"Pop" irritates me.....just a small rant....

[Abravefan11]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

What about a T-206 common, graded pop 1 of 1 by PSA, that has a higher example graded by SGC or Beckett?

I have to laugh when I see a T206 description that states highest graded example or makes reference to the PSA Population Report. By PSA's own count they graded over 63,000 T206's without accounting for their back variation and are just listed as "Unknown."

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Abravefan11

I have to laugh when I see a T206 description that states highest graded example or makes reference to the PSA Population Report. By PSA's own count they graded over 63,000 T206's without accounting for their back variation and are just listed as "Unknown."

Can you imagine if someone asked the "pop", and you said: 63,000

[glchen]

I think for many of us who ask about "pop," it's because we grew up collecting 80s cards where there was huge oversupply. Therefore, we're much more cautious about just how many cards are out there. I think most of us know about the weaknesses of the pop reports as stated above. However, knowing the pop figures can give us a general relative # to compare other cards too. For example, if you collect a higher grade card, which has low pop, that is most likely going to be able to stand up as the pop increases as opposed to lower grade cards. You can also get a general idea of which sets are scarcer than others.

[tbob]

The flaw in the "pop" system is that certain cards are graded much more often than others so it appears that certain commons are very tough when they may not be. An example is in the C46 Imperial Tobacco card set. If you look at the number of Gandils which have been graded you would think that card is 5 or 6 times as frequently encountered as one of the commons. The truth is that not many people are collecting the whole set and/or slabbing the whole set for registry purposes. Also you have to factor in that type collectors and/or sellers are trying to get the highest grades possible so they are being re-submitted, etc.
Pop reports are useful but should be taken with a grain of salt.

[tbob]

And of course with certain sets, like the early pre-war PCL various sets, until recently not many of the cards were slabbed. They were in the hands of collectors who rarely sent cards in for grading. Thus the "pop" results are very skewed.

[teetwoohsix]

I bought into the "pop" thing one time with this card. It was listed on ebay as the only one graded by SGC (this front/back combo). Checked the PSA "pop" report and they only had one graded with this front/back combo and it was graded "poor"............I thought it was my chance to own (what I thought at the time was) a very scarce card.

So I win the card, some time goes by, and I find out there was another one graded by SGC a 40 !!! Found out from another board member who had owned it at one time. Then, I find out about another-* owned by a different board member at one time.

Then, maybe a couple of months ago saw another being sold on ebay.

I still love this card, but I decided buying a card that is described as "low pop" or "only one known graded" and all that jazz isn't going to get me to buy a card. Now I'll just buy the card because I need it to fill the spot in the collection. Snap, Crackle, Pop.

Clayton

[Al C.risafulli]

It doesn't bother me, there are all sorts of weird terms and abbreviations in our hobby. People still refer to "busting wax" when there haven't been wax packs in ages. They call cards "cabinets" that are not cabinets. They call cards "errors" or "variations" that are not true errors or variations. They approach dealers at tables who have cards clearly marked with prices and ask "What's the best you can do on this?" It's all part of the charm of this hobby, I guess.

In terms of the value of pop reports, I don't think it takes much experience in the hobby to understand how deeply flawed they can be. I also think that when used properly, they can be an excellent tool to HELP a collector understand the scarcity of a card.

It's just important, I think, to understand all the things that might artificially skew the numbers in a pop report.

Once I had a set listed on a registry, and I retired the set. Before I did, I went into the comments on each card and listed what the current population was of each card in that grade, along with how many had been graded higher. It's fun to look at now and then, just to see how many cards in that set were once condition scarcities that are now just regular-old cards. Gives me perspective.

-Al

[sox1903wschamp]

"Pop" does not bother me as much as another 3 letter saying in the hobby: "SMR". Now that Acronym gives me a bad case of stink eye.

[Rob D.]

I can't hear or read the word penultimate without breaking out in laughter.