This post is simply showing the generations of ANACS certificates & holders of the standard type from the beginning to today. Purposely left out are the multi-coin holders, labels applied to government packaging, and custom or special labels. Additionally, unless a significant variety, I have left most holder/cert varieties out. For more details on the generational varieties please see "Note" below.

(*Note: To save and download the more detailed version of this list, just click the album button at the bottom of this post. It is a google slide presentation and can be downloaded as a pdf.)

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 1 - Very Rare

Certificate issued from June 15 1972 - Aug 1976. No grades were given at this time only a statement to the belief that the coin was genuine. Current census figures put the number of survivors known at 7. This number will likely go up as more are discovered over time. (*Note Census begun in 2021)

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 2 - Rare

Certificate issued from Sept 1976 - Dec 1978. No grades were given at this time only a statement to the belief that the coin was genuine. Current census figures put the number of survivors known at 4. This number will go up as more are discovered over time. (*Note Census begun in 2021)

Generation 1 (Type 11)- Uncommon.

Produced from Feb 1989 - Jun 1990. It is ANACS’ 11th Generation of certification following the 10 generations of Photo Certificates. This holder is the 1st generation slab style holder issued by the ANA prior to being purchased by Amos Publishing and being re-labeled ANACS.

Generation 2 - Uncommon.

Produced June 1990 - 1991. This holder features a revised front label with ANACS added and ANA removed from background but it features the same front and serial number system as the previous ANA slab. Rear has a new label featuring a red/reddish/orange hue pyramid logo.

Generation 4 - Occasional.

Produced 1991 -1996 This is the last of the slightly smaller white holders. It features a new front label with the addition of a barcode. Rear is unchanged.

Generation 7.2 - Occasional.

Produced Mar 2006 - Sept 2007. This is the 3rd style label of the "new" blue holder. Note the silver border and silver A logos. This is the most common of the three labels and used for over 1 ½ years.

Note: There exists a number of varieties, shown in full history linked at the bottom of this page.

Generation 5 - Occasional.

Produced about 1996-1999. This new holder is slightly larger than the previous white holders. It features the same front & rear label as the previous generation holder.

Generation 6- Occasional.

Produced from about 1999 - Jan/Feb 2006. This holder features the same front label as previous holder. The rear label features an all golden A pyramid logo.

Note: At some point ANACS changed to a 7 digit serial number.

Generation 7.0 - Rare.

Produced Feb or Mar 2006, likely for a day or few. This is the 1st style label of the "new" blue holder. Note the placement of the front logo compared with the next two and the lack of website on rear label. Current census figures put the number of survivors known at 60. This number will go up as more are discovered over time. (*Note Census begun in 2015)

Generation 7.1 - Uncommon.

Produced Feb/Mar 2006. Likely produced for only a week or few. This is the 2nd style label of the "new" blue holder. Note the gold border & Gold highlighted A in logo. It also has the website replacing motto "America's Oldest Grading Service" on rear and moves the motto to the front label.

Generation 8.2 - Uncommon/scarce.

Produced starting July/August 2019. Originally I believed these were varieties produced during the gen 8.0 holder run. However I found out that these were used during the gen 10.0 holder run when reholdering coins in older blue holders. Distinguished from gen 9.0 by font is less bold on front & back labels. Also cert number and barcode have switched places. I feel it is still valid to call it gen 8.2.

Note: Holder is 3 ¼” x 2 5/16” x 3/8”, 1/16" thicker than gens 8.0 & 8.1

Generation 8.1 - Uncommon.

Produced Sept 2008 - July/Aug 2019. Originally I believed these were varieties produced during the gen 8.0 holder run. However it came to my attention that these were used during the gen 9.0 holder run when reholdering coins in older blue holders. Distinguished from gen 8.0 by larger bold grade, a slightly revised logo with different font and “America’s Oldest Grading Service” in bold as well. Back label has revised font of cert number and a larger barcode. I feel it is still valid to call it gen 8.1

Note: Holder is 3 ¼” x 2 5/16” x 5/16” thick

Generation 8.0 - Occasional.

