There is still hope for those who are waiting for their 25th Anniversary ASE

[Ed J]

Not to keep hitting a dead horse but I could not get on the Mint order page till 5:45PM (EST) and my order went through at 05:57 PM (EST). Well today I got an email from the Mint stating that my ASEs were on the way. Check the Mint page and it read SHIPPED:) . So to all those still waiting do not give up hope. My number was 38388xxx. When I called the mint about my order being on backordered she told me they are waiting fro the coins to arrive before they shipped them out. I ask her “was I on the waiting list" all she could tell me that the wait list was 5pm. So I knew I must be on the list even though I did not get an email from them stating it.

 

So hang in there and maybe you will get a Xmas gift like I just did.

 

Happy Collecting

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TheMightyDuke]

It's unfortunate that they didn't have these sets READY TO GO, that they allegedly had to wait for more product. The extended delay will kill those, on the 'wait list' (or those that didn't have their orders placed/confirmed prior to 6:15pm, give or take), who were hoping to get the ER designation here (FS for those submitting ATS). If your set(s) haven't shipped by tomorrow (Friday), the date postmarked on your package when you ship it, will keep you from getting these designations.

 

If it doesn't ship till Monday, you can almost assuredly kiss the FS designation bye-bye, as you won't get them till the 6th, 7th at the latest (unless you are waiting at the door, sign for them, then run to the P.O., UPS, or other shipper). With NGC, you get the extra day for the postmark (the 8th). If it doesn't ship till Tuesday, you can all but kiss these designations bye-bye.

 

Funny thing is, the mint told 'the big guy' ATS that ALL sets would be shipped by Thanksgiving.....which we all know is a crock of BS by now.

 

With all the sets already graded with these designations, maybe 'plastic colectors' can take solace in knoowing that NON ER/FS certs will be among the vast minority. But, with all the different options for labels, who knows.

[Ed J]

@Duke I do not care for the early release much. But I am not sure if I will send them in. Was viewing other post where some folks got 68s and Cleaned from PCGS. How can that be when it was shipped in a sealed box? I am also waiting till my friend a collector gets his. He ordered late so if his order gets cancelled then I will sell him mine at cost. I order only two.

 

Happy Collecting

Ed

 

 

 

[cpm9ball]

I don't want to be the one to rain on your parade, but I don't think you've been given all of the information from the Mint. Based on previous history and information from other customers on the waiting list for the 25th Anniversary Sets, the Mint's statement about "waiting for product" sounds a bit misleading. More than a week ago, customers on the waiting list were being told they were "still in the ballgame" because the Mint was expecting cancellations and/or returns.

 

At this stage of the product release, it is inconceivable that all (100,000) orders have not already been filled. I believe the "product" they are waiting for is likely returns, and these returns are most likely due to dissatisfaction with the quality of one or more coins in the set. (Not everyone necessarily submits them for grading.) This same situation had occurred in the past with the '06 20th sets and the '08 Gold Buffs, just to cite a couple. Feedback from the "Mailbags" of CW & NN indicated that some of the "waiting list" customers were very disappointed because not all coins in these sets were 69 or 70 quality.

 

So, don't get your hopes too high. Whether the importance of the ER or FS designation is material or not, if you intend to submit the sets in the unopened shipping box in order to get the 25th Anniversary designation for all 5 of the coins, you may just be surprised at some of the grades.

 

Chris

 

 

[delta]

Congrats for getting a couple of the very last few available sets. As long as your box from the mint reaches you on or before Wednesday December 7th (Pearl Harbor Day, the 70th anniversary) you can still submit to NGC and along with the 25th Anniversary Set designation get the Early Release label, for which there is no additional charge, but of course if it's Dec. 7th, you'd have to then ship it to NGC in Florida by express mail or overnight by FedEx or UPS in order for it to arrive on the cut-off day for E.R. which is December 8th.

 

I'm not especially impressed by E.R. labels, but in this particular case they might have slightly more meaning and value than with other issues, and it won't cost you more. On the other hand, First Strike is a deliberately deceptive term which I would avoid obtaining, not only because of the extra $18 charge per coin ($90 per set of five), but also it is an expression of numismatic naivete. The main reason some knowledgeable people are still paying extra for so-called first strikes is they have the idea they can resell them again for even more, sooner or later, but the day is coming when the F.S. market will collapse altogether, I think it's like The Emperor's New Clothes.

