"Early Release" and "First Strike" are marketing ploys.

"First Strike" and "Early Release" are nothing more then marketing ploys by NGC and PCGS. NGC was sued over First Strike and has settled the case and they no longer do it. It is posted on NGC's web site. The US Mint has stated that they do not number their coins as they are minted. For example...if they project 1 million proof SAE to be minted and sold, about 50% will already have been minted before they even go on sale the first of the year. They are placed in storage bins and are NOT numbered 1 through 500,000. When your order is placed, a coin is grabbed from the bin and sent out. You can be getting the first one minted or the last or any one in between...noboby knows. Plus the die is repeatedly swapped out during the minting process because it wears out. More so for the proofs then the MS.

The "Early Releases" have nothing to do with being released early from the mint. You don't get to buy coins anytime earlier then the Mint's starting sale date. The only difference is when you ship it to NGC to get graded. I can buy a SAE and you can buy an SAE the first day they are available from the Mint. We both receive them at our homes on the same day. You send yours in to get graded by the date stated by NGC....I wait 6 months. Yours gets the "Early Release" label mine does not. Any difference between the coins? Not one bit. Yours just went in to NGC early then mine. It has absolutely nothing to do with the US Mint or when they are released or when you buy. It only has to do with getting the coin in the alloted time frame stated by NGC.

I think this is making people buy the plastic instead of the coin.

Another fun example I use is the directions on shampoo bottles. Wet hair, shampoo, rinse, repeat. Why repeat? Your hair is already clean. Just another marketing ploy for you to use more product then you need too. So you end up buying even more shampoo.

Thanks again for taking the time to read my little rant.

Jeffrey