The right question is who was able to mine at multiple efficiency compared to ordinary (crippled) miners... Who was gaining disproportionate amount of coins due to the cripplemine.
That is one question but the total amount of coins mined during the time period in question is also certainly relevant as an upper bound and is objective.
Also relevant that the emission was not later reduced as some wanted to do, which would have magnified the effect of any early irregularities.