So I was wondering how much a PSA graded card’s population effects its value. I realize that the card itself is what dictates the value, but I see on eBay listing from time to time that there is a population of 5 or so, so just how much can that dictate value?
it doesnt really unless the card is valuable before the grade 
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Some cards are justifiably difficult to grade, thus the low pop is inherently significant. However, there are definitely speculative cards with low pops. Collectors who want that “first” copy pay a higher price typically. A good example would be the newest Full Art card in a set. Typically the first 10 earns the highest price right out of the gate. Then when the Pop increases, the price decreases.
When looking at older wotc cards, it is a different story. There are plenty of examples of cards that are simply a pain to grade, therefor the low pop is relevant.
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Makes sense, I suppose grabbing the very first PSA 10 of a card would be nifty, but as far as I know theres no way of telling whether yours was the first once there are more of them right. And I can see someone trying to complete a wotc set placing more value in a low pop grade that they desire.
What about a card that never makes it past the first ten. Like one that has only a pop of five.
@smpratte is definitely right. I’ve even seen common FA promos earn as much as $200 right out of the gate for the first copy. There’s a market the exists for a month at most when a FA first comes out where people are sending in cards with the fastest reasonable turnaround just trying to get that first sale. I don’t personally know any collectors that reckless, but they obviously exist.
As for how you can tell if you have the first PSA 10, there are two ways. One is to have the only one for a period of time. The second is, if all available copies are publicly visible, to compare cert numbers. Beyond that there is no way of telling. I’ve never heard of anyone paying more for the first when multiple are available, though.
Low POP cards demand value for different reasons. A card could have a low pop because it is:
-notoriously poor in condition
-not valuable enough to justify grading
-too new to have a lot graded
-scarce in ungraded condition
All of these are things someone has to consider when they’re looking at the POP and what they want to pay for a card. With the exception of 1st Edition Base Set and early Japanese trophy cards, I do not believe anything has been sufficiently graded to warrant using the POP report to make implications about the general population of the card.
Population can make a HUGE difference.
Let’s say card A and B are of equal ungraded value and rarity. Card A has a PSA 10 pop of 20 and B has only 5.
Now ten collectors are building that respective set in PSA 10. Obviously the B card will sell for much more because the demand is greater than the supply.
Pretty basic:)
I figured it was something along those lines, just wanted to see if there was anything more to it.
One thing I find funny and notice a lot is when people claim that there pop 1 psa cards are worth a lot more then they actually are. When in reality so little people care about the card or the series to grade them in the first place. I see this a lot with japanese ex series and e series holos. Ungraded gems of the same card would cost around 2.00 compared to the 60 they ask for.
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