No Surcharges For Girl Scouts

I have to admit I am not shocked by the sales numbers for that one.

I do agree though with the policy that costs need to be covered before any payments are made to a 3rd party.

I agree with you as well basebal... to me the low sales reflects on the selection of a poor coin to market.

I wonder if that isn't part of the reasoning for the early release of the Civil Rights coin this year. I think that one will also struggle to attain a lot of collectors. The obverse is surprising similar tot he obverse used on the By Scouts and the Girl Scout coins... with three individuals depicted. I think they had a sure winner with the Liberty Bell design they opted to ignore.

Looks like unrealistic sales expectations and over tally by the mint messed things up for 2013 Girl Scouts program.

African American themed commemoratives have a history of low sales, seen by modern issues of Jackie Robinson and Crispus Attucks coins having lower than normal mintage numbers where collectors pay a nice premium on the secondary market.

I don't expect 2014 Civil Rights coin to break the trend especially when the sales numbers of all US modern commemoratives seem falling.

Interesting to see what the initial numbers are out of the gate for the Civil Rights coin but expecting the trend to stay in place over the course of the year.

I'm a buyer, regardless of the design although I like the reserve because of the aforementioned trend.

I bought a Girls Scout proof to keep my Boy Scout Proof company.
Who knows, maybe I can get some brownies or cub scouts from this pairing.

I think the most shocking aspect of the story is how poor sales were compared to the Boy Scouts silver dollar which sold all of its authorized mintage (350,000).

The two organizations are fairly similar in size (about 3.8 million youths and adults in the Boy Scouts, about 3.2 million combined in the Girl Scouts), so the sales difference would not appear to be an issue of there not being enough "connected" individuals available to buy the GS coins.

As most commemorative coins are purchased by "general public" collectors vs. those who are affiliated with the sponsoring organization for a coin, I would hazard a guess and estimate that roughly the same number of collectors (+/- 15%) purchased each of the coins. If that assumption is even close to being accurate, it would seem that a plausible explanation would be that the Boy Scouts organization was more aggressive/effective in promoting their coin which resulted in more current/past Boy Scouts buying the coin vs. their counterparts in the Girl Scouts.




I agree that the Mint can't be "blamed" for the authorization of a coin, but it does play a role in what the coin will ultimately look like. The Mint is responsible for preparing potential designs (using either internal or external artists) from specifications included in the authorizing legislation. It then provides the potential designs to the sponsor and the Commission on Fine Arts for review and approval. If the Mint doesn't create exceptional designs, those who are in place to approve them are in a difficult position and have to choose the best of what is available.

Theres definitely truth to that and I agree it would have been a tough sell even with a great design. The three floating heads design certainly didnt make their life any easier.

I also have a theory that putting a girl on the boy scouts one created some resentment towards the girl scouts coin. I'm sure a number of people (myself included) feel that first coin covered both groups when they decided to do that.

Aye I hate to say it, but with some of these new commems, where congress is making good choices for things to commemorate, they are making poor choices "business-wise" for the Mint.

Coin collecting is one of those hobbies that is undeniably dominated by bearded, white men. There are fewer hobbies that are less masculine, less white, and less beard-y. :-)

As much as I further hate to say it, Girl Scouts and Civil Rights (just got the brochure in the mail today; gorgeous design) simply won't sell in that market. It's not *personally* relevant.

Boy Scouts? Popular as all get-out. Military commems tend to sell, too. I can see the Baseball commem selling out both due to the market affinity plus its novelty. Any coin with a nubile female allegory for Liberty... Are you seeing the theme? :-)

It's an honest shame.

But the sponsor, the CFA and the CCAC are still only advisors, if I am not mistaken. THey make recommendations, but the Sec of the Treasury still has final say. Many times I have read that the CFA or the CCAC has suggested subtle changes to coin designs, that have not been incorporated into the final design. I believe that the CFA recommended that the sign on the new Civil Rights Coin obverse, be moved to a more readable area and that the size of LIBERTY be reduced. These were ignored in the final design.
Bottom line is, a beautiful coin (COTY Winner) will sell no matter who the sponsor is. One nomination last year ? Ugly coins = poor sales.

I feel bad for the Girl Scouts, a worthy receipient burdened with a short sales window and an ugly design.