Over the years on CT we have addressed slab histories by style and appearence of the slab itself. As far as PCGS and NGC dating is concerned does anyone know if they can be accurately determined from the individual and unique slab number? I'm probably having a "senior moment" but it seems they are not always progressively numbered. Regardless, it seems reasonable to calculate the dates from the TPG's number and if so is there a resource "list" available?
Maybe not by number but here is a link to the different types of NGC slabs and the dates they were used http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2248608 I can't seem to find a recent link for PCGS but they are out there too Mike
I know for a fact that PCGS slabs and the numbers on them can NOT be used to date the slab. Their system has always been random numbering just so dating is harder to determine. General dating of the slabs was done by the different types by Condor101 but I no longer have a link to his data.
This thread is useful for slab types: http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2248404 As for using the NGC Certification Numbers, they can not be used as a direct indication of the date a coin was graded or slabbed. The first 7 (and on older slabs the first 6) digits of an NGC certification number are the invoice number under which the coins were submitted. The last three digits after the hyphen are the coin number on that invoice. For example 1234567-005 would be the 5th coin on invoice number 1234567. Because the invoices were historically paper forms, it was possible that people would have piles of these forms and could submit them many many years after the forms were printed. Thus, the number isn't associated with a chronology of submission, but rather a chronology of when the invoices were printed. Thus, some people may still be submitting coins on invoices with quite low certification numbers. However, in general practice, 6-digit leading NGC numbers are coins graded quite a while ago. And, if you see an NGC coin in a holder with a 6-digit leading certification number in a newer NGC holder (EdgeView) it is more likely that this coin was reholdered than that it was from an old submission form. By that I mean, when you take an old scratched up NGC holder and send it in to NGC to be put in new plastic, the number goes along with the coin in the new holder and on the new label.
I gave up on dating PCGS slabs since folks look at you funny when your on the dance floor. (Ba dup Bump!) Seriously though, I track all my submissions by submission number and date and just as soon as you think you've got it nailed, along comes Jones! For example, A Dec 2003 submission produced cert numbers beginning with 21430418 A July 2004 submission produced cert numbers beginning with 40058899 July 2006 produced 08762845 July 2007 produced 03901191 July 2008 produced 12110689 July 2009 produced 14967539 July 2010 produced 16057816 July 2011 produced 20463319 The only thing definitive with cert numbers is the seeming random method with which they are assigned. Even amongst different slab "types".
Here's a thread that will help with identifying the PCGS slabs - http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=222533&highlight_key=y&keyword1=Counterfeit&keyword2=label But the last I am aware of that Conder (everybody always misspells his name - use an E not an O) updated that thread was in 2006. The NGC thread was last updated in 2008, I think. Now, I seem to recall that Conder is working on the Second Edition of his book that tells us how to identify slabs. But I waited years for the First Edition to be published back '03. It'll probably be years again before he ever publishes the 2nd edition. Perhaps Conder can update us on that
I think the answer is the numbers do not give an accurate indicator of the date the coin was graded or re slabbed for reholdered coins.
I don't think Conder has a website. Cameron Kiefer's website: http://www.sampleslabs.com/ is similar, but he focused on sample slabs, and used a different classification system.
If he does I've never heard of one and I've known him for 13 years. edit - As for numbers on the slabs - they are useless for trying to date a slab. The only way to date a slab, from any TPG, is by the design characteristics of the slab itself. And even then all you can do is pin it down to within a certain date range.
