I struggle with 21st century acronyms. I hear this term used frequently on CT and tend to brush it aside. When I checked a recent purchase of mine on the NGC authentication site it showed me a banner that said "Top Pop". Is this alluding to the coin being one of the higher grades authenticated for that particular coin?
I submitted this coin to NGC in 2005 and it came back as PF70UCAM Mint Error. Unfortunately, mint errors are not recorded in their Census. So, it remained unlisted for almost 7 years. Then, in 2012, the CPG added it to their list as FS-901 "Die Dent" which made it eligible for inclusion in the NGC Census. I resubmitted it to NGC for the designation, and it automatically became the "Top Pop" with no others. It has remained the only PF70UCAM for this variety graded by NGC. I have no idea if PCGS has graded any, but if they have, it would still be a Top Pop. Chris
If you see something called 1/0, the service has one graded at that level and none higher. If it's called 12/3, they have graded twelve at that level and three at a higher grade. Keep in mind that those figures are just for that service.
Don't forget mechanical errors and mistakes. Not all top pops are even legit. I know quite a few types where the top pops are really restrikes that got erroneously slabbed as originals.
What does this have to do with being a Top Pop? The Census would still be updated...…....sooner or later! Chris
While I do have experience in this, I would assume that if folks keep cracking out high grade coins hoping to jump from a 65 to 66, or 66 to 67, etc. that would skew the total pop numbers. Potentially, if I had a 1/0 MS-67 and tried to get a MS-68, but it came back MS-67, wouldn't I technically have 2/0?
Cracking it out would be the foolish thing to do in the first place unless you planned on submitting it to another service. In that case, it wouldn't change anything since each service maintains their own Census without regard for any other. Chris
But at least now you have a place to look them up! Unfamiliar acronyms/euphemisms/slang were a lot more frustrating in pre-Internet days. Of course, you also got exposed to them a lot less frequently...
Almost anyone can own a top pop coin. Just buy a recent issue MS70 or PR70; many are cheap. I have a MS70 ASE just to show non-collectors the top end of grading. Step into the 19th century, and it's a different story. Cheapest top pop in NGC or PCGS for regular US issues has to be at least $1K and most are probably more than $10K. Cal
And with every century even further back it gets more difficult. I used to own a top pop from the 14th century. That, and what's becoming a rather famous $5 bill, or at the very least mentioned a lot recently - will get ya cup of coffee