the 1999 Plan and the PCGS Plan, is
     based upon the per share exercise price of such options, the weighted
     average of which is approximately $4.38 per share. With respect to the
     remaining 147,645 shares of Common Stock registered hereby which would be
     issued upon exercise of the remaining options and rights to purchase which
     Registrant is authorized to issue under the 1999 Plan and the PCGS Plan,
     the aggregate offering price is estimated solely for purposes of
     calculating the registration fee, in accordance with Rule 457(h) on the
     basis of the price of securities of the same class, as determined in
     accordance with Rule 457(c), using the average of the high and low price
     reported by the Nasdaq National Market for the Common Stock on April 5
     2000, which was $6.25 per share.




                                       2
<PAGE>   3

                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

        The following documents are incorporated herein by reference:

        (a) The Company's Propectus (File No. 333-86449) as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on November 5, 1999,
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended )(the
"Securities Act")

        (b) The Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the
Commission on December 2, 1999 and February 11, 2000;

        (c) The Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the
Commission on March 21, 2000; and

        (d) The description of the Registrant's Common Stock that is contained
in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed under Section 12 of
the Exchange Act on November 1, 1999, including any amendment or report filed
for the purpose of updating that description.

        All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all of such securities then remaining unsold, shall be
deemed to be incorporated herein by reference and to be a part hereof from the
date of filing of such documents, except as to any portion of any future annual
or quarterly report to stockholders or document that is not deemed filed under
such provisions. For the purposes of this registration statement, any statement
in a document incorporated by reference shall be deemed to be modified or
superseded to the extent that a statement contained in this registration
statement modifies or supersedes a statement in such document. Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this registration statement.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        The Company's Bylaws provide that the Company will indemnify its
directors and officers and may indemnify its employees and other agents to the
fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
(the "DGCL"). The Company believes that indemnification under its Bylaws covers
at least negligence and gross negligence by indemnified parties, and permits the
Company to advance litigation expenses in the case of stockholder derivative
actions or other actions, against an undertaking by the indemnified party to
repay such advances if it is ultimately determined that the indemnified party is
not entitled to indemnification. The Company maintains liability insurance for
its officers and directors.

        In addition, the Company's Certificate of Incorporation provides that,
pursuant to the DGCL, its directors shall not be liable for monetary damages for
breach of the directors' fiduciary duty to the Company and its stockholders.
This provision in the Certificate of Incorporation does not eliminate the
directors' fiduciary duty, and in appropriate circumstances equitable remedies
such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief will remain available
under the DGCL. In addition, each director will continue to be subject to
liability for breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Company for acts
or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct, for knowing
violations of law, for actions leading to improper personal benefit to the
director, and for payment of dividends or approval of stock repurchases or
redemptions that are unlawful under the DGCL. The provision also does not affect
a director's responsibilities under any other law, such as the federal
securities laws or state or federal environmental laws.

        The Company has entered into separate indemnification agreements with
its directors and officers. These agreements require the Company, among other
things, to indemnify them against liabilities that may arise by reason of their
status or service as directors or officers (other than liabilities arising from
actions not taken in good faith or in a manner the indemnitee believed to be
opposed to the best interests of the Company), and to advance their expenses
incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be
indemnified. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling
the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Company has been informed
that in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.



                                       3
<PAGE>   4

Item 8.  Exhibits.

        The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        Number               Description
        ------               -----------
<S>                   <C>
        4.1           Collectors Universe 1999 Stock Incentive Plan
                      (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
                      Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1, Registration
                      No. 333-86449.)

        4.2           PCGS 1999 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference
                      to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Registration Statement on
                      Form S-1, Registration No. 333-86449.)

        5.1           Opinion of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a Professional
                      Corporation, counsel to the Registrant.

        23.1          Consent of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a Professional
                      Corporation (see Exhibit 5.1).

        23.2          Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

        24.1          Power of Attorney (included on signature page to this
                      Registration Statement).
</TABLE>

Item 9.  Undertakings.

