The U.S. Mint widened the appeal for this year’s Congratulations Set, pulling coin collectors into the fold of wanting one not just for gift-giving but also for themselves.
Produced annually since 2013, the sets have — until now — always included the year’s standard proof American Silver Eagle. This year’s set includes a special one that’ll have a lower mintage. Coin collectors will want one for that reason alone, and more will buy just to maintain a full run of Silver Eagles by year.
Congratulations Sets had always featured the years proof Silver Eagle from West Point, bearing the facility’s "W" mint mark. In a compelling change, the 2017 set has a proof Silver Eagle from the San Francisco Mint with an "S" mint mark.
The latest available U.S. Mint sales figures have last year’s made-to-order Congratulations Set at just 2,374. The debuting set from 2013 ended with the highest sales at 18,347. This year’s set should top those easily because of the "S" Proof Silver Eagle, although its maximum is established at 75,000.
The U.S. Mint also said that the 2017-S Proof American Silver Eagle will be available as a part of the 2017 Limited Edition Silver Proof Set. Its limit hasn’t been announced but last year’s set has sales of 39,166 with 50,000 possible. Minimally, it looks like there will be at least 125,000 "S" Proof Silver Eagles available.
Sales of the standard West Point Mint’s 2017-W Proof American Silver Eagle kicked off on March 23 for $53.95. More than 233,000 sold in the first day. (See photos of the 2017-W Proof Silver Eagle.)
Released today at noon ET for $54.95, buy the 2017 Congratulations Set directly from the United States Mint right here, or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). There is no household order limit.
Update (April 5): The U.S. Mint on April 5 at 10:08 a.m. ET sent news editors the following notice about the set’s status: "Sales attrition from cancellations, returns and credit card declinations could result in a very limited quantity being made available for sale."
1 minute sell out. WOW
At 12:02pm EST when I completed my order, I received a SOLD OUT response instead of an order completion response.
Just to confirm, I tried to order again with the same result.
That is unacceptable on many levels!
I would guess mint will limit silver set household purchase and make 200,000 sets available.
Haha!! Mint is smart. How many times has the Congrats Set every sold out? I can’t wait to read the complaining. At least its not another bust for the Mint.
For those who didn’t get them, at least you won’t have to deal with the magic milk spots that appear out of no where, like happened to my American Liberty silver medals or 2014 silver Kennedys high reliefs.
You can buy these for $64 on ebay with free shipping; Considering the $5 shipping charge at Mint, cost extra $5 to get one right now.
What is the point to buy and then sell for $9 more than retail? For $3-4 profit?
I take it back. That was a 2013 set 🙂
I am a collector, not an ‘investor’. I own stocks and land for investment purposes. I have always liked silver Eagles because I like the Liberty Walking design. I stopped collecting them for about 15 years after the 1995 W debacle, for which I’ll forever thank the idiot-elitist ‘Mr. Commemorative’. Other practices at the mint plus ‘Professional Grading’ have severely curtailed my coin collecting and now this. I read this message as, ‘you are no longer meant to be a coin collector’. Thank goodness I have other hobbies, which bring me pleasure. This will save me some of my hard-earned… Read more »
i got the soldout post at 12:03 pm right after i had to re submit my credit card card # but mike mezak will proably have thousands of them on saturday morningboy what a sucker i am
This is not the first proof silver eagle with a S mint mark… Just will be low on mintage though
gary
I am with you and anyone else who knows that Mike and other big players got their orders in. No household limits could have killed this for the little people.
Once again the US mint favors the big coin dealers and flipprers by not having a household limit of some sort,and eventually lifted. Once again its shown how much the mint doesn’t care at all about us collectors. That’s a major contribution to killing the hobby,so sad! And they wonder why the hobby is dying smh..shame on the mint killing the hobby.
I guess I was lucky to get in and get a couple right at 12pm. I never thought they would sell so quickly. I bet the mint is very happy with themselves.
Very happy also. Logged in approx 11:57, hit the refresh a couple times till the ‘buy’ button showed up and made my purchase.
