The U.S. Mint will no longer accept mail orders for numismatic products from customers after Sept. 30, 2017.

That deadline is one year from the date the U.S. Mint originally imposed a ban on further mail orders, intending to push all orders instead to online and phone orders.

Gold coin resistance at U.S. Mint and a deceptive but detectable counterfeit Indian Head cent: Another column in the June 12 Coin World details the discovery of what seemed to be a rare 1917 French Indo-China 10-cent piece.

The original final date for acceptance of mail orders was to have been Sept. 30, 2016, but the Mint continued to accept mail orders beyond that date, U.S. Mint spokesman Michael White said May 29, 2017.

Sept. 30, 2017, is the final day in federal Fiscal Year 2017.

U.S. Mint officials announced its plans May 26 to finally discontinue mail orders.

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The Mint will have its order fulfillment contractor PFSWeb return any mail orders received after Sept. 30, with instructions for placing orders online or by telephone.

“The consumer products industry is increasingly adopting Web-based sales channels, including mobile applications, that give the public more efficient, cost-effective, and faster ways to purchase products,” according to the Mint’s May 26 announcement. “The Mint is following this trend in an effort to better serve all its customers, and provide a more convenient and consistent ordering experience.

“Future orders will be accepted at the Mint’s online catalog at www.catalog.usmint.gov or via telephone at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468), seven days a week from 8 a.m. to midnight ET.

U.S. Mint officials first announced on Dec. 15, 2015, its decision to eliminate mail-order forms and mail-order processing, which was to become effective Jan. 1, 2016. Mail-order forms that had already been distributed for then-current products would be accepted through Sept. 30, 2016, under those former plans.

However, to accomodate customers, the U.S. Mint continued to accept mail-orders without official order forms even beyond the 2016 cutoff date, White said.

Although the block of Mint customers still placing numismatic product orders by mail was small, officials still wanted to satisfy the needs of long-term, dedicated customers who preferred ordering by mail, White said.

Product catalogs mailed in January 2016 to customers on the Mint’s mailing list were the first to not contain printed order forms. The Mint also discontinued targeted mailings for special products that would have previously included order forms.

The Mint’s introduction of online ordering nearly two decades ago has allowed orders to be processed and shipped within hours of receipt instead of months waiting for product to be produced and packaged.

Product catalogs will continue to be mailed with instructions on how to place orders by telephone or online.