SO ,,, Is there a rhyme or reason with the first digit of the PCGS Cert Number?
WingedLiberty1957
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I got back into coins in 2011
From 2011-2013 ... The first digit of the PCGS Cert Number in newly certified u.s coins was generally 2
From 2014-2015 ... The first digit of the PCGS Cert Number in newly certified u.s coins was generally 3
From 2016-2017 ... The first digit of the PCGS Cert Number in newly certified u.s coins was generally 8
Why was 4, 5, 6, and 7 skipped? (As a general starting cert number)
Why doesnt PCGS simply go completely in order with no skips or gaps on their Cert Numbers?
That would provide a tiny bit of information on the date of certification and how long the coin has been slabbed.
(other than the generation of the Slab type)
I wonder what happens when they complete the 9's?
Do they go back and fill in all the gaps? with 4,5,6,7 ? Or do they add another digit and make cert numbers 9 digits?
I wonder if that might wreck havoc with their software or registries?
Not a big deal ,,, but just curious!
Comments
I thought the blue label 5's were grading done at shows, and blue label 7's were "bulk" grading.
Someone else may chime in to correct me.
This is true from my experience.
Also, the 8's started out being only overseas grading but eventually US graded coins started with 8's as well.
No real rhyme or reason anymore that I can tell. Use to be, but not now.
It might just be a matter of "new computer, new number series" just to make sure they don't inadvertently use the same number for two coins!
Makes sense for a "traveling computer" for shows, that isn't connected to the main system back at the office. Or a backup system in the office, for when the main one goes down for maintenance.
I also think they may be intentionally jumping around so that it's more difficult to determine exactly when a coin was graded down the road. "Hoo, boy, anything from than 2500000 to 2800000 are HORRIBLE!" If you jump in and out of sequence, we are all in the dark about how the series of numbers relate to one another.
(Then again, the label changes gets everyone excited anyway....)
I use to own a few coins with the 400xxxxx range, that were purchased in 2004-2007 time frame.
I have not seen any coins higher up in the 4 range.
0 = old holder coin now in modern holder
It should be obvious that PCGS doesn't want folks to know with certainty when grading decisions were made.
Maybe the fear is that conclusions will be drawn about grading standards at the time, which could be detrimental. ("Coin grading from 2006 - 2008 was loose", "grading post CAC was tighter", etc.)
There's enough information out there about slabs and dates...oddly, from PCGS itself (note the recent slab history announcement)...that most of us can make educated guesses. Are newer collectors at a disadvantage?
Lance.
It sure has turned into quite a business
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Slabs, labels, cert numbers.... isn't anyone interested in coins anymore????
Cheers, RickO
why would anyone look at a PCGS and assess its grade, then look at the insert to make a determination on how accurately they think it was graded?? that makes no sense.
So PCGS has graded 35,000,000 coins so far
in an 8 digit cert number there are 99,999,999 unique combinations
So PCGS has burned through over 1/3 of their potential 8 digit cert numbers
(altho I wonder if they retire certain old cert numbers in the event of crackouts?)
I am guessing in perhaps 5 to 10 years or so (maybe sooner?) they might have to go to a 9 digit cert number
Perhaps that might lead them to add a leading 0 to all current 8 digit cert numbers on their Cert Verification and Registry pages (same way they did when going from the old 7 digit cert numbers in the old green holder days ...
I suppose those old old 7 digit OGH cert numbers will need to have 2 leading 0's added in any new system )
Clearly PCGS wasn't thinking about their possible success when devising a standardized 8 digit cert number.
Otherwise they would have chosen a 9 digit cert number right off the bat.
I know ... this is all minutia!
But I was just curious about that jump from 2 ... to 3 ... to 8.
Not a big deal.
It's interesting that NGC was perhaps thinking ahead more with a 10 digit Cert Number right off the bat?
3983393-007
My Coin Blog
My Toned Lincoln Registry Set
Backdating ladjistics code is my educated guess.
Actually it's only a 7 digit cert number. The last 3 numbers are used to number the coins in the submission. So it looks like you can have up to 999 coins in one submission.
- Bob -
MPL's - Lincolns of Color
Central Valley Roosevelts
All my PCGS slabs start with an "E" .............................
The generation with the Series/Coin number had a rule like this. I think 4 and 6 were also used to indicate something, as I've seen slabs with these serial numbers.
The actual pattern of the first 2-3 serial number digits can be observed from 2001-present by spending some time browsing the shared orders page. Someone with a lot of time on their hands could put together a guide, I suppose.
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