The New ANACS

[Tyrock]

Just some general thoughts about Anacs. Anacs started out in 1972 as the ANA's authentication service. In 1979 they started grading coins and in 1989 they stated using slabs due to competition from PCGS and NGC. In 1990 the ANA sold Anacs to Amos Press and in 2005 Amos Press sold it to Anderson Press (Whitman Publishing). And now Whitman sold it to James Taylor. I submitted coins to Anacs back in the 1980s when you got a photo certificate (still have a few of them). Then I submitted coins to Anacs in the late 80s and 90s when they came in the white slab. The white slab was discontinued when Whitman bought Anacs and Whitman started using the new Clear View holder. I didn't like the new holder. Now Anacs is going to be featured on HSN with hundreds of MS 70 Eagles. I used to be a big supporter of Anacs, but the more of the recent changes I see, the less I like the " new Anacs." Too bad they didn't continue to use the white holder and just concentrate on grading and attributions. When it comes to expensive coins, I have to admit that I have more confidence in NGC or PCGS slabs.

[James_OldeTowne]

I am going to hold out for more official announcements. However, if even a little of what we've heard so far is true, then I will not be doing anymore business with ANACS.

[thebeav]

I am going to hold out for more official announcements.

 

Me too ....

I'm certainly not rushing off a box of submissions....

 

Paul

[physics-fan3.14]

They want to be like the big two, so they are doing the same marketing as the big two. Simple as that.

[DC Dawg]

The new ANACS will have to be as close in quality as the big two.

 

BTW: Regarding the current HSN business, it may have been done by the old management. It takes time to work out these deals, obtain the inventory, and produce the shows that will hawk these coins on television. Considering that Taylor bought the company a bit more than two weeks ago, I don't think he had anything to do with it. But he'll have a lot to do with repairing or further destroying ANACS's image.

 

Scott

[MarkFeld]

The new ANACS will have to be as close in quality as the big two.

 

BTW: Regarding the current HSN business, it may have been done by the old management. It takes time to work out these deals, obtain the inventory, and produce the shows that will hawk these coins on television. Considering that Taylor bought the company a bit more than two weeks ago, I don't think he had anything to do with it. But he'll have a lot to do with repairing or further destroying ANACS's image.

 

Scott

I'll take the other side of that speculation. Either way, as the current owner of ANACS, if J.T. didn't like the arrangement with HSN there's a very good chance that he could discontinue it.

[gmarguli]

I'm going to take a wild guess here and speculate that he had an arrangement with the TV networks before he finalized the purchase of ANACS. It would make best business sense if this were the case.

 

It is also possible that one of the TV show put up the money for him to purchase ANACS.

[DC Dawg]

The new ANACS will have to be as close in quality as the big two.

 

BTW: Regarding the current HSN business, it may have been done by the old management. It takes time to work out these deals, obtain the inventory, and produce the shows that will hawk these coins on television. Considering that Taylor bought the company a bit more than two weeks ago, I don't think he had anything to do with it. But he'll have a lot to do with repairing or further destroying ANACS's image.

 

Scott

I'll take the other side of that speculation. Either way, as the current owner of ANACS, if J.T. didn't like the arrangement with HSN there's a very good chance that he could discontinue it.

I bought a small business many years ago and was saddled with two bad contracts that the original owner hid from me. I found that if there is a signed contract with the business, the business has to fulfill the contract regardless of who owns the company. Sure, you can break the contract at the risk of the other partying suing, or you can ask to re-negotiate. The other party is not obligated to renegotiate.

 

What I did was re-negotiate with one for terms that were more "fair." The other would not re-negotiate. After we threatened to sue each other, I honored the contract for the eight months of its remaining duration. When they came to negotiate a new contract, I refused to talk with them. While this was going on, my lawyer would tell me about the cost of suing, the cost of defending a suit from the other party, the mess it would cause, etc. It's not pretty.

 

My other choice was suing the original owner for not disclosing the contracts or file for Chapter 11 protection and ask the courts to void the contract. The business was not making enough money to stand this and I had my original investment and loans to deal with. I just had to take it and try to move on.

 

You do not know what the financial situation Taylor faces. It might be fiscally prohibitive to break this contract. What's worse, the bankruptcy laws are more strict today than they were in the early 90s when I bought my business. Breaking this contract may be easier said than done!

 

BTW: I ran the business for two years. I turned it around to make a profit in nine months (dumping that bad contract helped) and sold it with no debt, eight employees, making twice as much money as the company was losing before I bought it, and after we moved to a new location. It was interesting but I will probably not do that again!

