I have a question regarding the PCGS and NGC numbering system. NGC has succeeding invoice numbers, with coins on the invoice going from first on the invoice to last on the invoice. Thus 3371867-003 is that number of invoice, with the third coin on the submission. PCGS on the other hand numbers the given coin in its catalog of all coins first and then gives the coin a number based on its sequence in submissions, such as, 1841.61/19249900, is a $10 Liberty coin graded MS61, but is the 19th million plus coin graded. Which is a better organizational system? It seems that PCGS has a two tiered invoice system, with say invoice #4480270 becoming order #20530226. [TABLE="class: datagrid"] [TR="class: toprow"] Or #Submission #Date ReceivedDate Shipped[/TR] [TR="class: rowone"] [/TR] [/TABLE]
I'm sure both TPG's have their own reasons for their numbering systems. They mean little to me, except occasionally when I am amused by a counterfeit PCGS holder with a grade and coin denoted on the slab that does not match the grade and coin series imbedded in the number. Databases being what they are, the numbering system could be almost anything, I suppose. Lance.
The PCGS number that you reference as 1841.61/19249900. You are correct that 1841 means the coin type but that number is not a 10$ Liberity. I think what you ment is that the PCGS coin number 8582 would be a 1841 MS $10 coin. 61 does mean that the coin is graded MS61. The 19249900 is a random number not a sequence number and called the certification number. Edit to add that at PCGS the invoice or submission number is just a form number for the submission and in no way becomes any part of the certification number of a coin.
That's the interesting point, where at NGC the submission number does get translated on to the holder. What raised this question in my mind is that NGC does not require that unfilled invoices be returned to them. So there must be a lot of blank numbers between when they started and where they are now in numbering sequence. And if you get a coin reholdered the old number gets retired I assume. The PCGS system is more logical and it would be interested knowing who the originator of that system was, probably some braniac in Silicon Valley.
Actually, if you send an older style NGC holder in to have the coin reholdered in the new EdgeView holder, the certification number does not change. They will re-holder the coin with the old certification number, in a new slab. If you crack the coin out of the original NGC slab, and send the coin in for re-grading then they will obviously assign a new certification number to the coin when it is slabbed. Below is an example of a 2000 P Sacagawea dollar for sale on eBay. It is currently holdered in a recent EdgeView slab, but the certification number is only 6 digits, and the coin was originally graded long ago in a different style slab. I happen to know this because I follow the populations of the Sac $1 coins, and almost all of the coins graded from 2000-P as MS69 were already identified by NGC by 2002 (and the EdgeView didn't exist in 2002). On another note, there are several sellers on eBay (most with absolutely gouging prices) who regularly re-holder coins that come from older slabs but carry along with them their grades. Amongst those of us who collect the Sac $1 series, it is well known that many of those older slabbed 2000-P coins graded MS69 by NGC are not up to snuff with later MS69 coins graded in the series. As 2000 was the first year of the coin series, apparently there was a learning curve to pin down the grading system.
