NGC Slab Generations
GENERATION LISTS AND HISTORY
9/19/20269 min read
UPDATE 9/9/26
Recently NGC began posting grading date of coins when using their cert look-up. This has lead to a revision of most generations production dates. Some dates have been changed and others will be changed and/or made more precise in the future as I get more lookups done.
NOTE: While looking up cert numbers yourself, keep in mind that reholders using the same cert number will retain the original holder date so please don't think you have some anomaly or error holder if the date doesn't line up with the generation holder you have.
This post is simply showing the generations of NGC 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. For more details on generational varieties please see "Note" below.
(*Note: To save and download a 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.)
Generation 1.0 - Very rare. Produced Sept. 1987 - Nov 1987. This 1st generation holder features a black insert. The white label was placed on rear and the logo on the front of holder. Current census figures put the number of survivors known at 49. This number will probably go up a bit as more are discovered over time.
Generation 2.0 - Scarce.
Produced about a month Nov/Dec 1987. This time frame includes Gen 2.1 which likely preceded this slab. This holder was created as the black holder didn’t show copper and dark toned coins well. Label was moved to the front. The rear features an embossed gold logo on outside of holder. 309 examples in current census.
Generation 2.1 - Scarce.
Produced for about a week in Nov 1987. The embossed rear logo is on insert instead of outside of holder. It is now generally accepted that this holder was used before Gen 2.0 but since it is commonly known as Gen 2.1 I see no reason to mess with tradition. Current census but the number of survivors at 288.
Generation 3.0 - Uncommon.
Produced Dec 1987 - Jan 1989. This holder features a front label with a border. Originally brown but some have turned green over the years. The rear gold embossed logo is unchanged from gen 2. New research in 2026 and grade date data has shown that this holder was produced for about one year not two years as was previously believed. Current found date range 1/4/1988 - 1/4/1989. Originally believed production dates were Dec 1987-Dec 1989
Generation 4.0 - Common.
Produced Jan 1989- July 8 1992. This holder has the same front label as Gen 3 but the rear got a hologram for updated security. Holder is found with brown or green border labels also. While still fairly common it is seen less and less as time goes by. Current found date range 1/11/1989 - 7/8/1992
Generation 5.0 - Common.
Produced July 8 1992 - May 1995. This holder features a redesigned front label with an added barcode. It retains the same hologram as before. It is the last of the no-Line "fatty" holders. Current found date range 7/8/1992 - 5/1/1995
Generation 6.0 - Uncommon.
Produced May 1995 - Mar/April 1996. This holder shares the front label and rear hologram with Gen 5 but the holder is thinner and has the split or keyed insert. Current found date range 5/28/1995 - 3/28/1996
Generation 7.0 - Common.
Produced Mar/April 1996 - July 14, 2000. This holder shares the front label with the Gen 6 but hosts a new smaller rear hologram which gets slightly larger before gen 8 is introduced. Due to the return to this design after gen 8, only an NGC cert look-up will determine if your holder is gen 7 or 8.1 now that NGC provides grading date of coins. Current found date range 4/12/1996 - 7/14/2000
Generation 8.0 - Uncommon.
Produced July 14, 2000 - Aug 2000. Holder was used for about 4 weeks. It features a revised front label with serial number moved below barcode. Rear has slightly larger hologram than most Gen 7's. It proved unpopular and was quickly discontinued. Current found date range 7/14/2000 - 8/16/2000
Generation 8.1 - Semi-Common.
Produced Aug 2000 - Nov 2001. This holder features a return to the Gen 7 design retaining the slightly larger hologram from Gen 8. However, unlike previously believed, there is no way to determine generation by visual inspection. The only way to know is by doing a NGC cert look-up, now that NGC's posts grading date. Current found date range 8/28/2000 - 11/15/2001
Generation 9.0 - Common.
Produced July 2001 - July 2003. This holder features a restyled front label with the company name added to the bottom section of the border but retains the the rear label from the Gen 8 holder. Note: Gens 8.1 & 9 seem to have a long overlap production period for some reason. I'll need more cert data to confirm this. Current found date range 7/9/2001 - 7/2/2003
Generation 13.5 - Uncommon.
Produced Oct 2008 - about Aug 2010 This holder has the solid insert of Gen 13 but the front and rear labels from Gen 14. It was made alongside Gen 14, possibly by itself early on. In any case I am calling it Gen 13.5 as it doesn't appear to be a stand alone holder for long if at all. Current found date range 10/1/2008 - 8/17/2010
Generation 10 - Uncommon.
Produced July 2003 - Sept 2003. This holder features a new front label with NGC's website and logo replacing the company name along bottom of border, the grade now in bold, and a different background design. It also features a new rear hologram with ANA's lamp logo. Current found date range 7/1/2003 - 9/3/2003
Generation 11- Scarce.
Produced Aug 28 2003 - Oct 2003. This holder features a revised front label. Company name replaces website along bottom of border. Rear hologram with the ANA's lamp logo same as Gen 10. Current found date range has shrunk drastically from 4 months to only 6 weeks. Current found date 8/28/2003 - 10/8/2003
Generation 12 - Semi-Common.
Produced Oct 2003 - June/July 2004. This holder features the same front label of the gen 11 holder but has a redesigned rear hologram using the ANA's new crescent logo. Current found date range 10/6/2003 - 6/29/2004
Generation 13 - Common.
Produced June/July 2004 - Sept 2008. AKA Gen 17 when listed among all NGC labels and holders in the old gen list. This holder has a new large rear hologram. Current found date range 7/2/2004 - 9/30/2008
Generation 14.1 - Uncommon.
Produced in 2012 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Gen 1 black holder. These were available alongside the standard holders on certain denominations of US coins. I thought they should be recognized so I am calling them Gen 14.1. I've left out black holders of later generations as they were used mostly for bullion and modern coins.
Generation 14 - Common.
Produced possibly Oct 2008 - Feb 2015. This holder features the EdgeView insert, it shares the front and rear labels with what I am calling Gen 13.5. Current found date range 2/6/2009 - 2/16/2015
Generation 17.2 - Common.
Produced Late 2021 - Oct 2023 This holder features the name change to Numismatic Guaranty Company from Numismatic Guaranty Corporation on front and back labels. It appears that no other significant changes were made so I am calling this Gen 17.2. Like previous holder, I have seen two font types of logo on front lower right corner of label. See below for more details in my "NGC Slab History" linked below.
Generation 16 - Common.
Produced 2015-2017. This holder features a redesigned front label and retains the Gen 15 rear hologram.
Generation 17 - Common.
Produced 2017- Late 2021. This holder shares the front label with Gen 16 but features a newly designed rear hologram.
Generation 15 - Ocassional.
Produced Feb 2015- June 2016. This holder shares the front label with Gen 14 but features a redesigned rear hologram. Current found date range 2/18/2015 - 6/17/2016
Generation 17.1 A & B - Common.
Produced Late 2021 - Oct 2023. This holder features the name change to Numismatic Guaranty Company from Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. However, there are two varieties. Gen 17.1A has the change on front label but not rear. 17.1B has change on hologram but not front label. It appears that no other significant changes were made so I am calling these Gen 17.1. I have seen two font types of logo on front lower right corner of label. See below for more details in my "NGC Slab History" linked below.
