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<p>[QUOTE="V. Kurt Bellman, post: 1965615, member: 71723"]I'm sorry Tom, you're only half correct. The blame for the mess you correctly described is 100% in the lap of the United States Mint, with only ANA's lack of resources to blame for being unable to avoid it. ANA knew on MONDAY that a debacle was imminent, but they were powerless to stop it. It was the Mint's idea, plan, and execution that nearly led to a disaster.</p><p><br /></p><p>Who the heck am I? A past President of the Red Rose Coin Club of Lancaster, PA, a Money Talks speaker at ANA's 2011, 2013, and 2014 shows, the Volunteer/Ambassador Chairman for ANA 2012 at Philly, and a National Volunteer for the ANA. Everyone working at or for the ANA, from Walt Ostromecki, to Kim Kiick, to Rhonda Scurek, to well, ME was scared to death about Tuesday's opening during the week preceding the show. The U.S. Mint takes ZERO advice; they are the self-assigned "experts" that often come pre-packaged with that "we are the government, we know what we're doing" attitude.</p><p><br /></p><p>Some facts:</p><p>1) The show opened at 10AM for everybody on Day 1, except for table holding dealers. Yes, a ridiculous number of "street urchins" had dealer credentials thanks to the gold-buying mega-dealers.</p><p>2) The sales of the gold JFK half began one hour later, at 11AM. Sales also started at the Philadelphia and Denver mints at the same instant (Noon EDT and 10AM MDT). Also the sales counter at the D.C. Headquarters began at noon local time.</p><p>3) The "zoos" at Philly, Denver, and Washington were FAR FAR worse, and they sold far fewer coins successfully.</p><p>4) PCGS has metaphorical "blood on their hands" by incentivizing not only Rosemont purchasers looking for the show slabs, but also fly-ins from D.C., Philly, and Denver adding untold hundreds more to the zoo.</p><p>5) NGC, to their credit, required a Rosemont receipt to get the show slab - no fly-ins.</p><p>6) Do we REALLY have to discuss who is ignorant of numismatic supply and demand market forces? The Baseball HOF initial under supply proves the idiots are at the Mint.</p><p><br /></p><p>Bottom line? My assessment is the order of responsibility here was 1) the United States Mint, 2) PCGS, 3) NGC, 4) mega-dealers such as SilverTowne and 5 or 6 others, and LASTLY the ANA.</p><p><br /></p><p>Did I mentioned I had the umm, "pleasure"(?) of working security for the queue on all three days in one way or another? If you thought it was ugly on the bourse floor, you should have seen the melee in the corridor for the meeting rooms just outside! It was like a refugee camp on the border of a war-torn country.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="V. Kurt Bellman, post: 1965615, member: 71723"]I'm sorry Tom, you're only half correct. The blame for the mess you correctly described is 100% in the lap of the United States Mint, with only ANA's lack of resources to blame for being unable to avoid it. ANA knew on MONDAY that a debacle was imminent, but they were powerless to stop it. It was the Mint's idea, plan, and execution that nearly led to a disaster. Who the heck am I? A past President of the Red Rose Coin Club of Lancaster, PA, a Money Talks speaker at ANA's 2011, 2013, and 2014 shows, the Volunteer/Ambassador Chairman for ANA 2012 at Philly, and a National Volunteer for the ANA. Everyone working at or for the ANA, from Walt Ostromecki, to Kim Kiick, to Rhonda Scurek, to well, ME was scared to death about Tuesday's opening during the week preceding the show. The U.S. Mint takes ZERO advice; they are the self-assigned "experts" that often come pre-packaged with that "we are the government, we know what we're doing" attitude. Some facts: 1) The show opened at 10AM for everybody on Day 1, except for table holding dealers. Yes, a ridiculous number of "street urchins" had dealer credentials thanks to the gold-buying mega-dealers. 2) The sales of the gold JFK half began one hour later, at 11AM. Sales also started at the Philadelphia and Denver mints at the same instant (Noon EDT and 10AM MDT). Also the sales counter at the D.C. Headquarters began at noon local time. 3) The "zoos" at Philly, Denver, and Washington were FAR FAR worse, and they sold far fewer coins successfully. 4) PCGS has metaphorical "blood on their hands" by incentivizing not only Rosemont purchasers looking for the show slabs, but also fly-ins from D.C., Philly, and Denver adding untold hundreds more to the zoo. 5) NGC, to their credit, required a Rosemont receipt to get the show slab - no fly-ins. 6) Do we REALLY have to discuss who is ignorant of numismatic supply and demand market forces? The Baseball HOF initial under supply proves the idiots are at the Mint. Bottom line? My assessment is the order of responsibility here was 1) the United States Mint, 2) PCGS, 3) NGC, 4) mega-dealers such as SilverTowne and 5 or 6 others, and LASTLY the ANA. Did I mentioned I had the umm, "pleasure"(?) of working security for the queue on all three days in one way or another? If you thought it was ugly on the bourse floor, you should have seen the melee in the corridor for the meeting rooms just outside! It was like a refugee camp on the border of a war-torn country.[/QUOTE]
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