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QQ fellow collectors

summersolstice27summersolstice27 Posts: 48 ✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
When is a card a low population card? How is it determined? Why should it matter to anyone? Just some thoughts that crossed my mind today.

cheers

semper fi

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    TheMick6TheMick6 Posts: 582
    Here's an example of why the population of a certain card matters. I recently owned a 68 Topps Brooks Robinson that was a gem mint 10. You'd think a 45+ year old card in gem mint condition would go for a pretty penny right. Well it just so happens that it's the easiest Brooks to find in a ten last I checked there were over 35 of them and going up. The more 10's that pop up the further down in price and colder the card got. On the other hand I have been trying in vain to get PSA to give me a 10 on a topps 71 Earl Weaver which there's only two of I believe. If I could get that card I'd hold on to it forever I think. Population count really matters the further back you go I think especially on stuff that doesn't have a lot of unopened materiel around the hobby. I'd say on vintage cards if it's under a 5 I'd call it a low pop. Some may think a little higher some may enough think one or two but for me it's 5.
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    TheMick6TheMick6 Posts: 582
    Oh and Sempi Fi!
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    PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,712 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't think you can give an absolute number. I think a better way would be to compute the average population for cards in a given set and then define it as below a certain threshold with respect to that.
    My 1972 Baseball and Wacky Pack Registry Sets
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    PMKAYPMKAY Posts: 1,372 ✭✭
    I can tell you when it doesn't matter. When a seller puts PSA 8 POP 1 in the title of a listing even though there are 78 9s and 234 10s.
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    craig44craig44 Posts: 10,550 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I always look at the percentage of total cards graded. There may be some commons considered low pop when there are only 3 or 4 10's. But, there may only have been 100 graded total. The 75 brett rookie may have a pop of 10 or so, but there have been 7000 graded. So I would say the brett is a tougher 10 than the common with a pop Of only 2 or 3

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

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    MrNearMintMrNearMint Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: craig44

    I always look at the percentage of total cards graded.
















    +1
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    VintagemanEdVintagemanEd Posts: 922 ✭✭✭
    On this premise I have never understood why the topps Ripken regular sells for so much less than the traded version
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    BatpigBatpig Posts: 460 ✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: VintagemanEd

    On this premise I have never understood why the topps Ripken regular sells for so much less than the traded version




    Good question, but I think it comes down to him being alone on the card, as well as it just being more attractive IMO.
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