The United States Mint sold more than one-fifth of the maximum allowed mintage of the 2001 American Buffalo silver dollars as of mid-day June 11, including 60 percent of the 50,000 Coinage and Currency sets.
Mint spokesman Michael White said that by noon Eastern Time June 11, approximately 105,000 of the 500,000 commemorative coins had been sold. That included 30,000 of the special sets. Sales by telephone, fax and mail began June 7; Internet sales at the Mint's Web site (www.usmint.gov) began at noon June 11.
According to Mint officials, more than 100 customer service personnel combined fielded telephone calls at the rate of more than 1,200 calls per hour when the telephone lines opened at 8:30 a.m. June 7. Still, telephone lines became jammed at peak ordering times early in the morning, according to the Mint and Coin World readers.
Spokesman Matt Kilbourne said the Mint prepared to have extra personnel on hand to take orders for the issue.
Coin World received numerous telephone calls and e-mails from Mint customers angry that they couldn't get their calls through, with some callers taking up to several hours to get connected.
Kilbourne said the Mint's Public Affairs Office also fielded numerous telephone calls from customers and provided them with information on how to download an order form from the Mint's Web site and mail or fax the order.
The 2001-P Proof and 2001-D Uncirculated American Buffalo silver dollars, limited to a maximum of 500,000 coins combined, replicate what many collectors consider one of the most popular coin series every produced, James Earle Fraser's Indian Head 5-cent coins from 1913 to 1938. While the original 5-cent coins were struck for circulation, the silver dollars are noncirculating commemoratives, though legal tender as all U.S. coins are.
The dollars were being offered individually and as part of a two-coin set. The 2001-D Uncirculated silver dollar was also being incorporated into a special Coinage and Currency set limited to an issue of 50,000 sets. The set includes a uniface reproduction produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing on souvenir card stock of the face of the Series 1899 $5 silver certificate featuring a portrait of Hunkpapa Sioux Chief Ta-to'-ka-in'-ka-ya.
Between the Mint's subcontractor, Telespectrum, and the Mint Customer Care Center, as many as 122 customer service personnel were juggling telephone calls. Kilbourne said preliminary figures estimated Telespectrum operators combined were handling telephone calls at the rate of 655 calls per half hour.
During the first hour of order taking June 7, the telephone line capacity had been reached, requiring callers to remain on hold for two to three minutes before their order could be taken, Kilbourne said. The rate dropped to 300 and 400 calls per half hour later in the day, he said.
The Mint Customer Care Center began handling calls at the rate of between 50 and 60 telephone calls per half hour, jumping to the rate of 169 per half hour, before settling back at 70 to 90 calls per half hour.
Kilbourne said it wasn't known whether calls placed to the toll-free ordering line at (800) USA-MINT were being shared by Telespectrum and Mint Customer Care Center personnel on June 7. Telespectrum usually handles the toll-free line calls, while the Customer Care Center is reached at (202) 283-2646.
Many Coin World readers indicated they switched to calling the Customer Care Center after not being able to get through on the toll-free line.
