I just completed a survey for the Mint

cheezhed

I got this email:

Dear THOMAS

National Analysts Worldwide is conducting a brief survey, on behalf
of the United States Mint, to identify how the United States Mint can
improve the products and services it provides. The survey is
entirely voluntary, and should take about 10-15 minutes of your time.
The deadline for completing the survey is January 29th, 2012.

You can get to the survey by clicking on this link
https://survey.confirmit.com/wix/p2034895264.aspx?__userid=600053896
or (if that doesn't work) by copying the entire URL into your browser.


If you have any questions while you are completing the survey, please
e-mail me at info834@nationalanalysts.com, or call 1-800-342-9102
x6930 9am to 5pm EST. If you would like more information about
National Analysts Worldwide, you may visit the firm's website at www.
nationalanalysts.com

Thank you again for participating in our study.

Sincerely,

Erin Gentzle
Associate Operations Manager
National Analysts Worldwide

Here are a couple of the questions:

coinkid855

Wow, the mint must be desperate to make money...Although I'm on board for an UHR anything!




-Paul

DuPapa

I think this is a good thing for collectors that still hold lower mintage 20th and 25th Anni sets.

I like the Mint.

Steve

I wonder WHO they send the survey to. A much better use of our money would be if the US Mint paid CU for the privledge of putting the survey on this forum and letting any of us who chose to, to take the survey. I bet they'd get a much better result of collector and dealer demand for the products they want to sell. Steve

Type2

They should post it here!!!! after all the years of doing this they don't know what we want they need a collector in there.

LanLord

<< <i>I wonder WHO they send the survey to. A much better use of our money would be if the US Mint paid CU for the privledge of putting the survey on this forum and letting any of us who chose to, to take the survey. I bet they'd get a much better result of collector and dealer demand for the products they want to sell. Steve >>



While I don't know for certain, I'd be willing to bet they sent it to a subset of people that have ordered from the mint in the last year (or perhaps a longer period of time).

Why would they wanna post it here where there are very likely some (many?) people that have never ordered from the mint, and never will versus a subset of their current customers?

Gemineye

A two coin set with the Rev proof for 2012..?!!?...Why..??.............................I have not been collecting the proofs individually from the mint..only the 3 coin and 5 coin sets...Why are they gonna make me buy the rev proof "S" along with the proof..??..They're selling the bullion and West point too......There is no rhyme or reason for what they do....Totaly insane...Keep the Reverse proof in the special anniversary sets..........

Bochiman

No survey to me, but have bought $$$ from the mint each year for last 9+ years.
Anyway, I almost bet the "special set" is something they are trying to do to appease the debacle that was called the "25th Annv Set".

I think it will be interesting to see what happens from it. The RP is no longer unique, since the 2nd one was done in 2011. The "S" will no longer be unique, once they release this "special set".
So, will they become more collectible or lose some "uniqueness luster"?

cheezhed

I think you're right about them trying to make good on the ordering debacle of the 25th ann. set.

Bochiman

I like the design, but this is the year they should have changed the design. Something classic again, but they should have changed it
Would allow folks to believe they "finished" a set and start on a new one, and potentially attract other new collectors with a fresh start.

The folks at the USMint aren't very smart when it comes to marketing, imho.

Cameonut

I hope they send a survey to me. They will get blistered.

Average products (at best).
Third world ordering system.
No clue what they are doing.
Alienating the collector base.
Trying to create "collector value" by issuing limited editions and then not allowing collectors a fair shot at a purchase.
Limit of 5 per household? HAVE THEY LEARNED ANYTHING?

Typical US Government BS.

Join me in boycotting any purchase from the US Mint. I opted out in 2011 - never to return.

Thanks for reading my rant - I feel much better now.

Gemineye

why would the mint listen to us......all we wanted was a copper Lincoln Cent in 2009....with the wheatie reverse ...that's all...!!!

Goldminers

There is a lot that one could rant about. The 25th silver anniversary set nightmare is fresh in our or at least my mind. However I also am upset that I sent a real letter (not email) to the Deputy Director of the Mint with some recommendations, and it was totally ignored, and I am not even sure it was even read. When we send mail to Gov't officials, we should at least get some type of response, even if it is to say that they don't really want our input and reply with a form letter.

I have asked to have the insane fancy, expensive, and environmentally damaging packaging, to be optional. Make a check box available when we order to get just the coins (maybe even with a discount) so that we do not have to have hundreds of wood boxes destroying the environment and wasting our money. Many of us do NOT want fancy packaging for every coin we order. Also I think, but do not know, that these boxes etc., may not be "Made in the USA" and I do everything possible to buy USA made products.

Also why don't they use the US mail (USPS), priority shipping instead of UPS? US Mail can be held so when I am not home I don't have to jump through hoops to sign for a UPS package. And the US mail sure needs some business to stay afloat. Or at least make it a choice when ordering to try to please everyone.

If they don't read their direct letters, I am not sure filling out a survey will help, but I will try. I am very close to sending written recommendations to my congressmen and senators to fire and replace the existing US Mint upper management, due to their incompetence and lack of response to their customers letters.