Went to bed & forgot went to computer @ 9:02 sell out….I DON’T CARE I don;t need another proof ASE I have boxes of them & reverse proof that have languished. The mint is destroying “collecting” so in the long run, the low mintage will mean butkis & if silver hits $50 it will also mean nada…..1 minute sell out, I bet Treasury Sec. Munchkin bought like 100,000 units….for his clients…that maybe pay taxes
Ordered at high noon, as sales were discontinued at the four minute mark.
The advertising section of the U.S. Mint deserves an A+, adjoining organization and structure. There will surely be a secondary market mark-up, as the price shall increase beyond what any have expected. Just when I thought I was out, they (U.S. Mint) pulled me back in. The U.S. Mint provided full disclosure prior to the aforesaid item being released, so there should be no excuses, none.
* One comment above had the person logged in at 11:57 A:M which was a little past our log in. No refresh, just added quantity, placed in cart, set to go; “Just that easy”.
Don’t worry, Order then in the 2017 limited edition later this year.The mint will remind you of the release date. Goood luck!!!!
These are already for sale on line at $150 and up, it seems they knew it would be a sell out somehow.
Those limited edition silver proof sets shall be costly, with only the ‘S’ Eagle being of value. The collector’s know this full well, as to why all were snatched up today.
@JB
Common sense would dictate to any collector that sales on both items, (2017 Congratulations Set) and the 2017 Silver Proof Set only; amount to 125,000 pieces, irrespective on what the U.S. Mint may decide on the latter for ‘numbers’.
No need to worry on this coin everybody. The Mint sent a press release the other day saying this “S” Mint mark coin will be available in at least one more product this year. Also, I noticed the other day that this product is listed on the Mint’s website as “Mintage Limit: none” which means they can strike as many as they want for inclusion in other sets or packaging this year. This is no rarity ! Remember that this is the Mint’s 225th anniversary (as of Sunday April 2) year & they told us late last year they have… Read more »
@Seth
If that is the road the U.S. MINT wishes to pursue; that could be a very costly error and turn another generation away; even collector’s. Some can only be deceived once, then what shall the plan be? This type of business protocol would be disadvantageous to the entire realm on collecting. We truly believe that the U.S. Mint will not follow the path you have defined.
Synoptic 12- The Mint doesn’t care past the current fiscal year (no 5 or 10-year business plan). Not like when I lived in Japan and learned companies there have 100-year plans! Very smart & successful small country. The Mint has told everyone time & time again that “Mintage Limit” & “Product Limit” listed under the product photos on their website are NOT the same thing. There is no limit on the amount of these 2017 “S” ASE $1 coins they can strike. Read the “fine print” on this coin: “Mintage Limit: none” “Product Limit: 75,000” “Household Limit: none” Also, the… Read more »
@Seth Remember, the U.S. Mint has the right to change addendums and stipulations ‘without’ anyone’s authority. We read the fine print below the fine print which does not define any specific number, rather leaving the door open. I believe that I have just written on the Silver Proof Set’s numbers, “Irrespective”, ‘Whereby there is no need to add information previously stated. Contingent upon your way of thinking of the initial preface of the U.S. Mint ‘only caring for the current year’, is somewhat of an assertion that you, and only you present. We;re very much aware of your past exploits… Read more »
Seth- Could we see a W & S Mint Ag ASE set? Or a unc S mint ASE? we’ll see, it is not rare I agree. Just very annoying of the Mint, but I am most used to it. What happened to minting to order, a window & you order & you’re DONE…nahh easier to sell 10,000 units of these ti Mike Miseryack & give a 1 ffingah salute to Joe Collector…IMHO
Synoptic 12- I don’t want to argue over my main hobby since 1976. I have been a U.S. Mint customer every year for 41 years now & I have been to this rodeo before & have seen it all (I have had private tours of all 4 US Mint facilities under the aegis of US Mint Director Donna Pope in the late 1980s & worked for the largest rare coin business in the world in Dallas & for the largest numismatic publication in the world). I don’t pretend to know everything, but you can believe I made & kept important… Read more »
@Seth
You have brought most of the above facets to us before, in which we’re not immune. We’re aware of your background culminating into the domain of ‘who would know more’. No offense, but we’ve been with numismatics for some time and have been friends to the family of the Rosen Collection > may have mentioned that before. I’m not a sir, just a servant of weak flesh for numismatics.
