is there any way to find out how many products the mint is going to produce? For example the 5 oz america the beautiful coins from what i have read so far the mint only makes so many of them, is there any way to find out how many they will produce this year? or when they will be released? Is there also some kind of newsletter i can suscribe to that alerts me of such things? Another question, how are you able to get from the mint a first strike or early release? I have read that it must have been minted in Jan. of that year. but for the 5 oz bullion coins they have not been released yet. so what would have it considered to be a first stirke? And once again does any one know of a newsletter i can sign up for to alert me of release of certian products and maybe even mintages?
First strikes can only come from 3rd party verification services like NGC or PCGS, otherwise its a raw coin. I don't believe you can buy these from the mint directly. Not aware of any publications that list mintages, but they do list the approved max mintages, but sometime don't reach that depending on demand, thats keep quiet until they close orders.
Articles like this are useful. Scroll down... http://www.coinnews.net/2012/02/08/us-mint-sales-el-yunque-quarters-debut-american-eagle-demand-up/
Close but not quite. The First Strike/Early Release on the TPG label comes from the TPG, but the coins were purchased from the Mint and done so within the first month or so of striking and release. Some items from the Mint must be submitted directly to the TPG without the original shipping box being opened. The 25th Anniversary sets from last year are an example. According to several dealers I know, they could not open the packages from the Mint with these sets in them to inspect the coins for errors or varieties if they wanted the First Strike/Early Release on the TPG label. They had to send the unopened package to the TPG as soon as they received it from the Mint. But the coins come directly from the Mint. The designations on the label come from the TPGs. FYI, First Strike/Early Release means nothing really, it's more for marketing for those gambling on the items coming back with a 70 on the label.