Produced Sept 2007 - Sept 2008 In response to counterfeiting and complaints about the strength of the previous holder ANACS introduced this new holder of a rectangular shape with squared off corners and flat bottom edge as well as a revised label. In December 2007 ANACS was purchased by Driving Force LLC (Now EKW LLC).

Note: Holder is 3 ¼” x 2 5/16” x 5/16” thick

Generation 9 - Very Common.

Produced Sept 2008 - July/Aug 2019. Holder itself has not changed from gen 8.0 but now features a yellow label.

Note: Holder is 3 ¼” x 2 5/16” x 5/16” thick

Generation 10 - Common.

Produced starting July/August 2019. This holder feature a restyled front label. Rear label is also changed with the switching places of the cert number and barcode. Also the holder is thicker than gens 8 & 9.

Note: Holder is 3 ¼” x 2 5/16” x 3/8” thick

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 4 - Uncommon

Certificate issued from Mar 1981 - May 1982. This cert features a revised size and applied one piece label folded over front & rear label.

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 3 - Scarce

Certificate issued from Dec 1978 - Mar 1981. No grades were given initially just like Type 1 & 2 certificates. Beginning on March 1, 1979 owners could pay extra and receive it with a grade.

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 3.1 - Very Rare

Certificate issued Mar 1981. Front same as the Type 3. The rear now has a label like Type 4 but does not fold over like Type 4. T3 was discovered 7/4/2020

Note: It being one of the last T3’s with Type 4 certs starting the same month it is unlikely many were produced. I've only seen this one example.

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 4.1 - Uncommon

Certificate issued from about May 1982 - Jan 1983. This cert features the same front label as type 4 but the rear has been revised and a mm scale has been added.

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 4.2 - Very Scarce/Rare

Certificate issued Jan 1983- Feb 1983 at the end of the 4.1’s run. The front is same as Type 4.1 certs but the rear has an additional label added below the standard 4.1 label. I'm calling it Type 4.2

Note: This type was discovered 8/29/2022. Census has 6 examples so far.

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 5 - Uncommon

Certificate issued Jan/Feb 1983 - Jan 1984. This cert features a revised front and rear label.

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 6 - Uncommon

Certificate issued Jan 1984 - Dec 1985. Certificate features a revised front label with size added. The rear label is same as type 5 certificates.

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 7 - Uncommon

Certificate issued from Dec 1985 - Dec 1986. This certificate features a revised front & rear label.

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 8 - Very Scarce

Certificate issued Dec 1986 - Jan 1987. This cert features a revised front label adding Consensus Grade Opinion & rear label completely revised. Current census figures of survivors currently at 10. (Census begun in 2020)

Note: This very short lived cert came with 2 varieties. One as shown with “Registered to” and the other “REGISTERED TO” in all caps.

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 10 - Uncommon

Certificate issued from Jan/Feb 1987 - June 1990. Photo is in color, otherwise unchanged from Type 9.

Note: Like T9, T10 has a number of varieties. Shown in full history linked at end of this page.

ANACS Photo Certificate TYPE 9 - Very Scarce/Rare

Certificate issued for a short time in Jan/Feb 1987. The last B&W photo certs. Certificates now issued without a date. It is difficult with silver coinage to tell the difference between T9 & T10 without a side by side comparison.

Note: There are a handful of font and cert # varieties of Type 9

The Photo Certificates

Issued 1972-1990

The Slab Holder

Issued 1990-Present

Generation 3 - Scarce.

Produced in 1991 for a few days or so. Holder is identical to gen 2. The label shares the same font but the cert # now uses all numbers instead of letters & numbers as with gen 2. It appears that less the 2000 were produced. Current census figures put the number of survivors known at 102. This number will go up as more are discovered over time. (*Note Census begun in 2015. For more details about gen 3 just click the link to my more detailed work at the bottom of the page.)

ANACS Cert & Slab History

Click below for the downloadable version of the ANACS history.

ANACS Problem Slab History

ANACS was the first major TPG to certify problem coins and you can click below to see the evolution of the problem holders

More ANACS History

For a more detailed early history of the ANACS photo certificates by Robert Paul, click below.

Links below to the two part article by Tom DeLorey of the early days at ANACS.

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