I buy many products from the mint on a regular basis, but often have wondered if they have missed the mark. Each year, the Mint has expanded into new areas. Now with partnering with the BEP, they offer several currency items. Now they produce several medals, and off the wall collectibles. So my question is, has the Mint gotten outside of their purpose? Here is an intereting example of a newer item. http://catalog.usmint.gov/wcs/wcs_c...menbr;1000+cgnbr;7200+parentCategory;,00.html
While in Philly this summer, copies of this could be bought at the Visitors Center across from Independance Hall for less than half that price. A mint police officer told us that the stores inside the mints were not even operated by the mint, but by the guy who owns the Denver Broncos.
this reminds me of the nickel with the little native american pouch... it looks like a neat collectable, but I thought the same thing when I saw that one, too. I guess, with the quarters producing more interest in their mainstay products, they are trying to branch out into other areas of revenue.
I don't buy anything from the mint other than proof sets. Especially rolls, I'm not paying 13 + shipping or more for rolls of unc quarters I can get at the bank for face value
In the 70's the mint produced a wide variety of medals and medallions, some Bicentennial themed and some not. Why? Because people would buy them. People stopped buying them after the bicentennial so the mint stopped producing them. The same holds true for Prestige sets and Premiere silver sets...people stopped buying them so the mint stopped making them. Now with the recent bull market for coins the mint has found that people will buy these "sideline" items, so they make them. I've no doubt in a few years their catalog will look different, as they delete slow sellers and add new items that people will pay for. Remember, this aspect of the mint is run like any other business...for a profit. That's my 2 coppers Nick
I don't purchase from the mint. I stopped after the GSA sales of the CC Morgans because I got tired of every, yes that's - every - order being screwed up. I broke down and ordered one more time in 1999 and they didn't let me down. I ordered a MS and Proof Sackie dollar, and they screwed up that order too! The undamaged shipping box contained the MS envelope and proof box, sans any packing materials so everything was loose and rolling around in the box. The blue proof box was broken open, as was the little plastic holder for the coin so even the coin was loose in the shipping box. I couldn't care less what the mint has to offer or who runs it. IMHO, some of the items they offer border on the ridiculous and their own quality control leaves a LOT to be desired. NEVER again!
US Mint I too have bought a lot from the Mint since 2000. I even bought from the Canadian Mint before 911. I think that the US Mint is headed in the same direction as the Canadian Mint, in that they are offering all kinds of junk to boost sales. I also believe that traditional old rare US coins will appriciate in value faster than precious metals. Thanks "National Dealer" for your valuable insight in my previous post. Robert
they need to stick with mint and proof sets, commemoratives and sell the rolls at a better price. i might have liked to get the l&c pouch, but it was WAY too expensive and every time i thought about getting it i decided that i could buy next years' sets with that money. i don't get the thing with buying the bags, but that's because i'm not into that part of collecting. i was really tickled with my first flight set, the SAEs, and my l&c proof and unc coins.
