Ordering from the US Mint... how to tell if you have a "first strike"?

Because the market has shown a premium for them for years. Sometimes the premium is small, othertimes the premium is substantial. The labels themselves are more attractive as well with the USA flag or other country of origins flag, special bulk labels etc.

Yes, unless of course someone wants to be a complete snob and say people aren't numismatic collectors for liking something different than they do which happens quite often on forums

 

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@Mr.Q Actually I think we disagree here. If a TPG puts 1st strike or something like that on the label then I absolutely believe that that coin was submitted in accordance with the rules for that label. It was either received in the 1st 30 days or it was in a sealed and dates box.

I just think the whole concept is marketing puffery, i.e. Bunk.

If I go out in the parking lot on a clear day to grade some coins, can I say graded using premium sunshine???? If it's a cloudy day can I only say graded using diffuse sunshine???

 

I've always wondered how all this First Strike stuff worked...have never known until now...disappointed but not surprised...somewhere between a sham and a scam based on everything I'm learning. Even if you submitted it in all the OGP, unopened or however they say, within the 30 days and the other TPG deadline, et al, don't believe you'd really ever know for sure if you'd really have...or receive back...a slabbed First Strike that means anything of a "first strike"...whatever that means. A waste of time, anxiety, and money, IMO...but as always, to each their own. You'd be just as well if not better to wait a while until the buzz dies down and buy one/some already slabbed. You won't know then, either, but you'll have avoided the anxiety of it all, plus the wait time and the rip-off of an extra TPG fee (rather put the fee toward the purchase). I still wonder how all those thousands upon tens of thousands of MS70 and PF70 First Strike coins (69s also for that matter) that go to the mega-dealers, fulfilment and clearing houses for bulk and TV sales, et al, are graded, one by one...with the same careful review process and finalizing we're told happens with other coins...while those (our) coins wait in TPG storage until all that grading is done...??? Begs the question of how really careful and accurate TPGs are...or can be...with any coins at any time. The sheer numbers must influence the efficiency and accuracy of the limited grading process much like the candy assembly-line episode in the old 'I Love Lucy' show. "Speed it up...!"

 

I also think that the first strike slabs are a gimmick.
@iPen if you want to know which coins are the actual first strike it will be in the characteristics of the coin. Die wear no matter how many coins were struck will be evident looking at 1 coin VS another.

 

It's just the TPGs way of saying send us your money, now!

 

Anyone have a pic of a say an ASE struck from a moderately or really worn die? May be more of a relative comparison to classic coins.

 

I agree with most others that the First Strike, Early Releases, etc. are just a market ploy by the TPG's to make more money. The fact that the U.S. Mint states that there is no such thing in reality means something. Most all of us have no idea if the actual first 10,000 or 50,000 are put aside and sent to the major dealers. So anyone falling for the date restrictions/submittals is just throwing away their money to the TPG's. Is there a relative of P.T. Barnum at each TPG?

 

Hold up a “1st Strike” and one you send in for grading, if they are of equal grade SHOW me the difference. It is ALL B.S. and a way for them to get your $$$
Semper Fi
Phil

 

Very simple. STUPIDITY!

 

Tom Clancey?

 

All I can say is unless you are at the mint the day they strike the coins and can buy them directly from the mint it is impossible to know when a coin was actually struck. They could stock pile thousands before releasing them. It's possible to get a first release coin but, first strike hard to tell. Even if that's on a slab "first strike" try to prove it. Can't be done. I wouldn't pay anything extra for a slabbed coin with that nonsense on the label.

 

I read where approximately 2000 coins are struck from each proof die pair. When 100,000 coins are sold in the first month, the term "First Strike" is totally meaningless.

 

Actually has been done. Frome time to time the Mint actually does do "first Strike ceremonies and VIP's and selected guests are allowed to strike a coin. These coins would then be put in special holders and the VIP/guest would be allowed to purchase "their" coin. This doesn't happen often.

 

At this time probably the closes one could get to a 1st strike coin is a coin that has been designated as VEDS (Very Early Die State).

 

I'd imagine "1st Day of Release" falls into this category as well. Think of all the recent products that have sold out in less than a day.

 

The "first" struck 1892 Columbian Half Dollar currently resides in a special holder at the Fields Museum of Natural History in Chicago. They had a ceremony/press conference for the beginning of production and pulled it aside. I have to imagine if that coin ever hit the open market, it could very well set a record for most expensive of it's type.
So.. I guess.. been there; done that. You ain't giving them any fresh ideas.

 

This one! It's really easy to tell the difference between this literal very first strike, to a later strike, especially with the specially prepared dies. I'd be curious to see what the very first struck BU strike ASE or commemorative 2021 Morgan/Peace looks like compared to the very last struck one with today's minting technology.

Anyway, yeah I agree, the first commemorative legal tender US coin will fetch a hefty sum if it were to ever go to auction. I'd be curious as to what it'd appraise for today.... I wouldn't be surprised if an auction sale will yield a much higher result than the appraised or auction house estimate.

 

Your right but, they only strike a few and give them only to a few people. If you are lucky enough to get one directly from that person with documents to back it up your golden.

 

I'm attaching a picture of a metal the was struck on the first steam press in 1836.
This is the original die set. This set of dies were used to strike these metals from 1836 to about 1861. You can tell it's the original set because the date was changed on the original dies and as the die was used at some point the obverse die started to fail at 6 to 7 o'clock. So even though it's not known how many were made it is known that these were struck with the first set of dies. The metal I posted could have been struck in 1836 or any time after until about 1861. There is no way to tell if it was struck in March of 1836 or later.

 

I'm holding out for the the "Last Strike -Last Release" label.
Till then I won't hold by breath.