PSA Certification Number Question

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Posted By: John Kal

I would like to know if anyone out there knows what one can tell from the PSA Certification Number. Specifically, does the number have anything to do with the date the card was graded? Also, would the number issued have anything to do with the set it is assigned to? For example, if I submitted a '33 Goudey would the number assigned be different from, say, a '48 Leaf (would it start from a different continuation point?)? In short, is there a code which can be read in any way?

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Posted By: Peter_Spaeth

It used to be that if the first number was "0" it was an older grade, but since they have started using the "0"s again you can't tell. The numbers themselves don't have any relationship to the cards as far as I know. The only thing that is a clue to when the card was graded is the real long old bar codes (early to mid 90s at the latest) and the holders with the hologram on the back (mid 90s through I believe 2001 or so).

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Posted By: MikeW

The "PSA" on the flip has changed sizes a few times over the years as well. Unless I'm mistaken, the type on the flip (player name, issue, and grade)was more of courser "Courier" type font. I'm sure some one here has examples of the two fonts.

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Posted By: ErikV

Don't know if this helps much, but I spoke with a PSA rep at their booth at the Anaheim National. During my conversation, they mentioned that incorporated in the cert number is the year the encapsulated card was produced. This leads me to believe that cert numers are not simply a sequenced or random number, but an encoded number, much like a vehicles' VIN number.