The United States Mint will not change America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coin specifications despite recently inheriting new authority to adjust their size.
The Coin Modernization, Oversight, and Continuity Act, which was signed into Public Law 111-302 by President Obama on December 14, permits the US Mint to produce the 5-ounce, .999 fine silver coins in a diameter ranging between 2.5-3.0 inches. The original law mandated a 3.0 inch diameter.
Changing their current 3.0 inch size would take time and deepen expenses, a US Mint official told CoinNews.net.
"We, as well as our suppliers, have invested money in tooling based on the 3.0 inch size. To change the size at this time would only cause additional delays and require us to spend additional funds that would have to be recovered, ultimately from the public," according to Gordan Hume, the United States Mint’s deputy director of Public Affairs.
Hume said the US Mint spent substantial development effort in achieving the America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coin launch based on the 3.0 inch size specifications.
For the aforementioned reasons and to promote consistency, Hume added that the Mint’s current plans are to maintain the 3.0 inch size "throughout the life of the program."
The 3.0 inch requirement resulted in significant delays and production challenges which were deepened when incusing each coin’s edge with their fineness and weight. Public Law 111-302 also permits the Mint to remove the edge lettering completely from America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins.
The Act, in part, was meant to give the Mint more flexibly in manufacturing the silver coins to overcome production hurdles. However, by the time it became law the original issues were addressed by the use of a new Graebener press and the development of new minting techniques.
The original specifications and resulting manufacturing challenges handicapped the US Mint and pushed back the release of the 2010 issues to a date that was much later than planned. The Mint only launched the bullion versions on December 9. Additionally, it could only strike 33,000 for each of the five 2010 America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins.
Like the companion America the Beautiful Quarters® which share the same designs, the 2010 silver bullion coins honor:
- Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
- Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)
- Yosemite National Park (California)
- Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
- Mount Hood National Forest (Oregon)
The US Mint has said it will offer collector uncirculated versions of the five-ounce silver coins in early 2011. The coin program to honor 56 national parks and national sites throughout the U.S. and its Territories is scheduled to last until 2021.
for the love of god, I DON”T WANT THIS USELESS JUNK WATERMELON ZISE COINS. The hype created for the bullion will only amount to money down the pipes. I will not buy the bullion for over 5% spot and spot is going down last time I checked. for those that pais $2200 to $3000 for the bullion sets all I have to say is, You must be Rich or Just had to have ’em
1/7/11
coinantiques of springfield il.
same location as the gold center has 74 sets of atb 5oz for sale on ebay . everybody followed the mint’s guidelines.
I’ve been watching from afar.Anyone chasing after these mithological medallion must have money to flush away.I’ll buy the three piece sets for$13.95 directly from the mint (overpriced) but i do like the set and spend the balance on my shooting hobby.
First Day of Issue in palm sized ANACS slabs were on one of the networks over the weekend near $4800 / set – in PF69. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. P.T. Barnum said it best… A sucker born every minute. If they were truly available to the public at a reasonable price, I would pick one up to study the inticricy of the German monster that created these whoppers. I would love a chance to put one under the lamp and really look at how the metal held up to the pressures and how the dies effected the… Read more »
Some very educated opinions if I’ve ever heard one……….lol
Did you all read the article from Coinnews.net? The Mint sold to the bullion dealers and that’s who you need to contact to get them for $800-$1000, not e-bay or other dealers that want to rip you off. There was a list they published, who they sold them to and they are not allow to sell them to you for no more than 10% over what they cost them, plus shipping. Only 1 to a household if they have them anymore.
i registered with apmex and other dealers:to date no contact
I am still waiting for mine, I heard every one of them were sold out!
Dealers I’ve contacted, ” Accepting no questions or ORDERS ! ”
You can get a set for from $2000 up, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.
$200 a piece would be acceptable.
YEA!! I was able to get a set from A-Mark this afternoon, when they put the set up for sale, Total cost was $875.33 + s/h of $99.00; if you live in CA, there was a sales tax charge of 9.75%. It looks like the website has been updated recently and they will be selling another 250 sets on Tuesday 1/25, to the first 250 people that register on the website. One per household.
Received my order today from Amark. The coins are beautiful but I’m a little disappointed with the AR coin. On the obverse the top of ST of the STATES lettering is not profound as the rest of the lettering. Looks like to me the die was worn. This should have been caught at the mint and reflects badly on the mints commitment to provide superior quality numismatic’s to the public.
Buyers,Silver today at about $28. (2/1/2011) times 5=per puck adout or around $140.@#%&*=+what are you thinking errors double dies investment,collectible.This is an emotional issue,and you have been sucked in.How much bullion could you have purchased?Probably around or about .What do you think.
2010 ATB 3″5oz Prices 1.MTB of NY $930 shipped 2.Fidelitrade of DE $930 shipped 3.The Gold Center of Ill $975 shipped 4. A-Mark of CA $975 shipped ((Slabed PCGS F/S Gem BU )) 5. Apmex of OK $860 shipped ((Second Round of sales Slabbed PCGS F/S BU or Better)) $980 Shipped C/C $1,008.75 Shipped 6. Jack Hunt of NY $949 shipped ((If your Check was lost you got a PCGS MS-68 Set)) 7. Dillon Gage of TX $937 shipped ((Second round of sales included two A.S.E.)) $1,025 Shipped 8. Prudential of NY $862.70 + S/H ((Storage Complicated ordering processes)) 9.… Read more »