interesting changes for the direct ship program at the mint

[halfpint]

 

...big surprise? http://mintnewsblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/us-mint-changes-direct-ship-program.html

[Conder101]

Not really. Not after all the news media dredged up a two year old "scam" for free points and frequent flyer miles that was for the most part no longer working anyway, and then harped on it for several days. It tended to give the mint an undiserved black eye so they made this change just so the critics would shut up about it.

[Schatzy]

I bought 2 boxes....searched them for errors and then used all of them in tolls. I was more interested searching for errors or ms67 + coins.

[halfpint]

Not really. Not after all the news media dredged up a two year old "scam" for free points and frequent flyer miles that was for the most part no longer working anyway, and then harped on it for several days. It tended to give the mint an undiserved black eye so they made this change just so the critics would shut up about it.

 

...well, yeah, but now the free shipping has turned into the price of a stamp!

[19Lyds]

Not really. Not after all the news media dredged up a two year old "scam" for free points and frequent flyer miles that was for the most part no longer working anyway, and then harped on it for several days. It tended to give the mint an undiserved black eye so they made this change just so the critics would shut up about it.

 

...well, yeah, but now the free shipping has turned into the price of a stamp!

Or the cost of a wire transfer.

 

IMO, this will kill this program which I stopped using after they placed limits on the number that could be ordered.

 

I wasn't finding anything anyway.

 

I'd buy them, search them, then turn them to my bank since spending them was just a waste of time. Retailers that received them would set them aside, never give them out in change, and then return them to the bank anyway.

 

The one dollar coin would have a chance if banks gave them out, but they don't unless you specifically ask for them. If given a choice, most folks would choose the bill over the coin anyday so I'm of the opinion that eliminating the "choice" is the only way to make these things work as has been proven by many other countries that are not "governed" by political correctness and/or vote getting machines.

 

[cpm9ball]

I used the program a couple of times to search Sac dollars (not Native American) for high grades, but nearly all of them look like they had been stored in a wishing well.

 

Chris

[shirohniichan]

I reckon it's a good thing I placed my order last Thursday!

 

I bought a box of 2010 NA dollars early last year, and Thursday I ordered the 2011 NA bucks. I'll keep a roll of each and spend the rest slowly over the next few years. I'm keeping my shipping receipts as a memento of the time dollar coins were so unpopular the Treasury could only get rid of them by paying for shipping and sending them directly to the public (i.e. a handful of collectors and a number of mooches).

[astrostu]

I've used it to get ahold of the dollar coins for my year/mint sets. Not happy they changed this, but I do understand why they did. Now I have to figure out what a wire transfer is.

[halfpint]

 

...i guess the ol' personal check will be accepted.

[jtryka]

This isn't surprising, but frankly some of the orders are the Mint's own fault. I needed rolls of P and D, and the only reason I ordered more than one box was because they kept shipping P's until finally they switched over. If they let us know which were going out at what times, I wouldn't have ordered more than 2 boxes at all! Of course I am just a collector and not trying to scam the government on miles etc.

[bochiman]

I used to use it.

Appreciated getting the Sacs without having to cut up a mint set, or pay $$$$ extra for the rolls in the special wrapper.

 

I would do $500-$1000 at a time and then give some to the wife each week to spend for lunch, etc. I did the same.

 

Never did just turn them in at the bank (I am kind of black and white that way), but I did accept the frequent flyer miles, or cash back, as those are the only CCs I have.

 

Nah....people ruined it for everyone and they only care that their little gig is up and they can't do the same now.

 

I never even bothered searching my rolls for anything other than MEL (never found any).

[Chris1976]

The change wont effect me much as I just ask for rolls at my local bank. Still just $25 a roll that way, plus what I dont choose to keep they have this nice little machine in the lobby that sorts and counts the coins for me. Then I just take the slip to the teller to credit my account for that amount I returned. But I'm one of those people that dislike the idea of yet another coin in my pocket that can easily be lost while getting in or out of my truck. Loosing a quarter isnt too bad from time to time, but I really dont like the thought of possibly droping a dollar at a time by accident. With that being said, even if they do finally do away with the one dollar paper money and force us into using the coins, I'd rather just carry the lowest denomination in paper currency instead of the added weight in my pockets. Most of the time I rarely carry any coins on me, just the change I recieve while shopping. But that change just travels back home with me and resides in a cloth bag until I feel I have enough to warrent a trip to the coin sorting machine at the local bank branch.