Seth-
A previous article here in coin news said this was the first ASE proof to be minted but I know the San Francisco mint struck the early years of the program, you know quite a lot and want to ask you if there is something I might be missing about that claim.
Thanks and happy collecting!
@ Hewhodontknow
I believe the article referenced its first inclusion within a Congratulations Set, with all the others including “W’s”. The San Francisco Mint made regular/annual proof ASE’s from their debut in 1986 through to 1992. Then, of course, there was also the 2012-S within the 2012 American Eagle San Francisco Two-Coin Silver Proof Set.
@ Mike
Please provide the referenced article in its ‘first’ inclusion within a Congratulations Set: May have missed it. Surely, the U.S. Mint did not provide reference.
@ Mike
Yes, there were coin news sites where the aforesaid facet were mentioned, BUT the U.S. Mint ‘did not’. You may correct me if I’m wrong. Kind of a weak hook to catch the unsuspecting.
Thanks Mike,
I believe this coin will also be the “first” for the “Limited Edition Silver Proof Set”, and if the US mint doesn’t offer it in any other way then this one would be the key for the “S” ASE proof with 125k therefore making this one a keeper.. Unless we get a surprise from the mint and instead of 50k they decide to go crazy and set the limit to 175k lol
i think the limited set better had mintage like make in order ( 1 week) period time,so people wont complain like Maddog. also we might see .9999 silver half dollar ,quarter, dime in this year Special Limited Edition set .
my order says backorder, does that mean my order will be filled?
Does anybody know what happened today with the mint. I’m so mad! I was online at 12:05 and had my 2 sets in my cart, checked out and they disappeared at the end of the process and said unavailable. I couldn’t get through on the phone either. All those third party vendors probably ordered 10,000 coins at a time. How can the mint do this to us collectors again. Why wouldn’t they put limits on the first day at least, especially after they’re last shit storm with the gold dime. My son is having his first child in a few… Read more »
The US Mint just told me that they sold out in 3 1/2 min. Which dealers do you think bought the mint out. The phone rep I just talked to said she placed an order for somebody of 25,000 sets. Wouldn’t that be like a monopoly or something? Who do we call to complain about this bullshit? She did say they were unavailable, but she didn’t think they were sold out.
25,000 sets to one buyer, that would be like Russia deciding an election or someone buying the Presidency, it’s not possibile kidz!!! ?
@ lonnie
‘Backordered’ means the allotment has been fulfilled in a sense but there is the possibility that orders that were not processed properly: i.e. > credit card issues, cancellations or returns may fill your order contingent upon where you are stationed in line on the ‘backorder’ list. You still have a very good chance on receiving your order based upon the aforesaid. We have been down this road prior, as this is the way we read into it. All other specialists are welcome to chime in here.
we were hoodwinked
@Gary
That’s not true. The U.S. Mint provided full disclosure, gave the people ample time to prepare, and informed the mainstream of the upcoming set.
I didn’t even attempt to buy this set. I thought for sure I’d be able to purchase one when I got home from work.
Boy was I wrong. No big really. They’ll come down in price in six months on the secondary market.
