In sports cards, Pop 1 is short for “Population of 1”.
It describes the number of graded examples that exist for that particular card. So, a Pop 1 card is a graded card that is unique in the sense that it’s the only graded card in that particular condition as assessed by that particular grading company.
Here’s a real example:
In the above picture showing pop counts for different Victor Wembanyama cards from 2023-24 Panini Prizm Basketball:
- The Black 1/1 in PSA 10 is Pop 1
- The Blue Prizm in PSA 9 is Pop 44
- The Blue Choice Prizm in PSA 6 is Pop 1
You’ll often see Pop count followed by a phrase that describes how many cards exist in a better grade. For example, for the Victor Wembanyama Blue Choice Prizm PSA 6 example, you would say “Pop 1, 17 higher.”
Pop 1 vs. a 1/1 card: what’s the difference?
These get mixed up a lot, but they mean different things:
- A 1/1 (“one of one”) is a card the manufacturer only printed once. The serial number on the card says 1/1. Only one copy exists, period.
- Pop 1 is about grading, not printing. It means only one copy has received that grade from that grading company so far. Thousands of copies of the card might exist.
A graded 1/1 card will always be Pop 1, as with the Black 1/1 PSA 10 above. But most Pop 1 cards are not 1/1s.
Does Pop 1 make a card more valuable?
It depends on the grade. A Pop 1 at the top grade, with nothing higher, can command a big premium because no better copy exists. A Pop 1 in a low grade, like the “Pop 1, 17 higher” PSA 6 above, usually doesn’t, because collectors can buy one of the 17 better copies instead.
Keep a few other things in mind:
- Populations change. Today’s Pop 1 can become Pop 3 as more copies are graded, especially for recent cards.
- Each grading company counts separately. A card can be Pop 1 at PSA and have several copies graded by other companies.
- Check the population report yourself. Grading companies publish their population data. Don’t rely on a seller’s “Pop 1” claim without looking it up.
