New enhanced uncirculated coin released

The United States Mint has done it again: the release of the 2015 American $1 Coin and Currency set on Aug. 24 marks the fourth production of an enhanced uncirculated coin, the second one minted at the West Point Mint and the second enhanced uncirculated coin and currency set.

Within two days collectors purchased 48,272 sets, around 54 percent of the 90,000-set mintage limit. First day sales amounted to 44,344 sets sold. The set has a five-set household order limit.

The $14.95 set features a 2015-W enhanced uncirculated Native American dollar and a Series 2013 one dollar note with 911 as the first three numbers in the note’s serial number, commemorating the Mohawk Ironworkers recovery work after the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

The new dollar coin joins the 2013-W enhanced uncirculated silver American Eagle, the 2014-S enhanced uncirculated silver Kennedy half dollar and the 2014-D enhanced uncirculated Native American dollar. The 2014-D enhanced uncirculated dollar is part of the 2014 American $1 Coin and Currency set, the predecessor to the 2015 set.

The 2014 set caught collectors by surprise a few days after its release on Nov. 20, 2014. Little attention was initially paid to a $13.95 set with a 50,000 mintage limit.

Buyers soon discovered the 2014-D Native American dollar coin inside had a enhanced uncirculated finish. The Mint had not mentioned the special finish on the set’s web page.

After a few days of mediocre sales, the discovery prompted more collectors to order it, leading to a quick sellout. The Mint subsequently increased the mintage and price for the 2015 set.

Listings on eBay for the 2015 set are sparse due to their availability at the Mint. However, several auctions have ended between Aug. 25 and Aug. 27 with boxes of five sets going for around $110 or about $22 each, a $7 markup per set.

The 2014 sets currently trade for $35 to $40 each on eBay, after previously reaching $50 in June of 2015.

Customers on the Mint’s website also report more freezing and glitches again during the first 30 minutes of the set’s release. The Mint issued a statement 38 minutes after release, stating they are “aware of the current website issues and working to fix it” and apologize for the inconvenience. No further statements regarding the website issues were made. The website was operational about an hour after the release.

While the continuation of a enhanced uncirculated coin and currency set seems to appeal to many collectors, the disturbing trend of Mint website problems has annoyed many more.

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