Proof 2003 Silver Eagles

[Weidel Legacy Collection]

How's this for quick turn-around?

I ordered my 5 Proof SAE's on-line this Wednesday morning. They were delivered to my door this morning!

 

While I do admit that the USMint isn't perfect, it sure makes me wish that other branches or the government were run in a similar fashion.

[truthteller]

Holy smokes! Do you live next to the mint?

 

TRUTH

[jtryka]

That's good to hear! I ordered mine on Tuesday, nothing yet, maybe today though!

[Beijim]

I had a similar experience. Ordered five copies the afternoon they went on sale, using the Mint web site. They arrived two days later. I was, to put it mildly, astonished and delighted. So bravo, U.S. Mint.

 

NOT "bravo, U.S. Mint" was the fact that, of the five, two had eye visible surface flaws and must be returned. It appears that no first strike quality control advantage exists for early orders. Boo, U.S. Mint, boo.

 

Beijim

 

[Dermott]

Just ordered a Proof SAE and the roll set of 2003 Halves this afternoon. Might be interesting to see which ones gets here first... the mint order or my NGC submission (that by my calendar should be on its way back). I'm not going to gripe about service from either place, just think its a fun thing to see what happens.

[GDJMSP]

I use their subscription service - got mine on the 4th. Don't ask me how - I live clear across the country.

 

As for the first strike quality control - I don't think that has much to do with it. It would have to do with quality control in general. The coins were obviously made well before the release date. And due to the average life expectancy for a proof die - there is no telling whether you'd get a first strike or not. It could easily be one struck at the end of dies life even if among the first to be shipped.

 

The chances of getting a first strike coin are no greater whether you order early or late as they are minted throughout the year. And several sets of dies are used per day.

[Beijim]

And due to the average life expectancy for a proof die - there is no telling whether you'd get a first strike or not. It could easily be one struck at the end of dies life even if among the first to be shipped.

 

Thanks for clarifying this point. I had a suspicion there was no way they fulfilled early orders with so-called first strike coins. It just didn't seem to make logistic sense. So basically it's luck of the draw.

 

Your point about quality control in general is well taken. Poor quality control can just as easily ruin coins from the beginning of a die's life as it can coins from the end. What kind of disappoints me is that they've been doing this for eighteen years. I'd expect the production process to be down to a science as far as handling and packaging are concerned.

 

Regards,

Beijim