My day's experience was the convergence of so many threads I've been reading, I couldn't figure out where to post, so I figured I'd start a new one. After working in DC for 30+ years, I first learned (today, in another thread) that the US Mint has a kiosk at Union Station (a 5 minute walk from where I work). So, I decided to walk over and check it out. On the way over, I stopped by my bank, and showed "my teller" a picture of the four new Lincoln cents -- she was happy to see them. I also gave out four "chocolate coins" which were very well received! Back to the Mint kiosk -- basically, you can get many of the things that you can get at the website -- for the same price -- but without the postage (!!). I also saw (curiously) WH Harrison $25 rolls, which are currently listed as "sold out" on the USMint site (anybody need?). I didn't buy anything, I just wanted to check it out (and, yes, I asked if he had 2009 cents -- the answer was no). So, I left, and, trying to eat healthy, saw a vendor selling apples, and decided to purchase one with a new Sac dollar (Last week, I received the box of $250 Sacs for the grand price of $250 no postage and put it on my credit card, where I got 1% for it. BTW, I tried flipping them on eBay -- I put two up for auction, and between fees and postage, etc., I made a grand total of $0.08!) When the vendor opened the cash register, I saw very new looking shotgun rolls of cents. I asked her if they were the new 2009 cents, and she said (in broken English "yah yah"). My heart jumping, I asked if I could look at them -- she showed me one, and there was a brand spanking glittering 2000-something Lincoln on one end -- I looked at the other end, and what did I see? . . . a wheatie! I looked back to the front, it was a 2008. Oh well. I purchased two rolls with another Sac dollar. I'm back at work now, and I don't have time to look through the rolls. (But of course -- I did take the wheatie out to look at it -- it was a 1948.) Nothing exciting, no great finds (well, other than knowing I can get some stuff from the Mint without having to deal with their shipping system, or the shipping costs) . . . but, just another half-hour of the day made interesting because I like coins.
Same as on the website, $35.95 (but, as I noted, no postage) Thanks . . . when I got to the end, I was having second thoughts about posting it (knowing that I sometimes bore my family with coin stuff)
Great story Sholom! Do they have the UHR at the kiosk? How about the Lincoln and Braile comms? That would be awesome if they did. No more fighting to get online when a new coin is released, just walk on down the road. What you need to find out if they do carry a full product line is what the delay is from when they post the item on line until the time it reaches the kiosk.
My understanding is that they do not carry a full product line, but I will ask the above if you'd like. Most amazing, though, (as I noted) is that they had the WH Harrison Mint-roll dollars, which are listed as "sold out" on the website. I'm going to get me some tomorrow.
Nothing boring about that story. I think they distribute the Lincoln cent there on roll out day. Home Run!
