The subject line of the email contained the entire note. My correspondent asked, “Did you try to buy the 2019 Reverse Proof?”
Reports said that the remainder of the products sold out in 10 seconds. That was probably the same 10 seconds the U.S. Mint’s website seemed to freeze.
I admit that I tried cheating. As a retired programmer, I tried to script the purchase. The script watched the clock, and right at noon, the script tried to place the coin in my bag then transfer the payment page to the browser. But for the seconds after high-noon, the site did not respond. Frozen!
The best solution offered for these situations is a lottery system. Reports suggested that the suggestion was made to Director David Ryder. Ryder, like the last appointed director, is tone-deaf to the collectors. Some day, the U.S. Mint will have a competent director.
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I agree the sale of the remaining 2019-S ERP coins was not handled in the best way, nor was the original sale last year of the same coin, as I wrote in an editorial for The Numismatist earlier this year. I also agree the website needs to be a lot better. But calling Ryder incompetent seems unfair to me. I interviewed him for an hour last year and found him very interested in what collectors think and open to their suggestions.
I have not interviewed Ryder, but judging by his actions he is more interested in creating collectibles than fixing the processes which they are sold. Ryder is not new to the job. He has seen the problems. There are plenty of answers to fix the problems. But the US Mint persists on doing the same things. If he’s open to the suggestion of collectors, then fix the issues with selling limited edition items. Until then, his legacy is similar to that of Moy.
Well like many things that are wrong with the US Mint/Gov, there is only so much funding on a yearly basis to invest in improvements. I’m kind of leaning toward what Louis said re: Ryders incompetence.
Since the US Mint upgraded their inventory management system in 2014, it’s never really seemed to have improved a whole lot from the previous system? Other than faster sell outs! They probably won’t be able to secure funding for an upgrade until 2024? Then more than likely, they’ll purchase a vendors antiquated software which will be too slow, compared to the, at the time technology???
As far as Ryders past experience w/the Mint? He probably learned the hard way that the ONLY thing the Government cares about when it comes to the Us Mint, is the minting coins for circulation and the prevention of counterfeiting! Of course the Secret Service is the agency responsible for counterfeiting prosecution/prevention. However moving forward I know the Mint will be implementing anti counterfeiting measures on the new 2021 American Silver Eagles.