[Denver Dave]

 

 

That's very Kool, Good Things come to those that wait...!

 

The set is very impressive in the OGP and I think you will be pleased...

 

Excellent of you to think about your buddy as well...

 

That's what collecting is all about...

 

 

 

 

[coinman_23885]

 

At this stage of the product release, it is inconceivable that all (100,000) orders have not already been filled. I believe the "product" they are waiting for is likely returns, and these returns are most likely due to dissatisfaction with the quality of one or more coins in the set.

 

 

This was my first thought.

[19Lyds]

It's unfortunate that they didn't have these sets READY TO GO, that they allegedly had to wait for more product. The extended delay will kill those, on the 'wait list' (or those that didn't have their orders placed/confirmed prior to 6:15pm, give or take), who were hoping to get the ER designation here (FS for those submitting ATS). If your set(s) haven't shipped by tomorrow (Friday), the date postmarked on your package when you ship it, will keep you from getting these designations.

 

If it doesn't ship till Monday, you can almost assuredly kiss the FS designation bye-bye, as you won't get them till the 6th, 7th at the latest (unless you are waiting at the door, sign for them, then run to the P.O., UPS, or other shipper). With NGC, you get the extra day for the postmark (the 8th). If it doesn't ship till Tuesday, you can all but kiss these designations bye-bye.

 

Funny thing is, the mint told 'the big guy' ATS that ALL sets would be shipped by Thanksgiving.....which we all know is a crock of BS by now.

 

With all the sets already graded with these designations, maybe 'plastic colectors' can take solace in knoowing that NON ER/FS certs will be among the vast minority. But, with all the different options for labels, who knows.

 

According to the Website ATS, folks have until Dec 7th to get their sets shipped from the US Mint. Also, from what I understand, as long as the sealed US Mint shipping box has a date of Dec 7th or earlier on it, you can submit these ATS for FS designations.

[Kenneth F]

@Duke I do not care for the early release much. But I am not sure if I will send them in. Was viewing other post where some folks got 68s and Cleaned from PCGS. How can that be when it was shipped in a sealed box? I am also waiting till my friend a collector gets his. He ordered late so if his order gets cancelled then I will sell him mine at cost. I order only two.

 

Happy Collecting

Ed

 

 

 

 

CLEANED from PCGS???

[TheMightyDuke]

@Duke I do not care for the early release much. But I am not sure if I will send them in. Was viewing other post where some folks got 68s and Cleaned from PCGS. How can that be when it was shipped in a sealed box? I am also waiting till my friend a collector gets his. He ordered late so if his order gets cancelled then I will sell him mine at cost. I order only two.

Happy Collecting

Ed

 

Ed, first off, kudos to you for being a friend and doing right by your friend. Due to the grades coming back, the ''designations', lousy packaging, etc, this now makes it easy for ME to do the same thing and help a friend out and sell one to him, as he was one who got a cancellation notice very early on, and was shut out. I discussed/insisted selling 'at cost', but he knows what they are bringing, and insists on paying a substantial premium...so I'll let him send the $$ by paypal ONLY, and just 'gift' him the extra $$ back...it'll be a ping-pong tourney, but I'll win out. If I were in it to flip and make all kinds of $$, I'd certainly take the chance and send them in, but thanks to the problems with packaging and subsequent low grades, this changes the whole tune, and allows me to be the friend I am first, and still be the collector I am second.

 

 

I fully agree with your entire statement regarding the grading of these, and also agree that these 'designations' are just shy of BS (though, our hosts here aren't NEARLY as 'money grubbing' as those ATS....$18 per coin, in ADDITION to grading fees...PLUS $20 for up to 2 sets, $30 for more than 2 sets to return the OGP is darn near criminal (just a figure of speech, no accussations or am I claiming it IS).

 

I, personally, would rather have them in the OGP (though I haven't actually SEEN mine yet..., as they are still sitting in the 'sealed' boxes), I am not a fan of the First Strike designation, because they AREN'T all 'first strikes'. I won't re-hash the argument on FS vs. ER....I think our hosts here did the right thing by calling them exactly what they are...Early Releases. I'd rather pay for THAT designation (Early Releases), because that is what they are. But, much like you, Ed, I don't care fore those designations (though, the proof is in the pudding, as they DO fetch more $$ than non designated examples). In the case of 'first strike', by literal definition (not ATS's 'kool-aid' definition, which is all mumbo-jumbo to justify their insistence to continue to use that designation), there can, in all reality, only be ONE set of 'first strikes' per set of dies...in this sets case, just ONE 5 coin set for every set of dies....the FIRST coin of each struck....but you'd have to take that ONE SINGLE coin that was 'struck first' from each pair of dies, put it aside, and.....but I won't delve any further into this, as it's been beaten to a pulp).

