When I started training in the early 90s in Australia, we only had Dan certificates issued by Saito. I distinctly remember that after returning from a trip to Iwama my sensei at the time (maybe '93) announced that Saito would now be awarding Dan certificates from Aikikai (at 4 times the cost, which is why I remember, think I was a broke 3rd-2nd kyu at the time
). I had no ideas of the intricate nature of Aikido politics at the time, I just trained, but I assumed that this meant the Saito was not giving Aikikai ranks before this.