2014 Shenandoah 5 oz ATB

Received my first 5 oz ATB yesterday. Seriously impressed with this coin. Subscription is the way to go. The only thing I am disappointed about is that I didn't get into this when it first started.

Yeah, I am definitely hooked now though.

I have the Smokey Mountain on the way.

 

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I have two of each come via a subscription and it costs me a total of $283. I just don't see how you can go wrong on the Collector Versions of these at less then $30 per ounce.

 

Just ordered a bullion Shenandoah 5oz puck. Latest mintage is 19,600. Not sure this is final though. However, if this holds it would now be lowest mintage in bullion series (both Hawaii and Denali had 20,000). This one may also be first in which bullion sells less than collector version...stay tuned. TC

 

Thanks for tip topcat, just got a bullion Shenandoah for $118

 

Still 19,600 after today's update:

http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/index.cfm?action=PreciousMetals&type=bullion

Arches increased but GSM and SMP stayed the same.

TC

 

Latest US Mint sales report (6/18/14) shows that 23,611 of the Shendandoah collector pucks have been sold out of a possible 30K. As I stated above, as of 6/17/14, only 19,600 of the Shenandoah bullion pucks have sold. This may very well be the first case in which the bullion version mintage is lower than the collector version, which is likely due to the savings from the subscriptions. TC

 

Here is the latest sales figures:

2014-P Great Smoky Mountains24,711*-14
2014-P Shenandoah National Park23,611733
2014-P Arches National Park21,30121,301

 

Has the difference between the bullion and collector coins already been widely discussed? Back in the beginning of 2013 I bought two of the bullion versions (I assume since they are not encapsulated, but I had no idea then there were two versions and I was really just buying silver). Price then was $177. I see the current collector versions are $154.95 and the bullion about $120. Is the finish on the collector coins that much better? In 50 years, will collectors be able to tell the difference? Trying to decide which versions to buy now.

Rob

 

Hi Rob,

Here is the "P" collector version that has a vapor blast finish which is different from the UNC bullion "shiny" version

 

Yes, I like the finish on the collector pucks better than the finish on the bullion pucks but for each, there own. You will definitely be able to tell the difference in the finish in 50 years and I'm betting that the collector versions will be the ones that have greater value. I'm guessing that we'll still have state parks in 50 years so they should still have the collector's interest.

 

I signed up for the subscription with the Mint, so I'll start getting the Collectors with the next issue. May buy some of the others whose designs or locations I like.

Rob

 

I had an interesting situation with mintproducts recently. They have a product listed as a ATB Shenandoah "Special specimen finish". Naturally this piqued my interest as maybe there were some shenandoah's with an alternate rarer finish (like the 2010 Grand Canyon) so I purchased one from MP at around $160 shipped (free shipping promo at the time).

I receive it in great shape, and compared it to my US MINT version.....and no difference. I grabbed my loupe and studied the finish on both sides for a good 10 minutes until I was convinced they are identical. I then contacted MP to ask what gives.

After 5 minutes of back and forth, it hit me that MP had probably listed the standard Mint vapor blast version as a "Special specimen finish", which IMO is completely misleading. I guess their rationale is, compared to the bullion version, it's a special specimen finish. Either way, it should be listed as "Uncirculated" or simply "Vapor blasted collectors version". The word specimen implies a one-off or not-intended-for-distribution product (at least to me).

It was a little comical to hear the CS reps reasoning, such as "Specimen means vapor blasted in the industry". She also quoted the mint verbiage about the vapor blasting process, I guess to imply the vapor blasting is what makes the coin a specimen.

In any case, even though I have a sub for one puck at a time from the Mint, I figured I paid pretty much the same as the non sub price from the mint so nothing lost. I hope they change their labeling for the product.

I guess I should have known this product can't be anything different from what's available from:

-Price, at $159 it's pretty much retail, if it indeed was an alternate finish, it would have been priced much higher I'm sure.

-The earlier alternate light finishes occurred due to equipment retrofitting (vapor blasting meant for 3" medals), so most likely this only occurred during that time period back in 2010 and once the proper equipment was implemented, the problem, most likely, will not be seen again.

 

NGC grades the collector "P" version as "specimen" ie: SP69, SP70

 

Thanks for that clarification Mcblzr! I wonder now, did NGC coin that term? If so, I still think it shouldn't be associated with a non NGC graded puck.

 

There's a much easier way. If it has a mintmark it's the collector version. No mintmark, it's a bullion version.

 

I'm aware of the "P" mintmark on the collectors version, the issue was MP labeling an ungraded, standard vapor blasted "P" collectors version from the mint as a "specimen finish", leading me to believe it could have been a special finish other than the typical vapor blasted finish from the collectors version. In other words, a third unintended finish, like the "light finish" designation from NGC on the 2010 Grand Canyon.

Now I see they most likely got the term from NGC, which is still pretty arbitrary since they should be getting their product info from the mint, not NGC.

 

Shenandoah bullion mintage rose to 20,000.
Coinnews net reports that the Mint is temporarily sold out but will be striking additional Shenandoah coins.

 

The bullion Shenandoah mintage could still come in under the collector P version.

 

TC

I took your advise, and got these 4 bullion for $122 each.

 

Thems real Purdy!