First Look: 2013-W "Enhanced" Uncirculated Special ASE!

I can't see any way they'll sell this for the same price as last year's set, given the expenses to develop the enhanced uncirculated coin. Assuming the RP costs about the same to produce as last year, and the enhanced uncirc coin being more costly than the S proof, my guess is more around the $179.95 mark. There's no doubt they'll sell more of these than the SF set, but if the enhanced uncirc looks great in hand, the increased demand should help it in the secondary market.

Im skeptical of any true added cost from the new version. Whatever new method they use it wont just be used on that and then tossed away like Doug mentioned. I also dont believe they bought anything specifically for that rather just used something they already had purchased/upgraded in a new way. The engravers probably have to spend more time on the dyes, but I believe they are salaried and not paid by the hour anyway

This is what I don't understand, people are willing to pay $99.95 for a Canadian Maple Canopy coin or $108 for a Mythical Creatures coin or $98 for an Aurora Australis coin, but cringe at the thought of this unique , one of a kind set going for more than $150. What if the mintage was only 25000, would you pay $240 ?

Despite what spot silver is, the price will not be less than last year's SF set. And the SF set was a kind of lack luster set. I see this set at $179.00. My worry is that this set is going to attract many new or fringe collectors because of this new coin, and the mintage totals are going to skyrocket.

If the mintage was 25k people would pay 240 or probably even 340 in a heart beat. If they ever set a mintage like that the set wouldnt survive the day before being sold out, look how fast 100k for the 2011 set went. Like mentioned those mints work off of low mintage high premiums and really have the exact opposite model for how they produce stuff.

Really the only thing worse than setting a mintage too high is setting an unlimited mintage. The idea that as many could be made as ordered does cheapen the set to an extent, it can still be beautiful but minting things to demand seems more like circulated coinage than a collectors issue deserving of a high premium.

The 2012 set was lack luster because of being deceived about the two coins being special to the set and then the unlimited mintage. If they did a 150k or even 200k limit it would have generated a lot more buzz. The final sales would have been similar but limiting it makes it seem special.

Not to mention the mint lost millions on canceled orders where people just bought them on the after market instead of waiting for their late October/early November ship date.

Generally speaking if you want them graded its cheaper to buy them that, especially if you want the 70s instead of chasing that. If its anything like last year you can put in an order from the mint at the end so your in the last batch to ship and see how the after market goes before deciding on whether or not to cancel your order

Actually closer to $5 Fox... but it is cheaper today and trending south instead of north as it did last summer.

Comparing US coin releases to world coins is not really a fair - apples to apples comparison. The US coin market has always sold volumes more than any other market. Most of the other mints limit the number of coins they release - to in fact support the high prices they ask for the product. Once they ramp up the volume the prices go down. (check out the Pandas and see if that isn't true).

The laser process may not be new technology - but it is new in the US coin production. I am guessing it is slower and far fewer coins can be made using the process - which is why it is gong to have limited use. (kind of odd they are using it on a Uncirculated coin - since they say it will be used for proof production though).

My preference for new coins is to buy them from the mint. If you are looking for MS70/PF70 as basebal suggests - buy those from a 2nd party - instead of chasing them down via ordering and submitting for evaluation.

We all know it is a no win situation for the mint. If this set was a high price with a limited mintage, there would be a huge out cry, " snob pricing " , " sold out in an hour ". Only big collectors, with connections and big resources would get the bulk of the mintage, leaving the rest us to try and come up with funds to pay the obnoxious secondary market prices, or go without. The mint is not servicing the " everyman " collector that has been such a big part of their recent successful issues.
On the other side collectors with larger resourses, constantly decry the unlimited or timed mintage limits, as not instilling value in their collectable coins.

I was very happy with the way the SF set turned out, enough to go around for everyone who wanted one , but enough people under valued it to make the RP the third lowest Eagle in the series. I see the ASE as an " everyman " series, a more expensive version of the State Quarter series. The mint walks a thin between making exclusively priced and minted sets , and allowing everyone to be able to continue their complete collection. But they can't win either way.

I would like to add to basebal21's comment: The USMint MUST protect/consider the "everyman"/average collectors, those who committing to collecting the series. They are the mass and they will keep the Mint running, not the big resellers (those big resellers selling to whom?).

This approach of No-limit mintage, Mint-to-order for 1 month is probably the best solution the Mint came up with. Sure that the set will not appreciate right away. However, over long time, it will have a slower but steady appreciation in value.

Looking back at the 2006 set, it was in the $200 price range for a very long time (issue was $100, I believe), only when the excitement of the 2011 set start spreading (around 2010 when the news surfaced) that's when it jump to $300 range and stay there.

So, the 2012 set will not appreciate much for at least another few years. This would give a sustaining support for this series in the long run.