ASE Proof Backorder Notice

They were a subscription order that has been in place for at least several years, perhaps as many as 5.

My 4 coin subscription order is shipping today. The mint shows it shipped but FedEx does not yet, it should later. It has a regular FedEx number so I am not sure if they are shipping it fast or not. For some reason, they did not charge me any shipping costs on this order. My CC was charged $183.80, which is 4 times the unit price of $45.95. I have never been given free shipping before but if it is coming via the slow boat, I would rather they had taken my money and sent them faster. My other two orders that are in process, the single SAE and my subscription for the circulating quarters both include the $4.95 shipping charge in the CC entry.

Well FedEx has the shipping info on my 4 coin SAE subscription order but they don't have the package yet. The info says that it is coming via Smart Post even though I requested express shipping. The totally odd thing is that I was not charged any shipping charge, not even the $4.95 standard fee. These people at PBGS just can't do things right. I really wanted these coins shipped express because for me, Smart Post normally takes at least a week to get here and with the holiday it will probably take even longer. Why they can't keep track of what I ordered and the shipping I requested is beyond me. They evidently knew they were going to screw it up ahead of time and that is why they aren't charging me at all for shipping. I have attached the info from when I entered the subscription just to convince myself that I really did order express shipping.

I got the e-mail from the mint this morning that mine were shipped on 11/23.

Mine where shipped today. I don't mind how long they take to ship them. Just so I get them it is cool. What does get me just a little is that large amounts are first sent out to large dealers first. Last might I saw the HSN selling MS-70 graded 2010 ASE proofs last night. I think they had something like 1,500 of them. Now how did they get them so fast and they are even graded.

Oh well who am I to complain I am getting mine and like I said that is cool.

make sure you did not put a subscription in after NOV 5 2010 like I did or you will not get one. If you did place a subscription after NOV 5 call the mint and reorder. I was wondering about mine so I called them and they told me it put a subscription for next year. had I not been curious about it I would not have gotten one, b.c it wasnt on order like I thought it was

November 5 was the date they entered all of the subscriptions into the order number system that set off the cancellation fiasco. Once they enter the subscriptions, new subscriptions kick over to the next year. Many of the dealers have had large subscription orders standing for many years and the mint probably "did them a favor" and split their subscriptions into 100 piece chunks and processed them (or they already had many 100 piece subscriptions). The dealers have inroads with the TPGs and can get coins graded in a day or two in bulk. They may or may not have 1500 graded coins in stock, they may just know that they will be able to fill orders in their promised time frame, much like the mint's "it takes us up to two weeks to ship in stock items". When the mint chooses to split a single order into two or more shipments they should put the entire shipping charge on the first package and then not charge any shipping on the remaining packages sent out to fill the order. Perhaps my second subscription somehow got combined with the first one and instead of expressing it as I requested, they shipped it as a split order and did not charge shipping on the "second half". I really did want the coins quicker and was willing to pay for it but at least all five coins are on their way and I will have them mid next week. They are scheduled to arrive on the 1st and 2nd, for an average "as the crow flies" speed of 4.5 mph!

The post office delivers FedEx Smart Post packages so even if they don't get to you on Friday, they might on Saturday. Once it is in USPS hands, you should be able to track it at both FedEx and USPS sites. Both of my SAE packages are now traveling together and are scheduled to arrive next Thursday. They left Kansas City, KS this morning so if it takes them another week to get here they will fly at an average speed of just under 4 mph.