VENTING - 25th ASE set,

Why did the mint mess this up soooo bad?

But first, I wish to take nothing away from all who were successful. As a matter of fact I am the most underserving to maybe get one. (I'm about 52,000 @ 5pm) I was just lucky to find this site months before this eagle set was announced. It was the reason I joined, and although I'm not a collector to the degree of most. I wanted to profit from them just like the many.

My moniker has offended one of you so much, he thinks of me as unamerican. But as Pogo said, I've met the enemy and the enemy is us. In this case it is the mint.

This thread will hopefully find the real reason for this perfect storm. The truth has to be easy to expose. The mint's past practice is totally blatant, elementary and certainly not at all creative.

All comments must be directed at the Mint. It is not my intention to create trolls.

So let's vent and maybe something good will come from it!

 

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I understand everyone's frustration. But I'm actually glad the mint is putting out a (relative) rarity every now and then. The mint has done everything it can to destroy numismatic value of its products through the years by churning out ugly products in mass quantities. Nice to generate some buzz for the hobby. If I were director of the mint. Every few years, I'd pick a series, and only produce 75,000, just to create some key coins.

 

I can't disagree with you Mr.Coin but I would like to see an audit.

This perfect storm was perfect for graft.

 

If the mint really wanted to make things interesting, they wouldn't announce mintages before hand. Just think - all the collectors would have clammored to get them up front, and stumbled ass-backward into a big find.

It's crazy they didn't have a smaller household limit. That was truly moronic.

 

I agree. With something as popular as the ASE, having such a large limit calls for people to wheel and deal. Better to allow a wider distribution. . . and better in the long term for coin collecting as a hobby.

 

I have been buying from the mint since the 1980's- the past 2 years are the worst I have ever seen them. They send out defective products on a regular basis and they make returning them a huge hassle- they are just completely unethical.

 

I'm sorry but I don't understand. What exactly was the "perfect storm"? What series of events or circumstances do you think came together to create this "perfect storm"?

 

I like the mints offerings overall, I also think the limit was a bit high, but the rules were made beforehand and to their credit they stuck to the rules.

I really do not like when rules keep getting changed.

My only beef with the mint is when you make an order and they fulfill it in drips and drabs, If I am ordering medals, proof and mint sets, and other things, ship them all at once, I had an order earlier this year where they ended up with three seperate shipments.

Another thing that would be nice if they had a collectors advisory panel, this panel could be chosen by lot from people who have ordered from them, and could make recomendations to the mint director about issues collectors care about.

That would be really cool to be notified that you will have direct input to the director of the mint, if that happened to me I would really think hard about what I would push for.

 

Most popular bullion coin in the world, most collectors, smallest production run and a high limit per household. Throw that into a blender of inadequate web servers and phone service and you have skewed values.

They stated they will re-evaluate the household limit after a week, proved they mishandled the program. I posted this was a flippers paradise which is basically a black market. The mint's policy is to cater to collectors and vendors and they failed.

Off subject - I loved Dick Shawn in "It's a Mad,Mad,Mad,Mad,Mad World", great avatar. On second look, is that Jackie Chan?

 

+1 Chip! I heartily agree with your points.

I would like to add that in order to get an entity like the Mint to take notice of customer's issues, it more than likely requires the formation of an independent group, a collectors advisory panel, aligned with numismatic industry leaders offering their own market authority to demand audits of the Mint's marketing and sales approach and weaknesses. Forums and blogs air complaints but with no real organized solutions when problems effecting the collecting community arise.

If/When we write to our elected leaders to carry messages to the Directors of the Mint, they largely go unattended and are ineffective on most fronts for many reasons beyond our control.

Most individual collector/consumer attempts to reach the Mint directly get lost in the various channels that separate the actual Mint administration from the customers, netting such communications for the marketing department instead. Marketing gathers survey type information to supposedly better understand the customer experience, not fix the problems we encounter, rather how to increase sales, whether said company is failing or not.

This threads title is timely but misleading. This entire issue isn't one unique to the 25th ASE set but rather indicative of the entire US Mint's sales operation which has long needed improvement and continues to be pushed off to later dates to have resolved. Collectors can brainstorm their ideas and see what can be done about forming a list of complaints to petition/demand representation that can effectively alter how the Mint does business with the public. Legislation may state how many of a given coin can be minted for sale but doesn't impose much restraint on ordering limits the Mint comes up with, which seems like a hole in the operation that the marketing department exploits or fails to use to understand the "collector" heart in their customers.

Some complaints will be aired on these issues merely to vent but they do not seek to take action to find reasonable solutions for improvements that might better serve one's dealings with the Mint. For those perhaps a boycott from further purchasing of the Mint's products is perhaps the best solution.

All of this is of course just IMHO.

