Does anyone know the methodology PCGS uses to assign graded coins their certification number? If you have coin #20012121 - does this mean it was the 20012121th coin graded by PCGS? Do these numbers provide any general information as to when it was graded? And if not - does the methodology used provide specific information about the coin such as VIN numbers do for cars?
They don't go in order all the time so you can't use them to put a time frame on when a coin was graded. They have used groups for some things but I can't remember what they were.
PCGS website has some of your answers Here is some information on the Barcode https://www.pcgs.com/barcode
So the last eight digit (Cert #) does not provide any general information as to when the coin was graded?
No. The best you can do for determining "when" a coin was slabbed is by indentifying the type of slab used. And all that does is to pin it down for you to within a few years as a general rule. Others may be a longer period and there's a few which were only used for short periods.
