The Mint has done it again: According to the U.S. Mints Product Schedule Two ASE Proof coins are going to be offered. The W-minted Eagle is offered in a few days and a S-minted Eagle some time in the summer of this year. I think my collection is just a way the mint can drum-up more money for them.
Depending on mintage of the 2018-S the 17-S could soar in value. Glad I got a couple when they were issued.
I've begun to realize that this is the way to go. I haven't decided on what limits I'll set for myself on the ones from the Eighties and Nineties I don't already have. Speaking of ASEs, I watched Mezak the other night on HSN who was hawking the 2018 for $89.95 IIRC. He claimed to be selling First Day of Issues here, but there was no mention that the coins would not be available for a while. Instead he made it sound as if your coins would be on their way STAT. I checked out ebay to find 20 pre-sale listings from the reputable sellers, one being very specific about when you might expect to see your coin. I ordered one for less than $24 but won't expect to see it until Valentine's Day.
ASE's are a great series to collect.... I used to collect them, but got ticked off when they skipped a year....I do have the '95W..... that is the key....
I wonder what they are going to do with the ASE Congratulations Set. I collected all of them in the past, until it was too tempting to sell 'em a few months ago.
I got a notification from the mint a couple of weeks ago that my 2018-W ASE proof was shipping this week.
I like the different mints and finishes they sometimes do with the ASE but it still has fallen far behind what other countries have done with theirs. Most of the others have had some changes over the years particullarly ones that make it harder to fake while the ASE has been unchanged for a while now.
Because of the way the mint handled the ASE program, a year or so ago, I quit buying anything from them. I used to buy at least one of everything. Never again.
Sounds like he may have been offering the Proofs which will be released on Jan 4th. The bullion coins, which is what it sounds like you ordered, are available for sale on Jan 1 of each and every year they've been sold except for 1986. $24 doesn't sound likea bad price depending upon where silver goes this year. It did make a steady climb to over $17 an ounce last week but I think this happens every year. Perhaps the coming weeks will show.
I have purchased the silver proof each year since inception in 1986, 2009 exempted, of course and in 2011 I went for five sets of all five coins with the intent to sell the remaining four sets. Never did it. Having two proofs in one year in just the truth of the matter. The Mint is coining at both facilities and collector demand, though declining, remains fairly strong. They are still beautiful pieces of silver!
He offered the proof version too, but it was much higher. Since the prices were one day only, they could not be checked or verified today. $24 for the standard issue is the lowest of the different pre-sale offers on eBay yesterday. There may be others with higher or lower prices. All of these include free shipping. I did not check to see if there were any volume discounts, but as you've noted pricing is volatile, and I have nearly 1000 SAEs now. I might also point out that a Morgan or Peace Dollar in similar condition to an SAE will set you back considerably more. I've been taking a breather on the remaining WLHs and Morgans I'd like to collect but will return my attention to them in the Spring.
I was notified by the mint yesterday that all my subscriptions will have free shipping. The mint is starting out the year on my good list!
Check the prices, I'm pretty sure they raised their prices so they just built the shipping cost into the item
ASEs are like comic books nowadays, meaning one coin (book) but 5 different types (covers). And yes i use 5 as an example. I hate that there are bullion, burnished, proof, rev proof, painted, gold plated, etc etc. philly and frisco should do bullion (with mint mark), west point should do proof, and rev proof (if they must). And thats it, IMO.
I'm done...ive have just about sold all my eagles. The entire program and series and how it has been handeled by the mint.....has done nothing for the collector except the following... 1 made the true collectors pay more to keep their sets up date . How? By limited set and releases where the average Joe couldn't obtain a set making them go after market . 2 after market inflated prices then dropped leaving the average Joe in the negative as the prices fell and they over paid. 3 Allowing big companies and we all know who they are to corner the market. Again leaving the average Joe screwed. Sad very sad.... no wonder people collect Kooks and brits bullion.