        (a)    The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                      (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
               of the Securities Act;

                      (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
               arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement
               (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
               individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
               in the information set forth in the registration statement;

                      (iii) To include any material information with respect to
               the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
               registration statement or any material change to such information
               in the registration statement.

               Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) shall
not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
amendment by these paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the
registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

               (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

               (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

        (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is



                                       4
<PAGE>   5

against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.



                                       5
<PAGE>   6

                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Newport Beach, State of California, on the 11th
day of April, 2000.


                                     COLLECTORS UNIVERSE, INC.


                                     By: /s/ GARY N. PATTEN
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                        Gary N. Patten, Chief Financial Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        We, the undersigned directors and officers of Collectors Universe, Inc.,
do hereby constitute and appoint Gary N. Patten and David G. Hall, or either of
them, our true and lawful attorneys and agents, to sign for us or any of us in
our names and in the capacities indicated below, any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents required in
connection therewith, and to do any and all acts and things in our names and in
the capacities indicated below, which said attorneys and agents, or either of
them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable said corporation to comply with
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations, and
requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in connection with this
Registration Statement; and we do hereby ratify and confirm all that the said
attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

      SIGNATURE                                  TITLE                                              DATE
      ---------                                  -----                                              ----
<S>                                         <C>                                                <C>

/s/ GARY N. PATTEN                          President and Chief Financial Officer              April 11, 2000
------------------------------------        (Principal Financial and
    GARY N. PATTEN                          Accounting Officer)


/s. DAVID G. HALL                           Chief Executive Officer,                           April 11, 2000
------------------------------------        Chairman of the Board
    DAVID G. HALL                           and Director (Principal Executive Officer)


/s/ STEPHEN H. MAYER                        Senior Vice President and                          April 11, 2000
------------------------------------        Director
    STEPHEN H. MAYER


/s/ VAN D. SIMMONS                          Director                                           April 11, 2000
------------------------------------
    VAN D. SIMMONS


/s/ ARMEN VARTIAN                           Director                                           April 11, 2000
------------------------------------
    ARMEN VARTIAN


/s/ ROGER W. JOHNSON                        Director                                           April 11, 2000
------------------------------------
    ROGER W. JOHNSON


/s/ LOUIS M. CRAIN                          Director                                           April 11, 2000
------------------------------------
    LOUIS M. CRAIN
</TABLE>



                                       6
<PAGE>   7

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     Sequential
Number        Description                                            Page Number
------        -----------                                            -----------
<S>           <C>                                                    <C>
4.1           Collectors Universe 1999 Stock Incentive Plan
              (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
              Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1,
              Registration No. 333-86449.)

4.2           PCGS 1999 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by
              reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's
              Registration Statement on Form S-1, Registration
              No. 333-86449.)

5.1           Opinion of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a
              Professional Corporation, counsel to the Registrant.

23.1          Consent of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a
              Professional Corporation (see Exhibit 5.1).

23.2          Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

24.1          Power of Attorney (included on signature page to
              this Registration Statement
</TABLE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19045}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "COLLECTORS UNIVERSE INC", "cik": "0001089143", "assigned-sic": "7389", "irs-number": "330846191", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0630"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-34558", "film-number": "598877"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1936 DEERE ST", "street2": "STE 102", "city": "SANTA ANA", "state": "CA", "zip": "92705", "phone": "9495671234"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "COLLECTORS UNIVERSE INC", "street2": "1936 DEERE STREET", "city": "SANTA ANA", "state": "CA", "zip": "92705"}}
1

     As Filed With the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 11, 2000

                                                Registration No. 333-___________
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON. D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                   ----------

                            COLLECTORS UNIVERSE, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            DELAWARE                                     33-0846191
 (State or other jurisdiction of                      (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                      Identification No.)

