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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;jaceravone, post: 1892476, member: 9474&quot;]Ok gang I am back at my computer!!! Whoo hoo! No more pecking at my ipad.&nbsp; The Baltimore show was a blast.&nbsp; This was my first time at the show and I couldn&#039;t have picked a better year to attend.&nbsp; I didn&#039;t see anyone from CT there which was disappointing but I didn&#039;t have time to talk anyway as I was too busy making money.</p><p><br /></p><p>As this is a baseball commem thread, I will keep the info just to this topic and share a tad bit more. </p><p><br /></p><p>Ok, here is what I know and this was confirmed by the big man in charge of the US Mint booth.&nbsp; I believe he is third in command at the mint and of course a very reliable source.&nbsp; No names, so I can protect the innocent, but this gentleman was awesome to talk to.&nbsp; He appears to have the collector&#039;s interest at heart.</p><p><br /></p><p>As you all know, the Baseball Hall of Fame (HOF) coins went on sale this thursday.&nbsp; The US mint had the coins available at the Whitman show and other select sites.</p><p>I can confirm that 500 gold coins were on hand at the show.&nbsp; Now, this gentleman told me that it was 500 for each proof and unc, but many people swear in line that it was 500 total, so 250 and 250.&nbsp; I can only relay what I was told which was 500 each. As for the silver proof and unc, and half proof and unc, no numbers where released. </p><p><br /></p><p>The first day I lined up and was within the first hundred people in line.&nbsp; The max order for that day was 1 gold proof and unc, 5 silver proof and unc and 5 clad proof and unc.&nbsp; The gold obviously sold out that day at the show.&nbsp; Total cost raw was $1958.25.&nbsp; Some dealers started to offer $100 over cost, then it went up to 200 then 500 and the last I heard was $700 over cost for all coins raw.&nbsp; But I took mine to NGC and had them all graded.&nbsp; Total cost for that for all coins was $900. This cost was not only for the &quot;special&quot; label, but also 24 hr turn around grading.&nbsp; It was a complete racket, but all worth it.&nbsp; So now total cost involved was $2858.25.&nbsp; Total time standing in line was 3 hours.&nbsp; I should have gotten back in line the first day but wanted to enjoy the show a bit, plus I figured that mint would find a way to ship in more gold coins the next day.&nbsp; That was the rumor that was going around. </p><p><br /></p><p>I should mention that both NGC and PCGS offered special labels.&nbsp; NGC was the only TPG with the rights to the HOF logo and was offering it on their labels.&nbsp; PCGS was doing a first pitch label. </p><p><br /></p><p>The next day we showed up early and got back in line.&nbsp; Now the madness was really starting to ramp up.&nbsp;&nbsp; They were only selling the silver proof coins with a three coin max purchase.&nbsp; I waited in line only 1 hour this time and got my 3 coins.&nbsp; Once again, hind sight is always 20/20 and I should have gotten back in line....but I do have a conscious you know. Geeze!&nbsp;&nbsp; Word had started to spread that the gold had sold out and dealers where now offering $1000 over cost for raw coins and $1500 over cost for graded coins. </p><p><br /></p><p>After getting our three proofs we headed over to the NGC table to pick up our coins.&nbsp; The 70/69 ratio was about 80% 70s and 20% 69&#039;s.&nbsp; This was being confirmed by many of the large dealers that were getting their coins back.&nbsp; Unfortunately, our fellow collectors who submitted their coins to PCGS weren&#039;t as lucky.&nbsp; Their ratio was also 80/20, but 20% 70&#039;s and 80% 69&#039;s.&nbsp; There were a lot of angry PCGS customers, especially since they were charging $20 more for their grading for the halves.&nbsp; So their total costs were $1100 compared to NGC&#039;s $900.&nbsp; I should also mention that PCGS&#039;s customer service was very lacking.&nbsp; Very long lines and not many helpers at their booth.&nbsp; I waited 1.5 hours in the PCGS line to get some coins graded.&nbsp; NGC was super smooth with very little hiccups. </p><p><br /></p><p>Anyway, back to my results.&nbsp; All my proofs came back 70&#039;s for both the dollar and half.&nbsp; For the uncs, only 3 dollars and 3 halves came back 70&#039;s.&nbsp; My proof gold came back 70 and my unc came back 69.&nbsp; As for my buddies, they did not send in their whole lots and only cherrypicked out the best coins to submit.&nbsp; All of their coins came back 70&#039;s.&nbsp; Now this is when is started to get interesting because all the large dealers and non dealers alike where hanging around the grading booths to see what everyone was getting.&nbsp; When they saw that you had your coins in your hand, they were coming up to you making offers.&nbsp; I decided to hold on to mine, but one of my buddies quickly sold out.&nbsp; I traded a pair of one of my NGC MS69 silver dollars and clad halves for a PCGS set that someone had just to say that I had both.</p><p><br /></p><p>That night, my roommate who happened to be the buddy who sold out came to me with a deal on all of mine.&nbsp; I would only sell him 4 silver proofs, 4 silver uncs, 4 clad proofs and 4 clad uncs plus my unc gold for a price that was.....lets just say that it was jaw dropping.