Mint further delays Wildlife medals

Just got this email. Very disappointing news. They have serious problems
over there...

Dear Valued Mint Customer:
We are writing regarding your recent purchase in the United States Mint
National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Program.

We regret the delays you have experienced with the shipping of your order.
The Eagle and Salmon Silver Medals along with the Eagle Bronze Medal are
currently shipping. The Elk Silver Medal is expected to ship in late January
and the Canvasback Duck Silver Medal will follow in late February.

This is the first time the United States Mint has used laser technology on
one of its medal products. Therefore, each medal is carefully inspected to
assure the highest quality. Unfortunately, the process is taking longer than
anticipated.

Once again, please accept our apologies. We appreciate your support and look
forward to serving you in the future.

United States Mint
Customer Care Center
801 9th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20020
1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468)

Personally, I suspect that the Mint had no idea that the medals would sell this
well, and was totally unprepared to produce this quantity this fast. Remember
how when the Buffalo dollars sold out in a week they had a certain quantity
ready to ship, and then you had to wait quite a while while they made more?
..
I just hate to think how much shipping cost they are going to waste sending out
partial orders trying to keep people happy. We ordered some of each option
(three denominations in BU and Proof) of the First Flight coins, and received
them in six different FEDEX packages over several weeks.
..
Tom DeLorey
..
Subject: Mint further delays Wildlife medals
From: "Ed Kelley"
Date: 12/23/2003 10:46 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

Just got this email. Very disappointing news. They have serious problems
over there...

Dear Valued Mint Customer:
We are writing regarding your recent purchase in the United States Mint
National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Program.

We regret the delays you have experienced with the shipping of your order.
The Eagle and Salmon Silver Medals along with the Eagle Bronze Medal are
currently shipping. The Elk Silver Medal is expected to ship in late January
and the Canvasback Duck Silver Medal will follow in late February.

This is the first time the United States Mint has used laser technology on
one of its medal products. Therefore, each medal is carefully inspected to
assure the highest quality. Unfortunately, the process is taking longer than
anticipated.

Once again, please accept our apologies. We appreciate your support and look
forward to serving you in the future.

United States Mint
Customer Care Center
801 9th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20020
1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468)










TomDeLorey
Seven-time winner of the Juan de Fuca Strait Spelling Bee

I got that e-mail from the mint also. When the mint wrote this is the
first time they ever used laser technology on one of it's medal products
I figured I was in for a long wait. Remember the first bimetalic LOC, I
was told by the mints customer service operator they were having
difficulties putting the the two different metals together because they
had never done anything like this. Ed