“This may never happen, but someone needs to write the history of coin certification soon. Many of the people who founded the first certifier, ANACS, in 1972 are already gone. By the time I retire in the 2030s and can devote myself full time to numismatics, the certification pioneers of the 1980s may no longer be with us, either. A history book would sell few copies — it’s easier to interest people in a price guide. Still, certification has changed our hobby so much in the last 30+ years that this is a story that needs to be told….”