&nbsp; I made enough money to cover my entire trip and then some. But as quickly as I sold them, he turned around and had them sold for even more money.&nbsp; He runs out of the room with the coins and an hour later comes back to the room and tosses me a $100 bill and says that it was the least he could do because he made his money back and then some.&nbsp; The only figure he told me was that he sold his pair of gold 70&#039;s that he was going to keeping for a whopping $3k!.&nbsp; A pair of coins that cost $1k sold for $3k.&nbsp; I will take that all day every day.</p><p><br /></p><p>The third day started out with a bang as well.&nbsp; Rumor had it that more coins were coming, but US Mint people weren&#039;t saying what or how many.&nbsp; People started to line up anyway and I did too.&nbsp; This time they were offering a max of two coins.&nbsp; You could pick out a proof or unc dollar AND a proof or unc half.&nbsp; Total cost = about $70.&nbsp; Dealers were offering $150 for the pair.&nbsp; By the end of the morning that price had ballooned to $250 for a pair of coins that cost $70.&nbsp; Easy money to be made. </p><p><br /></p><p>While waiting in line , I spoke with this mint person that did confirm that all gold options had sold out.&nbsp; He also said that if you got your order in by 9am on Friday for gold coins, chances are that you were going to get your coins no problem but if your order was after 9am then the chances were slim.&nbsp; But he didn&#039;t rule anything out because he said that people&#039;s credit cards get declined all the time and there were other reasons that orders would be canceled as well.&nbsp; The silver coins were expected to sell out very soon as well.&nbsp; I must say, the mint people were extremely proud of this accomplishment.&nbsp; They mentioned that we (as the general public) have no idea on how difficult it was to produce this coin.&nbsp; It was very technically challenging.&nbsp; All denominations are expected to sell out by the end of this coming week.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Also, rumors were spreading that since the spreads were so skewed on day one, that NGC and PCGS were either tightening or loosening their grading depending on the company.&nbsp; NGC was tightening grading and PCGS was loosening grading.&nbsp; Collectors and dealers that waited until day two to submit were finding that the spread may not have been the same as day one.&nbsp; I was told that NGC&#039;s numbers had evened out to 40% 70&#039;s and 60% 69&#039;s which made the frenzy for finding 70&#039;s even that much more important.&nbsp; Also, my buddy personally witnessed Silver Towne cracking out all their 69&#039;s and resubmitting them.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>In the end, I have one complete set of NGC HOF Logo proof coins all PF70&#039;s and a MS69 PCGS dollar and half set.&nbsp; Also, you may ask did I get anything else????? Oh yeah baby!!!!! I got some nice gemmy Morgans and Walkers and Commems.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Ok, I kept you all waiting long enough to find out about the Kennedy stuff.&nbsp; Here is what was explained to me.&nbsp; The mint just manufactures coins plain and simple.&nbsp; You may curse and blame them for ridiculous price points, but there is more than most people realize that goes into the pricing of a coin.&nbsp; I had a great half hour conversation with former mint direct Ed Moy who was there for the past two days and he really explained a lot in intricacies that are not relayed to the public and for obvious reasons.....they just can&#039;t get into it.&nbsp; I understand it because I used to own a business that manufactured products.&nbsp; Customers just don&#039;t see all the associated costs that go into manufacturing a product.&nbsp; According to the mint people, they have very little control on what is minted and how much.&nbsp; As Greenie alluded, this is all determined by Congress.&nbsp; But as this one director relayed to me....they have great relationships with the people who are the decisions makers and influencers in this country.&nbsp; No decision has been made as to the Kennedy coin.&nbsp; They are pushing for gold one in addition to other types, but nothing is set in stone as nothing has been presented to congress yet.&nbsp; They are hoping to have a launch at the summer ANA so book your trips now!!!!!</p><p><br /></p><p>Lastly, everyone needs to put 2016 on your radar.&nbsp; Two commemorative coins are being pushed by the mint that would be produced outside the regular commemorative program.....can you guess what two they are?????&nbsp; And they are really pushing gold versions for these as well!!!! I was soooooo pumped up when I heard about that.&nbsp; Those coins are going to look gorgeous.....ok I can&#039;t wait... they want to to a Mercury dime and Walking lib commemorative coins in both silver and gold!!!!&nbsp; I think the mint is really starting to listen to the collector base.&nbsp; Good things are to come.&nbsp; I got some more interesting info, but nothing to do with commemorative coins.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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