 

Scott

[MarkFeld]

You do not know what the financial situation Taylor faces

I totally agree. But, but I am speculating, just as you are, and my guess is that Greg's speculation is the more likely scenario.

[DC Dawg]

You do not know what the financial situation Taylor faces

I totally agree. But, but I am speculating, just as you are, and my guess is that Greg's speculation is the more likely scenario.

But Mark... I think I said that! From my earlier post:

BTW: Regarding the current HSN business, it may have been done by the old management. It takes time to work out these deals, obtain the inventory, and produce the shows that will hawk these coins on television. Considering that Taylor bought the company a bit more than two weeks ago, I don't think he had anything to do with it. But he'll have a lot to do with repairing or further destroying ANACS's image.

 

Scott

[MarkFeld]

You do not know what the financial situation Taylor faces

I totally agree. But, but I am speculating, just as you are, and my guess is that Greg's speculation is the more likely scenario.

But Mark... I think I said that! From my earlier post:

BTW: Regarding the current HSN business, it may have been done by the old management. It takes time to work out these deals, obtain the inventory, and produce the shows that will hawk these coins on television. Considering that Taylor bought the company a bit more than two weeks ago, I don't think he had anything to do with it. But he'll have a lot to do with repairing or further destroying ANACS's image.

 

Scott

Scott, I'm confused. It is my impression that Greg's speculation (which I agree with) is that even though the acquisition of ANACS is very recent, J.T. DID have something to do with it/the HSN arrangement. Your quote above seems to indicate that you DON'T think he had anything to do with it. But in response to my "my guess is that Greg's speculation is the more likely scenario", you wrote "But Mark... I think I said that! From my earlier post". So, I must ask - do you think that it was J.T. or not who was responsible for the HSN arrangement? Thanks.

[CHABSENTIA]

I have a problem wiht these shows. I have a complete collection of A.S.E both in PF and MS. I need to update them this year with the 2008.

 

HSN has a 2008 A.S.E MS70 First Day of Issue. HSN announced that ANACS bought 250,000 Raw Coins and will stop when they have reached 7498. I assume that these will be the First Day of Issue and they will slab other MS70s

 

They are asking $299.95. I checked on E BAy the other day and the PCGS has a First Strike 2008 MS70 for $199.95. Another show had Pre Sale NGC 2008 MS70 at $279.00

 

I don't beleive in the First Strike etc even though I have a few that were purchased at low prices. Even if you desire this designation I don't know why somebody would pay $299.95 in an ANACS holder when they could get one in a PCGS holder for $100.00 less.

 

The other thing is that last year people were touting the 2007 W MS70 as being comparable with the 2006W.They came out like gangbusters and toward the end one could purchase a 2007W MS70 for about $75.00. People on these shows just a few weeks ago were asking $149.00.

 

The Proof is a done deal for me as I have a subscription with the U.S. Mint.

 

Nobody knows what the Mintage will be for the 2008 at this time .I will wait for everything to settle down and not just ANACS. Meanwhile the shows on T.V. will be asking at least 50% higher as long as they can get it.

 

I mentioned earlier what seems to be color coded labels on the ANACS and the new type holder.Since HSN has announced that they will be the Exclusive people for ANACS and will also be doing some ICG then ANACS has done some kind of deal with HSN and it was probably done at least 2 months ago if not longer.

 

HSN then will be a Marketing tool to introduce the new ANACS but I would think that the Prices will be a turn- off for the informed.

[DC Dawg]

Scott, I'm confused. It is my impression that Greg's speculation (which I agree with) is that even though the acquisition of ANACS is very recent, J.T. DID have something to do with it/the HSN arrangement. Your quote above seems to indicate that you DON'T think he had anything to do with it. But in response to my "my guess is that Greg's speculation is the more likely scenario", you wrote "But Mark... I think I said that! From my earlier post". So, I must ask - do you think that it was J.T. or not who was responsible for the HSN arrangement? Thanks.

Mark... I see what you mean. Sorry... it has been a rough few weeks professionally and the brain has been somewhere between over-exerted and fried!

 

Yes, I see that Greg assumes that Taylor was involved with HSN. I do not think that is the case. Considering the number of coins, the date of introduction on HSN, the timing of events--it was reported that negotiations with Anderson began on 12/3/07, and the production lead time necessary to put on a live show (I worked for NBC a while ago... pre-production and advertising takes time), the relationship had to have been started earlier--at least a month--which leads me to believe that this deal pre-dates Taylor.

 

Scott

[MarkFeld]

Thanks Scott and rest that brain for a while!