Synoptic12 – You are right on point with your responses to @lonnie & @Gary. Thanks for sharing your insight on the issues at hand. This is a productive exchange that I enjoy seeing here when someone has a question or concern about the Mint & its products. I ordered 2 of these Congratulations sets as I have in the past (one for my collection & one as a gift for May graduation time). But I will still buy the 2017 Limited Edition sliver Proof set (my two sets from 2012 have increased nicely in value & the other 3 years… Read more »
@ Seth In the same respect I really have no ambition to really seek wealth as a primary goal, rather to place my wager to see what the end result may be; hopefully on the plus side, only to pass the baton to others. At this point, not many appear to be interested anymore, so it is more of a habit. I actually like the rush in the odds being unknown; as to whom a limited set will be allocated, and if I should be fortunate enough to be selected on purchase. There shall always be those complaining on how… Read more »
Well, I’ve gotten good and mad at the Mint today. I called at 11:59:30 and had a customer service rep on the line at 12:00 exactly. After telling her my name and all that necessary jazz to pull my account up it was 12:01. She tells me the Congrats Set is on backorder and that if I wanted to make an order we had to hurry. Before I could fully get out “Yeah, yeah, I want to order two of them” she was interrupting with “I’m sorry, Sir, but they are now unavailable”. The time was 12:02 and right after… Read more »
I wish there was an edit feature to comments. In the post below it looks like I left “ebay” out of the sentence that was supposed to be “It took me until 5pm before I could bear to look (at ebay).
the mint needs to reissue this coin again!!! tomorrow!! put out another 200,000 and make a household limit of 5.
The Mint needs to set limits on all coins except the bullion coins! Any other coins that are offered annually should have limits! There is a dealer right now on EBay selling the 2017 congratulatory set (100) for $14,000! He probably purchased a 1000 sets! The average cost not on EBay is $125 for the 2017 Congratulatory set, the Mint needs to set Limits!!!!!
We need Robert Chambers to lead us but he has stepped up. Robert was a Baptist, a faithful Baptist that assisted many others, unbeknownst to the many. One of the very finest and highly, extremely highly talented people in the numismatic arena. We really miss that guy, no better, none that could sell with honesty in the stream. Mostly all gone today, mostly consisting of weaves of deception. Our respect to Robert and his family members as we have remembered them in our prayers.
@ Mark Rigaud
The United States Mint reserves the right to do as they please.
They sold out in 2 min. When l was on hold. Sre you selling them?
I would suggest creating an account and keeping a credit card on file with the mint. I had no issue putting three in my bracket at noon EST then checking out. All I had to do was confirm my order and enter the three digit code from the back of my card. My order was confirmed at 12:02. I would have been complete at 12:01 but I forgot that I had created an account recently so I had to double check all of my data on the confirmation page. I thought that there was a limit of 100 units per… Read more »
-a Bob
Exact process I had taken, no issues.
If large orders are being filled first, there is a smell to this.
Liberty gold tomorrow with no household limits. It will be interesting to see what happens. Hard to compare but just wondering how big these players might be.
These, I’m sure will acquire the “gorgeous” milk spots. I’m glad i passed.
@ Chas Barber That comment was uncalled for as being directed at Robert Chambers. In reality, no I’ve never been shut out and I’ve never, not ever experienced any such negativity from any of the personnel from the United states Mint. I was on ‘back order’ status on the 2011 (100,000) in which I received. If the order was not to be fulfilled, there would be not anything I could do. However, I certainly would not destroy the reputation of the United States Mint due to “not” receiving the merchandise. The United States Mint is a business footed upon increasing… Read more »
Synoptic12 I find it unbelievable that YOU have never had any issue w/the US Mint, never been shut out, have a glich, have a cart emptied on YOU, hit a sellout, have a rude operator, etc…..guess you know a back door or the Baptist method….regardless the Mint besides PROFITS has a duty @ least to try to promote coin collecting (sale$ go up, etc., aftermarket) & their BS sales procedures & lack of consistency is ridiculous. I used to care, I used to get upset, now I can wait & buy, just got that “rare” 2016 HR Ag medal for… Read more »
Really screwing over the average collector by installing “no limits” on purchases of these low minted ASE’s – not happy w/paying nearly 3x issue price.
I will passed any gold coin issued by any mints, reasons : HARD TO SELL , gold coin hard to make 50%+ profit, the commission for buying/selling. 100 k Mintage is way too much.
Did the owner of Bullion exchange had relationship to President Donald Trump. CIA or FBI need to investigate. That company had so many for sale on ebay. What the heck of profit.