5 Ounce America The Beautiful National Park Silver Quarters

They really cant charge too much more then they let the bullion people sell them for which was like 10% over spot if I remember correctly. Can you imagine the uproar from the bullion people if the were to 'profiteer' from there own release! Now they will have a 'special finish' and a fancy box so I could be all wrong.

Sure they can. Like I said look at the percentage mark up of the W unc or the proof ASE's over the bullion versions that the distributors sell. The mint gets that mark up because they are "collectors" version and not just bullion. Same thing goes for the "collectors" version of the hockey pucks.

I finally got to see them first hand at the F.U.N. show and I wasn't impressed. They are way too gawdy. I won't be collecting them, especially at those prices.

The ones that I seen where in NGC holders and were the size of a cherrypicker's guide! How in the world would you store them?

Thanks parkquarters. A-Mark Precious Metals is starting online sales on Tuesday, 01/18/2011, at 10:00am PT.

http://www.amark.com/

This is really interesting. I feel like it's a horse race now. Who can get them in their hands the fastest and onto ebay first before the price drops!

I don't have a problem with the prices they are fetching. I do, however, take exception to the "monopoly" that these AP's have on the mint. What if the mint actually thought about turning a profit and sold directly to the public? They could actually become (gulp) a profitable and efficient government entity!

I never heard a word that prudential ever started sales and there voice mail says that all sales will be suspended indefinitely

I never heard a word that dillon gage ever started sales and his web- site says potentially sold out

Whats up with that ?

New info
http://www.coinzine.net/2011/01/mos...center-more/

http://coins.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_..._sop=16&ht=0

The AP's wer set up back in 1986 for selling the bullion eagles. Thy wanted the coins to have the widest possible distribution and the lowest possible cost. The idea of trying the have the mint handle the hundreds of thousands of orders with th constantly changing prices would have been a nightmare. (Don't believe me look at the 1 oz and 1/2 oz gold arts medallions the mint sold from 1980 - 1984. It was horrible.) And anyone who wants to become an AP may do so, all you have to do is meet the requirements.

As for the AP's having a monopoly on the hockey pucks, th mint had nothing to do with that. It was written into the law that the AP's would do the distribution. One of the things that caused problems was the mint dragging their feet on the project, and then their last minute decision to divert half the first years production into the "collectors" version that they could sell at a high profit (without legal authorization in my opinion.) So the high price of these sets is BECAUSE "the mint actually thought about turning a profit and sold directly to the public".