The United States Mint on Wednesday sent e-mail updates to customers who purchased a 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold (UHR) coin. The e-mail expands on the Mint’s shipment notice recently placed on its online store, and includes additional information such as return details.
The Mint has been under considerable heat from customers wondering when their coins will be shipped. The problem was compounded when the Mint sent out several notices with differing delivery dates. And of course, is worsened by a long delay between ordering and receiving.
To add to the Mint’s woes, apparently some orders may have been shipped ahead of others. If reality, and the Mint has not verified the possibility, production problems with UHR companion books may account for the disparity.
Here is the Mint e-mail in its entirety:
Dear Customer,
The United States Mint is pleased to announce that we will resume shipping of the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin during the week of February 22, 2009. However, because of production problems with the Companion Book, you may receive only the COIN and presentation box at this time. If you are a customer who receives the COIN without the Companion Book, we will ship the Companion Book to you, at no extra charge, when it becomes available.
If you ordered your 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin between January 22, 2009, and February 9, 2009, you are under the 30-day return policy. If you ordered on or after February 10, 2009, you are under the seven-day return policy. The return timeframe for the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold COIN and presentation box will begin on the date you receive it.
If you are dissatisfied for any reason with your 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold COIN, you may send it back to the United States Mint within the applicable return period for a full refund or replacement. If you return your COIN for any reason prior to receiving the Companion Book, we will cancel your shipment of the Companion Book. If you receive the Companion Book within the applicable return period, you must return both for a full refund.
If your Companion Book is shipped separately, the exchange timeframe for it also will begin on the date you receive it and under the same return policy – 30 days or seven days – as applicable. We will make no refunds for the Companion Book; we will make exchanges for damages only.
Customers’ orders will be shipped on a first-come, first-served basis. You will be notified by email when your order has shipped. If you do not receive the Companion Book with your COIN, you will receive a second e-mail notification when we ship the Companion Book.
If you ordered the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin between January 22 and February 23, 2009, we expect to ship it by April 24, 2009.
If you place your order for the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin on or after February 24 (and up until March 24, 2009), we expect to ship it by May 24, 2009.
Thank you for your interest in United States Mint products.
Reading down a bit in the email announcement I received, the mint is now saying that if you ordered your coin on January 22, it expects to ship by April 24. The last estimate released on February 6 said the expected ship date was March 6, so there’s been a further delay of seven weeks. The mint can’t keep up with the coins; never mind about the book. This makes me wonder if the mint might be having more difficulty with the two-strikes-per-coin minting process than it is letting on. A very high error rejection rate from quality control inspections… Read more »
Placed my order for the Ultra High Relief in the second hour on January 22 and for a time received email updates giving me different ship dates. Have not received a new email update since the mint took the track order and order history functions off their web site. Did not receive this mint announcement about resumption of shipping nor an update of my shipping date which passed a week ago. Have called the mint to confirm that my order is still good and was told that I’m not the only person that was not receiving email updates. The mint… Read more »
Placed my order for the Ultra High Relief in the second hour on January 22 as well, I got my order in the 1st hour. I received an email and my account said my order was to ship 6 February. Later I got another email that my coin was to ship 18 February. Then another stating 2O February. My account showed 18 February and a day or two later showed 6 February. Then the website with my order history has been inaccessible for over 3 weeks. I called the Mint and they said my order was in stock and reserved.… Read more »
I spoke with an individual at the Mint Website phone number (Actually an outsourcing place in Indiana) about ordering the Hi Relief Gold Dbl Eagle. She was very nice and told me to make certain that I had established an account so as to expedite ordering. She also told me not to order prior to 12:00PM on Jan. 22nd. Immediately at 12:00PM I attempted to access the Mint OnLine website, but could not get connected. I left my computer running and later came back a short while later. I had finally gained access to the OnLine Mint site. I placed… Read more »
Coin buyers beware about buying “first strike” 2009 Hi Relief Gold $20.00 Double Eagles. This information concerning First Strikes may be helpful. I have received this information directly from the U S Mint. The United States Mint sells coins as collectables and does not value coins for grading purposes. The term “first strike” has appeared in connection with the advertising and grading of silver, gold, and platinum proof and bullion American Eagle Coins, and the proof and bullion versions of the American Buffalo Gold Coins. Coin dealers and grading services may use this term in varying ways. Some base its… Read more »
I ordered my coin and have received it several weeks ago. I received my companion book in yesterdays mail; finally! Much to my surprise, it appears to have been bound backwards; or maybe this is intentional; perhaps others who have received theirs can comment. Any way, what I thought was the front cover of the book, the side which is intented and contains the picture of the coin; in my case, is actually the back of the book and the pages are inverted (upside down when opened normally). Very strange!