                 1936 DEERE STREET, SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92705
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                   ----------

                            1999 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                            PCGS STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (Full titles of the plans)

                                   ----------

                     David G. Hall, Chief Executive Officer
                            Collectors Universe, Inc.
                                1936 Deere Street
                           Santa Ana, California 92705
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (949) 567-1234
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                    Copy to:
                              Ben A. Frydman, Esq.
           Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a Professional Corporation
      660 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1600, Newport Beach, California 92660
                                 (949) 725-4000

                                PAGE 1 OF 7 PAGES
                             EXHIBIT INDEX ON PAGE 7
2

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
=================================================================================================
                                        Proposed Maximum    Proposed Maximum
Title of Securities    Amount To Be      Offering Price     Aggregate Offering     Amount of
 To Be Registered     Registered(1)         Per Share            Price          Registration Fee
=================================================================================================
Common Stock,
 $0.001 par value    2,825,402 shares          (2)          $ 12,651,431 (2)       $ 3,340.00
=================================================================================================
(1) Includes additional shares of Common Stock that may become issuable
     pursuant to the anti-dilution adjustment provisions of the 1999 Stock
     Incentive Plan (the "1999 Plan"), and the PCGS Stock Incentive Plan (the
     "PCGS Plan").

     (2) In accordance with Rule 457(h), the aggregate offering price of
     2,677,717 shares of Common Stock registered hereby which would be issued
     upon exercise of options granted under the 1999 Plan and the PCGS Plan, is
     based upon the per share exercise price of such options, the weighted
     average of which is approximately $4.38 per share. With respect to the
     remaining 147,645 shares of Common Stock registered hereby which would be
     issued upon exercise of the remaining options and rights to purchase which
     Registrant is authorized to issue under the 1999 Plan and the PCGS Plan,
     the aggregate offering price is estimated solely for purposes of
     calculating the registration fee, in accordance with Rule 457(h) on the
     basis of the price of securities of the same class, as determined in
     accordance with Rule 457(c), using the average of the high and low price
     reported by the Nasdaq National Market for the Common Stock on April 5
     2000, which was $6.25 per share.

                                       2
3

                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

        The following documents are incorporated herein by reference:

        (a) The Company's Propectus (File No. 333-86449) as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on November 5, 1999,
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended )(the
"Securities Act")

        (b) The Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the
Commission on December 2, 1999 and February 11, 2000;

        (c) The Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the
Commission on March 21, 2000; and

        (d) The description of the Registrant's Common Stock that is contained
in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed under Section 12 of
the Exchange Act on November 1, 1999, including any amendment or report filed
for the purpose of updating that description.

        All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all of such securities then remaining unsold, shall be
deemed to be incorporated herein by reference and to be a part hereof from the
date of filing of such documents, except as to any portion of any future annual
or quarterly report to stockholders or document that is not deemed filed under
such provisions. For the purposes of this registration statement, any statement
in a document incorporated by reference shall be deemed to be modified or
superseded to the extent that a statement contained in this registration
statement modifies or supersedes a statement in such document. Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this registration statement.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        The Company's Bylaws provide that the Company will indemnify its
directors and officers and may indemnify its employees and other agents to the
fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
(the "DGCL"). The Company believes that indemnification under its Bylaws covers
at least negligence and gross negligence by indemnified parties, and permits the
Company to advance litigation expenses in the case of stockholder derivative
actions or other actions, against an undertaking by the indemnified party to
repay such advances if it is ultimately determined that the indemnified party is
not entitled to indemnification. The Company maintains liability insurance for
its officers and directors.

        In addition, the Company's Certificate of Incorporation provides that,
pursuant to the DGCL, its directors shall not be liable for monetary damages for
breach of the directors' fiduciary duty to the Company and its stockholders.
This provision in the Certificate of Incorporation does not eliminate the
directors' fiduciary duty, and in appropriate circumstances equitable remedies
such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief will remain available
under the DGCL. In addition, each director will continue to be subject to
liability for breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Company for acts
or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct, for knowing
violations of law, for actions leading to improper personal benefit to the
director, and for payment of dividends or approval of stock repurchases or
redemptions that are unlawful under the DGCL. The provision also does not affect
a director's responsibilities under any other law, such as the federal
securities laws or state or federal environmental laws.

