Registry Pop Data Display

MrEureka

Currently, the registry shows the POP and the POP HIGHER. I'm wondering if it would be smart to add a third column for TOTAL POP, meaning the population in all grades.

On the one hand, the additional information would be almost completely meaningless for a series like Washington Quarters, because the only rarities in the series are condition rarities. And showing the total pop for something like an 1881-S Morgan would take up a lot of real estate and look ridiculous.

On the other hand, showing the total pop would be very useful for more obscure series like Large Cents by Sheldon number, patterns, territorials, colonials and world coins.

Any brilliant ideas?

Dr_Bones

I think it will take considerable effort by a multitude of people to get the POP report to even a small semblance of being accurate. In my series of patterns, the POP report is overinflated in over 1/2 of the know specimens. In 1 particular case, the pop report is of 5 when there are definitively only 2. One is listed as 1 grade regular (from the 90's) regraded in the early 2000's(as cam), went to NGC in mid 2000's and regraded by PCGS as different grade in DCAM. Very distinctive markings that can be seen in all of the pictures from PCGS website and auction records. All listed. The other I had purchased as regular and regraded as Cam and was additive to POP report. So, at present time, think we need to view POP report as a guide, not particularly definitive.

MrEureka

@Dr_Bones said:
I think it will take considerable effort by a multitude of people to get the POP report to even a small semblance of being accurate. In my series of patterns, the POP report is overinflated in over 1/2 of the know specimens. In 1 particular case, the pop report is of 5 when there are definitively only 2. One is listed as 1 grade regular (from the 90's) regraded in the early 2000's(as cam), went to NGC in mid 2000's and regraded by PCGS as different grade in DCAM. Very distinctive markings that can be seen in all of the pictures from PCGS website and auction records. All listed. The other I had purchased as regular and regraded as Cam and was additive to POP report. So, at present time, think we need to view POP report as a guide, not particularly definitive.

Yes, of course. But the relative pop data is still very useful, especially on issues that are not extremely rare. (A coin with a pop of 100 is probably really about twice as rare as a coin with a pop of 200, regardless of how many resubmisissions have occurred, and regardless of the number of coins that have never been submitted.)

But I'm thinking more along the lines of making it more convenient and more likely for people to learn about the absolute rarity of the coins, i.e., how many exist in all grades. And I'm thinking about how increasing the visibility of absolute rarity figures might change the way some people collect, in a good way. For example, take a look at the pop figures for Three Dollar Gold pieces and imagine how many people might end up tempted by an 1877 $3 in 61 (Pop 6 with 11 higher, value about 20K) instead of an 1854 $3 in 66 (Pop 9 with 4 higher, value about 35K.) And for those not inclined to actually look at the population data, there are 3,818 1854 $3's graded by PCGS in all grades combined, and only 62 1877's. Think about that!

https://www.pcgs.com/pop/detail/three-dollar-1854-1889/760

DANNY

When I look at my Registry Sets and the POP Numbers listed for each coin, the POP number that I am most interested in,
is the TOTAL POP of coins that have been graded by PCGS that would UPGRADE my set. That number is NOT listed.
EXA: If I have a PR68DCAM coin that gets 2 extra Bonus Points for being a DCAM, I get 70 points. If there are 100 coins of the exact same date, graded as PR69 and PR70, the Registry Pop numbers show 100 coins graded higher, but my PR68DCAM coin gets more points in the Registry than the PR69 coin, and the SAME amount of points as the PR70 coin, so NONE of those 100 coins would UPGRADE my Registry Set..... I would like to know how many total coins exist that WOULD UPGRADE my Registry Set only. That would be nice to know. ATTENTION REGISTRY SET ADMINISTRATOR: PLEASE ADD THIS POP COLUMN TO THE REGISTRY.
Danny