 

So, I'll be opening mine, and keeping it in a vaccuum packed bag (since I've begun storing them that way, I have 100% spot free ASE's for years...and living in an are where it gets to be 100 dgrees plus in the summer (and humidity..we don't have that 'dry' heat like I hear about in AZ, or other such places), feet of snow in the winter, rain in the spring...you get the idea)... and there are bags big enough to house this set in it's OGP...my 20th anniv set is still spot free. It'll look great with my OGP 20th Anniv set.

 

Also, this now makes it easy for me to help a friend of mine out and sell one to him, as he was one who got a cancellation notice very early on, and was shut out. I discussed/insisted selling 'at cost', but he knows what they are bringing, and insists on paying a substantial premium...so I'll let him send the $$ by paypal only, and just 'gift' him the extra $$ back...it'll be a ping-pong tourney, but I'll win out. If I were in it to flip and make all kinds of $$, I'd certainly take the chance and send them in, but thanks to the problems with packaging and subsequent low grades, this changes the whole tune, and allows me to be the friend I am first, and still be the collector I am second.

 

 

As for grading, yes, it's incredible how LOW some of the grades these BRAND NEW, NEWLY struck coins are coming back with. ATS, there is a PR66DCAM....PR66DCAM??? 67's are even unacceptable, but a 66DCAM??? There really is no excuse for a current year's ASE to garner anything other than a grade of 69 at the worst, but for the most part...I'll give it up and allow a VERY FEW 68's, but where they are newly minted, no excuse for such low grades, and it's all due to the mint's packaging (well, PBGS's inability to package them correctly/properly..not to mention, the delivery of some I've seen, the handling of these immediately nullifies any chance of getting any designation, as the packing tape is torn, ripped...but that's UPS's fault...some look like they played soccer with them at lunch break. The exception...the Rev Proof and the 'S' mint coins will always be able to get the designation of their being from this set. Grades such as those (lower than 69, but I'll give up the handful, at most, of 68's) are TOTALLY unacceptable. Given the large amount of comments (from multiple message boards) from those who did get theirs, with capsules loose, sliding about, coins OUT of the capsules, those buyers had to bite the bullet immediately and open them...but it DID save them all that $$ in grading/shipping fees. I think they were better off having a set that you can present/show off as it SHOULD be displayed/shown off.

 

It's more than a crapshoot to send in the box blindly, paying for shipping, grading, return shipping....I'm not willing to take that chance by paying the fees to get a 66 or 67 grade. Those coins are WAY more than likely going to be cracked out, and put back in their OGP, with the submitter essentially flushing all that grading fee $$ down the toilet. How much do you think a set containing a 67 will bring? I'd be willing to bet less than a raw OGP set (who wants to spend big $$ for 66's, 67's, even a 68?).

 

To me, it's just not worth the $$ to end up with a set that I already have now (hypothetically speaking, if you were to receive sub-69 grades...which still disgusts me they could grade that low). I hadn't heard of a 'cleaned' coin coming back, but if a coin were to slide around, out of thecapsule, then you have hairlines, and.....but coming from SEALED, UNOPENED boxes, 'cleaned' should NEVER be given out). Those that are receiving 70's all around are VERY lucky (any 70 grade is half luck, but moreso in this case, as you can't screen them and 'pick' the best ones...it isn't like your average submission, unfortunately)

 

For those that do send them in, I wish them luck. I, personally, think raw sets in OGP will be worth what a 69 set is worth (JMO).

[Ed J]

@Duke, since both sets came in one box so I will be opening it when I find out if my Buddy didn't get his. The cost of sending them in is a little steep for me. I started collecting with the start of the Lincoln’s chronicles. My buddy got me into it. But I will send in the two coins that are unique to the set. I already have two 70's one PF and the other MS all I need is a SF to complete my set. They all have special labels that state 25th Anniversary. So do I take a chance and get them all graded just for a label with the word SET on it. That is what I have a problem with the Mint. Only two coins are unique to the set. The other three are out there. Words ah.

 

Happy Collecting

 

Ed