        The Company has entered into separate indemnification agreements with
its directors and officers. These agreements require the Company, among other
things, to indemnify them against liabilities that may arise by reason of their
status or service as directors or officers (other than liabilities arising from
actions not taken in good faith or in a manner the indemnitee believed to be
opposed to the best interests of the Company), and to advance their expenses
incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be
indemnified. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling
the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Company has been informed
that in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

                                       3
4

Item 8.  Exhibits.

        The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement:
Number               Description
        ------               -----------
4.1           Collectors Universe 1999 Stock Incentive Plan
                      (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
                      Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1, Registration
                      No. 333-86449.)

        4.2           PCGS 1999 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference
                      to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Registration Statement on
                      Form S-1, Registration No. 333-86449.)

        5.1           Opinion of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a Professional
                      Corporation, counsel to the Registrant.

        23.1          Consent of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a Professional
                      Corporation (see Exhibit 5.1).

        23.2          Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

        24.1          Power of Attorney (included on signature page to this
                      Registration Statement).
Item 9.  Undertakings.

        (a)    The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                      (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
               of the Securities Act;

                      (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
               arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement
               (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
               individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
               in the information set forth in the registration statement;

                      (iii) To include any material information with respect to
               the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
               registration statement or any material change to such information
               in the registration statement.

               Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) shall
not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
amendment by these paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the
registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

               (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

               (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

        (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is

                                       4
5

against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                       5
6

                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Newport Beach, State of California, on the 11th
day of April, 2000.

                                     COLLECTORS UNIVERSE, INC.

                                     By: /s/ GARY N. PATTEN
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                        Gary N. Patten, Chief Financial Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        We, the undersigned directors and officers of Collectors Universe, Inc.,
do hereby constitute and appoint Gary N. Patten and David G. Hall, or either of
them, our true and lawful attorneys and agents, to sign for us or any of us in
our names and in the capacities indicated below, any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents required in
connection therewith, and to do any and all acts and things in our names and in
the capacities indicated below, which said attorneys and agents, or either of
them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable said corporation to comply with
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations, and
requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in connection with this
Registration Statement; and we do hereby ratify and confirm all that the said
attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.
SIGNATURE                                  TITLE                                              DATE
      ---------                                  -----                                              ----
/s/ GARY N. PATTEN                          President and Chief Financial Officer              April 11, 2000
------------------------------------        (Principal Financial and
    GARY N. PATTEN                          Accounting Officer)

/s. DAVID G. HALL                           Chief Executive Officer,                           April 11, 2000
------------------------------------        Chairman of the Board
    DAVID G. HALL                           and Director (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ STEPHEN H. MAYER                        Senior Vice President and                          April 11, 2000
------------------------------------        Director
    STEPHEN H. MAYER

/s/ VAN D. SIMMONS                          Director                                           April 11, 2000
------------------------------------
    VAN D. SIMMONS

/s/ ARMEN VARTIAN                           Director                                           April 11, 2000
------------------------------------
    ARMEN VARTIAN

/s/ ROGER W. JOHNSON                        Director                                           April 11, 2000
------------------------------------
    ROGER W. JOHNSON

/s/ LOUIS M. CRAIN                          Director                                           April 11, 2000
------------------------------------
    LOUIS M. CRAIN
6
7

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
Sequential
Number        Description                                            Page Number
------        -----------                                            -----------
4.1           Collectors Universe 1999 Stock Incentive Plan
              (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
              Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1,
              Registration No. 333-86449.)

4.2           PCGS 1999 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by
              reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's
              Registration Statement on Form S-1, Registration
              No. 333-86449.)

5.1           Opinion of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a
              Professional Corporation, counsel to the Registrant.

23.1          Consent of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a
              Professional Corporation (see Exhibit 5.1).

23.2          Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

24.1          Power of Attorney (included on signature page to
              this Registration Statement