Washington, D.C., April 14, 2000 — The U.S. Mint today announced that the record pace of sales of the Maryland quarter in bags of 100 and 1,000 coins pushed the Mint Web site to its first million–dollar hour on April 3, with total single hour sales reaching $2.7 million. Sellouts of the quarter bags, which went on sale at 9 a.m., were announced at 10 a.m. for the 100–coin bags and at 11 a.m. for the 1,000–coin bags.
“The Mint’s record $2.7 million hour exceeded all expectations of achieving a million dollar hour,” said Acting Mint Director John Mitchell. “We’re pleased to announce that the improvements in Web technology that we’ve focused on – upgrading server speed and capacity – performed as planned, and we were able to process all the orders.”
“While this drove us over the pre–announced limit of 10 million coins,” said Mitchell, “the servers allowed us to quickly process the tremendous pace and number of orders that came in during the first two hours – so we are fulfilling all those orders, up to 12.8 million coins. Furthermore, to address the extraordinary demand for the quarter bags, when the next of the 50 State Quarters, honoring South Carolina, goes on sale in bags in late May, we will accept and fulfill all orders received during this 72–hour sales period. Watch our Web site for more information.”
The Mint began online sales in April 1999, recorded its first $1 million month in May, 1999, its first $1 million week during July last year, and its first $1 million day on October 18, 1999, driven by sales of seven million Connecticut quarters in four and one–half hours. Total online sales amounted to $26.5 million for the period October 1 through December 31, 1999. The Mint is projecting online sales of more than $125 million this year, placing it among the nation’s top e–tailers.
Customers may currently order the new Golden Dollar in bags and in rolls via the U.S. Mint Web site, www.USMINT.gov. There are no limits placed on the orders, however, depending on order volumes, delivery may be delayed as much as six to eight weeks. Customers who prefer to fax their orders may download an order form from the web site and fax it to (301) 344–4150, and customers also may order by telephone by calling 1–800–USA–MINT. (Telephone and fax orders do not guarantee faster delivery times and incur an additional shipping and handling fee of $3.95.