 

The United States Mint:
The U.S. Mint has structured their principles, and business policy, in accordance in what they believe to be a successful enterprise. We have ordered numerous times from the U.S.Mint, including many products, and have found the U.S. Mint to be most reliable, and prompt as to delivering merchandise upon stated date. We have not seen any issues regarding policy, nor stipulations attached. Their policy is clear, and "The U.S Mint "Reserves the right to do as they wish", within the boundaries of their specified rules. In this respect, how can any question the U.S. Mint, in terms of trying to 'dictate' to the U.S. Mint. Nothing in this world is perfect, but we sincerely believe that the U.S. Mint strives for perfection, in trying to please everyone. To deal with the masses is no easy task, as the U.S. Mint should conduct their business accordingly, as they do. To complain about such trivial things as coins, is truly vanity. Place yourselves in the U.S. Mint's position, where funding is always an issue, as well as other growing problems that many people overlook, or refuse to see. If you walked that road, you would understand, or if you had knowledge, you would not complain. Everyone wishes to purchase from the U.S. Mint, everyone is interested in making a profit, everyone is interested in what, and how much they can obtain, to feel a sense of security, or maybe being above the rest. Unfortunately, no one has the say over one (U.S. Mint) that controls the coins, and manages the inventory. It only stands to reason. To perceive otherwise, is merely placing yourself above the merchant (U.S. Mint). Yes, sometimes everyone does not obtain what they set out to accomplish. However, shall we mock, ask for changes in administration, seek re-structuring, or otherwise, if we receive not "our way? This is the wrong mindset, and wrong approach to view anyone, especially the U.S. Mint. As we see it, the U.S. Mint gives everyone ample time, and the possibility to purchase their products. In such as a limited editions are concerned, the U.S. Mint can only hope that the population may receive what they wish. The standards are for all, so that no one is left, as not being equal. If everyone wishes to delve into numismatics, and purchase from the U.S. Mint, they must abide by the rules and standards, as set forth by the U.S. Mint. To negate these defined principles, as to try to inject our thoughts and ways, unto the U.S. Mint, is wrong. Everyone knows the possibilities when a limited edition series is released. If you do not like the way the plan is structured, simply walk away. If you 'go with the flow', your much better for it.

 

You, sir, have a great eye. Dick Shawn it is. You get a gold star. (I still think 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' is the funniest movie ever made.)

 

I think in about 2 months, the mint is going to have a pretty big black eye on how this sale went down. It's just a gut feeling right now based on my experience the Yellowstone ATB 5 oz. silver order I once had. I was one of the last orders on that series made a day before they announced a sell out. My back order date kept on being pushed back. There was no notice of a hold or being on a waiting list. I let it go 3 months before calling the mint. When I got a rep on the phone, she was surpised I even had an order. "Oh no, we sold out of those along time ago. We can cancel these if you want........" I wonder how much they over sell, expecting a certain number of returns. This is my guess on why it got placed on a perpetual backorder. I wonder how wide spread this problem is. My order on the ASE's came in pretty late, 5:44 pm EST. I don't expect to see it and don't want to risk buying second market only to see the order come through, or needlessly canceling the mint order to only pay more. I work for a company that sells concert and show tickets and we can tell you how many tickets are sold and what seats are open anytime, 24/7 including all outlets and internet sales. Why the mint can't is beyond me. Thank you for letting me vent, still hoping for the best.

 

Last I read their policy was to manufacture coinage for use in commerce, not cater to collectors. I believe they've even stated as such on numerous occasions, much to the dismay of disenchanted collector's expectations.
Guy

 

Yes, I liked that movie. My aunt was in pictures back then very few. Thank you very much.

 

Good points C Jay, especially on the concert ticket and seating inventory! APMEX is another online merchant who divulges their available inventory. Go to any product page, type in all 9s in the quantity box and a pop up window reveals remaining units. If the Mint took a similar approach it would ease many minds and eliminate rampant speculation in one area regarding orders and available products.

The Mint is by no means the "most reliable, and prompt as to delivering merchandise upon stated date." They fall far far to the way side in that argument. Plenty of people have been left in limbo time and again.

 

I have to take SERIOUS issue with this post. Lie after lie piles up here and I just can't let it go. Your post makes my blood boil. The crooked creeps at the mint have sent me defective products many times in the last 2 years-the last one was a spouse coin- I had to pay for return postage (they sent me a defective product and I have to pay postage!!!) then they charge my credit card twice before they send me a replacement coin- and the replacement coin is also defective. You are fundamentally dishonest.I have MANY similar stories about these unethical creeps- how dare you post these lies!

 

Say what you want about the Mint, but they were straight forward with this offering. They made an announcement about it last August, and laid out all the particulars regarding the set. They set the time and date of the release. I know not what the "perfect storm" is, but if it's referring to the folks who missed out on getting this issue my feeling is prepare yourself for next time. Any person who has dealt with the mint and their ordering system knows of the deficiencies related to the system that governs purchasing there. It ain't easy to order on the first day of a product offering. Any product offering. The system is slow as molasses. The mint says they're going to try to improve on that in the future. I've heard that before. After the Lincoln Coin and Chronicles release they said they were going to institute some improvements to make things run smoother. When I logged on, on game day, I saw the same old scenario. And as long as we're on the subject of mint bashing, what about all the YN's who wanted one of these sets but couldn't afford the purchase price? Surely they're just as deserving as any one of us. Who's gonna do something for them? The "evil" mint purposely keeps product prices high to shut out the poor and deserving young collector........

 

I am a member of The Assembly of Yahweh.

 

A basic level of service in reasonable- and they fall well short consistently.