 

-Chris#2

[halfpint]

"The change wont effect me much as I just ask for rolls at my local bank. Still just $25 a roll that way."

 

...this is okay for prez bucks but won't work for the NA bucks, though.

[shirohniichan]

Dear United States Mint Direct Ship Customer:

 

The United States Mint has eliminated the credit and debit card purchase of $1 Coins through its Direct Ship Program effective July 20, 2011. Customers who wish to purchase $1 coins through the Direct Ship Program can still do so by using a wire transfer, money order or check. Customers who wish to purchase the coins by wire transfer may fax their order to (202)756-6585. Customers interested in purchasing by money order or check may do so by submitting your request in writing to the following address:

 

 

United States Mint

PO Box 71192

Philadelphia, PA 19176-6192

Please download the order form which includes wire transfer information and follow the instructions provided on the form. http://www.usmint.gov/downloads/directShip/orderform.pdf

 

 

If you currently have an open $1 coin Direct Ship order placed with the United States Mint, that order will be cancelled. Please resubmit your order by wire transfer, check or money order using the order form. The Mint has determined that this policy change is prudent due to ongoing activity by individuals purchasing $1 coins with credit cards, accumulating frequent flyer miles, and then returning coins to local banks. Local banks, in turn, return coins to the Federal Reserve. While not illegal, this activity is a clear abuse and misuse of the program which was intended to facilitate the use of $1 coins in cash transactions.

 

The Mint has undertaken several aggressive internal and external actions to mitigate this issue, including restricting chronic and repeated use of credit cards, contacting customers who frequently placed large numbers of orders to ensure they were using the coins for legitimate business purchases, and other measures. While these efforts eliminated a significant amount of misuse in the program, we believe some abuse still exists. Eliminating the credit and debit card purchase of the $1 coin is the next step in our efforts to root out abuse in this program and ensure it is better targeted toward fulfilling its intended purpose – which is to get the $1 coin into greater circulation.

 

Thank you for your understanding and your continued support of the $1 Coin Program.

 

The United States Mint

 

D'oh!

 

I reckon I'll have to mail them a check.

[astrostu]

Dear United States Mint Direct Ship Customer:

 

The United States Mint has eliminated the credit and debit card purchase of $1 Coins through its Direct Ship Program effective July 20, 2011. Customers who wish to purchase $1 coins through the Direct Ship Program can still do so by using a wire transfer, money order or check. Customers who wish to purchase the coins by wire transfer may fax their order to (202)756-6585. Customers interested in purchasing by money order or check may do so by submitting your request in writing to the following address:

 

 

United States Mint

PO Box 71192

Philadelphia, PA 19176-6192

Please download the order form which includes wire transfer information and follow the instructions provided on the form. http://www.usmint.gov/downloads/directShip/orderform.pdf

 

 

If you currently have an open $1 coin Direct Ship order placed with the United States Mint, that order will be cancelled. Please resubmit your order by wire transfer, check or money order using the order form. The Mint has determined that this policy change is prudent due to ongoing activity by individuals purchasing $1 coins with credit cards, accumulating frequent flyer miles, and then returning coins to local banks. Local banks, in turn, return coins to the Federal Reserve. While not illegal, this activity is a clear abuse and misuse of the program which was intended to facilitate the use of $1 coins in cash transactions.

 

The Mint has undertaken several aggressive internal and external actions to mitigate this issue, including restricting chronic and repeated use of credit cards, contacting customers who frequently placed large numbers of orders to ensure they were using the coins for legitimate business purchases, and other measures. While these efforts eliminated a significant amount of misuse in the program, we believe some abuse still exists. Eliminating the credit and debit card purchase of the $1 coin is the next step in our efforts to root out abuse in this program and ensure it is better targeted toward fulfilling its intended purpose – which is to get the $1 coin into greater circulation.

 

Thank you for your understanding and your continued support of the $1 Coin Program.

 

The United States Mint

 

D'oh!

 

I reckon I'll have to mail them a check.

 

I was just about to post this. I have an outstanding NA order with them, so I guess I now have to do this, as well.