In the mail yesterday, there was an offer for subscription from NN. It is 8 months, 24 issues, for $20.00. Shipping is free. The offer states the 6 month rate is $71.76, and the 6 month discount rate is $51.76, but now the 6 months is 8 months, and another $31.76 discount for this $20.00 special offer. The offer also includes (in really tiny all caps peek-a-boo letters): "AN E-NEWSLETTER AND SPECIAL OFFERS FROM NUMISMATIC NEWS ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WHICH MAY ALSO INCLUDE AN OCCASIONAL SPECIAL, COMBINED OR EXPANDED ISSUE THAT MAY COUNT AS 2 ISSUES (hmmmmm.....). PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS FOR FIRST ISSUE DELIVERY." Doing the math, and math is hard for me, this = 83.33 cents per issue. Apparently it is issued 3X/month. But wait, there's more!! It includes 2 ea. Frank Church River Of No Return Wilderness Quarters. This changes the math, and math is hard for me, as follows: $20.00 less 50 cents = $!9.50 divided by 24 = 81.125 cents per issue. I am informed I am receiving this offer, because I was a valued long time subscriber in the past, and they miss me (I stopped the subscription years ago). What the heck. I get very little mail, and that makes me feel lonely, and I enjoy holding a magazine/newspaper over reading on a computer screen so I figure why not. Somewhere along the line....I predict at least 4X..... I will experience the 1 for 2 issue trap. However, considering that it includes a monthly coin values guide (and I am fully cognizant that the guide is as dependable as a Congressional budget) it will give me idea of the perceived value world. I know, it is full of ads, and the special 1 for 2 issues will be a sales job, but if I eliminate the predicted 4 issues, that would be 20 issues for $19.50, and doing the math and math is hard for me, it = 97.5 cents an issue. Overall, I can live with that, since the Guarantee is that I can cancel the NN subscription at any time, for any reason, and receive a full refund for all unmailed issues (BTW, is unmailed a word?). I guess they are depending on the guilt factor. They sure don't know me.
Amazon has NN 36 issues ( year) @29.95 ( 83 cents an issue) I think the 36 include the 'special issues' counted as just 1. https://www.amazon.com/F-W-Publications-Numismatic-News/dp/B000066T0K Jim
Thanks for that. I note that it does not include the 2 quarters, or the money back full refund on unmailed copies guarantee, and weirdly, does not actually state it is 36 issues, but yes. if 29.95 is divided by 36 the price is the same as the 8 month offer. And yes, it does not describe the special offer language, so I wonder if it is full disclosure. My personal preference is to not go through Amazon.
What do you do with these when you are done reading them? I don't subscribe to anything of the like since I don't need it going to my neighbour by accident or they lay about the house adverting that I collect coins. I dispose of auction catalogues in the dumpster at work, after making sure they are clean of my name etc.
I pass them to other local coin club members , although I have some to do as we haven't had any in person meetings for the 'interval'. Jim
Back when I subscribed I would make sure my name was off of them and then leave them in the waiting room at the Hospital. I find that as a general rule hospital and doctor waiting rooms have lousy magazines. The Coin World and NN never stick around long
I stopped subscribing to NN back in 2010 due to delivery issues. They use the cheapest rates to mail their magazines and as a result they were always late. After about 10 late issues NN cut me off saying they could no longer give me any delivery credits. I told them where they could shove their magazines and canceled by subscription.