Thanks for providing the link to respond to the survey. I truly hope it helps, but they need to focus on some other issues, not just making a lot of profit by throwing any possible coin combination into the mix. Almost as bad as a different PCGS label for every state flag.

johnrav

i got it. I only subscribed to the mint in the last 18 months. not sure if that will help define the target or not.

i also saw '10-15 minutes to complete' and that it was a third party asking, and deleted it. going to dig it out of the recycle bin now.

Here, I am guessing the link will work for anyone...

US Mint survey

mbogoman

I got the survey. Besides telling them that they offer WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY too much stuff, I told them that if they are going to do special SAE sets, don't include a reverse proof. I suggested that the reverse proof be reserved for anniversary years only.

johnrav

wait a sec. my survey said 100,000 made and HHL of 2 per. ? sneaky...

cheezhed

I said they had waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy too much product as well.

epcjimi1

<< <i>wait a sec. my survey said 100,000 made and HHL of 2 per. ? sneaky... >>



That'd be my pick.

wiskerchew

I just did it and gave them heck where possible. Way too many products coming out in my opinion as they need to stick with the basics.

Only one spot to really enter comments though.

timcoin

<< <i>I hope they send a survey to me. They will get blistered.

Average products (at best).
Third world ordering system.
No clue what they are doing.
Alienating the collector base.
Trying to create "collector value" by issuing limited editions and then not allowing collectors a fair shot at a purchase.
Limit of 5 per household? HAVE THEY LEARNED ANYTHING?

Typical US Government BS.

Join me in boycotting any purchase from the US Mint. I opted out in 2011 - never to return.

Thanks for reading my rant - I feel much better now. >>



But hey, at least they are starting to try/care. This survey was an important first step. And, I'm so sick of the word "fair" I could spit

BAJJERFAN

<< <i>I think you're right about them trying to make good on the ordering debacle of the 25th ann. set. >>



Wouldn't that just knock dirt in yer shirt if the gave free sets to the first 100 respondents?

Overdate

<< <i>I like the design, but this is the year they should have changed the design. Something classic again, but they should have changed it. Would allow folks to believe they "finished" a set and start on a new one, and potentially attract other new collectors with a fresh start. >>


They already did. Reverse of 2008!

Seriously, I would really like to see the reverse changed to the original reverse design of the Walkers.

MFH

I think the Mint is trying to kill the geese that have been laying the
Golden Eggs by too many options for no other reason but to raise funds.

If the Mint wants to produce a truly unique item, how about an Extremely
High Relief Judd # 1905. A one ounce Piefort example. On the idea of the
recent MMIX version. I'd be hot to get a few of those.

DrBuster

I got the email for it. Didn't take it though. Have bought items the past several years, although with a different email than what they sent it to for the past 4.

DrBuster

Did the survey.

Guessing the folks who 'like' the mint on facebook might have been the email folks???

pf70collector

I filled one out Sunday. Heavy purchaser since 04. Did anyone receive a survey last year about the 25th Anniversary Sets? Would lend to some credence that they are really going to produce these 2012 sets.

mbogoman

<< <i>Guessing the folks who 'like' the mint on facebook might have been the email folks??? >>



I don't do Facebook and I got the survey.

RYK

I got the survey and made the following suggestions:

More, more, more choices and options.

Colorized SAEs.

Intentional and Unintentional intentional varieties in all series.

Randomly including a swath of fabric from the uniform of the dudes from the production line, a total of 1000 pieces, signed and numbered by the folks, such that 1 in 2500 products come with the swath. Increase the frequency in the hard to move products like clad proof sets and lower the frequency in the hot items.

Justacommeman

I received the survey. I've bought exactly two things ever from the Mint. The UHR and the 25th Anniversary Lottery Box of 5. Both transactions were seamless. It was like Apple was running the show. This is my personal experience. I realize I'm probably in the minority. MJ

RYK

I also suggested that they revamp the ordering process. Instead of this BS trying to phone in for 7 hours until you get lucky or having the agonizing pace of a snail marching ten miles on the internet, they allow people to sign up in advance.

Then, people from the same locale will be randomly chosen to face off with one in another in a cage match for the right to buy the sets. If they are oversubscribed, there might be brackets or a round-robin depending on the number of applicants. Not only will you have to earn the right to purchase 10 sets, there will be entertainment for other contestants and admission will be charged to the public, providing another revenue stream.

Kablemodem

I told them to mint these sets to demand. Only truly special sets should be limited editions. If everything is a limited edition then nothing is special.

Raufus

How many others got a survey?

I did not.

Raufus

<< <i>I think this is a good thing for collectors that still hold lower mintage 20th and 25th Anni sets.

I like the Mint. >>



Two sets per year??

I think that we may end up with a Royal Canadian Mint situation where nothing is really special as there will be too many differend ASEs to keep track of.

A special set every five years works well. This is too much.

Raufus

<< <i>I got the survey. Besides telling them that they offer WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY too much stuff, I told them that if they are going to do special SAE sets, don't include a reverse proof. I suggested that the reverse proof be reserved for anniversary years only. >>



Who is the email with the survey from? Want to check to be sure that I didn't delete it if I got it.

tychojoe

Mine came from "Erin Gentzle", with the subject line, "US MINT Special Sets Survey". I didn't recognize the sender, so I thought it was spam and almost deleted it.