Hi Ann, thanks for visiting our site! Over the past 200+ years, hundreds of potters manufactured the willow pattern, and each created its own "version" of the pattern. This is why we see so many variations in the pattern. Some are very slight, some are more noticeable. The number of people on the bridge was simply a choice by that particular manufacturer when designing its willow pattern. The number of people on the bridge has nothing to do with value. The value would be determined more by the manufacturer and condition of the plate. I hope this helps some!