More coins in PCGS/NGC pops than were minted

RYK

I have (finally) found a couple of examples in which there are more coins graded by PCGS and NGC than there were coins minted:

1873 Open 3 Proof $3
Mintage: 25
PCGS pop: 20
NGC pop: 6

1876 Proof $3
Mintage: 45
PCGS Pop: 46
NGC pop: 22

These stats confirm what a ridiculous sham the population reports have become. Anyone else have other such examples?

Baley

the pop reports are far more useful in determining relative rarity of most coins versus similar issues, and the relative spread among the grades, and grow less and less useful for indicating total survival helping understand existing populations.

jonesy

I'm guilty for some of this. I have two cross over tabs from NGC that I have never sent back. I don't know why PCGS doesn't send those back themselves.

RYK

the pop reports are far more useful in determining relative rarity of most coins versus similar issues, and the relative spread among the grades, and grow less and less useful for indicating total survival helping understand existing populations.

Agree.

There are lots of distortions:

1909 VDB Lincoln PCGS pop: 5600
1909-S VDB Lincoln PCGS pop: 6300

1916-D dime PCGS pop: 2300
1946 dime PCGS pop: 3300

1847-C quarter eagle PCGS pop: 181 (mintage 23,000)
1847-P quarter eagle PCGS pop: 60 (mintage 30,000)

coltgus

Try an 1866 proof shield nickel with rays, supposed mintage 125 but PCGS has graded 332 !

keets

..........and as June once said, "I think you were a little rough on the beaver last night, Ward." it's kind of hard to hold the grading services responsible for something like this when there's all the cracking and resubmitting, calling the reports a sham. all they really are is a count of graded coins with grades listed. if submitters continue to crack and submit without returning inserts to the proper srevice, how would you expect the numbers to be straightened out?? in the case of the Proof $3, which numbers should be eliminated to give an accurate count??

the best we can each do is use the pop reports to give a relative number of coins graded and the assigned grades to help in deciding a fair price and realistic availability. while pop reports are by nature innacurate, they are still nonetheless helpful.

al h.

GOLDSAINT

I agree with keets, but it is to bad that the auction houses don’t have a crystal ball, their ads could say “ Finest known NGC/ Finest know PCGS/ also second finest known and third finest known PCGS”