Ellen McCullom, West Point Mint Superintendent and James Bucki, About.com Guide to Coins, inspect a 2013-W American Silver Eagle Enhanced Uncirculated bullion coin.
Image: © 2013 James Bucki, All rights reserved. |
This past Monday I had the opportunity to visit the U.S. Mint at West Point, New York. While I was there, I witnessed the striking of the first U.S. coin with three distinct finishes on a single coin, the 2013-W American Silver Eagle Enhanced Uncirculated bullion coin. This coin will be part of The 2013 American Eagle West Point Two-Coin Silver Commemorative Set that will be issued later this year. The coin is absolutely stunning and it really highlights an already classic American coin design. The production of this coin is truly a labor-of-love from all aspects of the U.S. Mint's employees who work on it. From hand finishing the dies, to hand feeding the coins into the press, to visually inspecting each and every coin that is struck, every Mint employee takes pride in what they do to produce our coins. I was impressed with the dedication and knowledge that the employees so eagerly shared with me.
What strikes me odd is that the Mint is labeling this coin as "Enhanced Uncirculated." The production process that I witnessed used specially prepared blanks, on a press that used specially prepared dies and each coin received three strikes in the coining press. To the best of my knowledge, this is a proof coin. Click on the photos in my article below and see for yourself what the coin looks like. Leave a comment below and give me your opinion.
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why didn’t you ask why it wasn’t a proof coin??????????
isn’t enhansed another word in the sme way as proof, hey how aboit special proof, aw, next year maybe?
The 2013 American Eagle West Point Two-Coin Silver Commemorative Set – With silver at $29.02 this morning (kitco.com/market/), I can hardly wait for the Mint to announce how much of a screwing they expect to give collectors for yet another 2-coin special release. I imagine that the race is on between NGC and PCGS to design unique labels for slabbing this set.
This is another fine example of how out of touch the U.S. Mint is with consumers. This is nothing more than a gimmick, a smoke-and-mirrors way of passing off coins that are tlikely less than proof quality to the numismatic market. I wish the mint would focus more on avoiding production problems such as grease on planchets, water spots, delamination, and the odd discoloration that seems increasingly prevalent on proof sets in the past two years. This is not just a quality control issue, it’s a management iissue.
Can’t wait till it ‘s for sale. I’ll probably buy more than one set.
Thanks for the insight on this. I am looking forward to seeing the coins up close.
Sounds like another Mint product made just by the Mint to make more money off of collectors and investors. Actually, I think they lost the collectors years ago as they have decided to morph into a southern and larger version of the RCM. More and more products, finishes, burnished, proof, uncirculated, “special sets”, mint marks, ultra high, cameo, etc ad naseum ad infinitum. After an initial flurry of interest by investors and flippers, do you EVER see any of these coins again in the marketplace after several years? Most of them, including the ATBs, are ugly too. I can see why now that the Mint finally ended all this nonsense the first time in 1939 and they need to do it again. Half dollars that don’t circulate, not one, but two sets of dollars that don’t circulate, dates on the edges of the dollars instead of the obverse, “honoring” presidents, half of whom were mediocre at best and abject failures at worst, cents that are worthless and cost more to make than the metal in them, same for nickels, printing dollar bills and the same time they mint dollar coins, spaghetti hair and cleaved out faces on quarters and especially halves, A totally dysfunctional government in DC. Price gouging by the Mint, unattractive designs, for the most part on coins, everything so politically correct nothing makes sense, 90% of commemoratives are military or sport theme – is there anything else in the USA besides these reminders of ancient Sparta?
some comments hit the nail on the head! The mint is going to screw the true collectors over but good. “Enhanced”-that’s ludicrous! Stick to the basics and create coins that are eye appealing. What will the mint charge for these “Enhanced ” coins?
If you decide to purchase just bring your check book,first born,Plus an arm and a leg…
OF COURSE THEY’RE PROOFS !!! I’ve known since I was a kid that
a proof is on “Special Polished Dies & is stamped a min of 2 Times” !!
The mint is desparate.. as their is NO collector coins anymore. They have made/sold every kind of varity Eagle one could even imagine!!!
Is that coloring on these coins ? YUP ~~~ I wonder how much they’re
going to screw their devoted followers for a $29 slab of silver !!!! I’ve ordered stuff(& trash) for 40 yrs– & in the 90′s I started to see alot of
trickery /misleading & NON-COMPLYING of simple questions. Although I will still buy selected things—— “I hate the U.S. MINT !!” I
don’t have time nor space to list the reasons. Hey get your daughter a silver Chinese Panda. They are beautiful– & with the 1st time in 30yrs,
the 2013 has 3 Pandas– which I think will rise in value. And “Temple
of Heaven” on reverse ~~~~~ AND NO GAMES” !!!! SEE-YA. George.
Ok so first off, the coin is absolutely stunning! Is it gimmicky? Yes. That aside, we can all pass on it or purchase it. If your an investor, than who really gives a hoot about gimmicky coins. You don’t have to buy them. Me personally, I’ll cough up whatever it is their asking & I might even have my wife cough up for another set. Truth be told, I like the bullion & I like numasistic as well. For investing, I purchase for as close to spot as possible but for a hobby, why not? I know many a person that squander their money on materialistic goods that have a 200% mark up, including folks that throw back good cash on wine that costs 200% more. Why not pay a little more for a hobby that invests in something that at the bare minimum, you sell at spot. The liquor, the fancy clothes, cars & other materialistic crap that depreciates to half or zero isn’t going to possibly be worth more some day, unless of course you bought a 68 Shelby Cobra. I say kudos to the coin. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.
On an end note, the Perth Mint sells many a colorized coin and their beautiful. To each their own. Nice coin. I’m jealous I didn’t get to the West Point Mint like yourself.
Best Regards!
What I don’t like,and believe me I have bought a ton of coins from the US Mint is that you have to go thru a coin dealer to order tubes or anything more than single coins at an inflated price.If these coins are made at the US Mint,put into sealed tubes then why can’t we buy them from the Mint.I don’t like going thru a 3rd party
An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a coworker who has been doing a little homework on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast simply because I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending the time to discuss this topic here on your web site.
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Two “unique” coins in a set.
Looks like the first Reverse Proof from West Point on their 75 Anniversary too. Hence, Reverse Proofs continue another addition tho their tradition.
And the first “Enhanced Uncirculated” release appears as it’s own first for min release products.
Sounds like a winner on both counts.