a. In Store Sales: Payment in full is required at the time of sale unless the sale involves a lay-a-way. If the customer requests a special order or if the item desired is backordered or out of stock, then a deposit of one third (1/3) of the purchase amount is required. In store sales payments are typically cash, check, or credit cards. Payment for gold, platinum, or a quantity of silver needs to be cash or check with identification.

b. Telephone Order Sales: Payment by the customer is expected to be received within three mail days (72 hours) for all payments made by check, money order, or cashier's check. Orders are shipped after the check has cleared our bank. Please allow 5 days for in state checks and 12 days for out of state checks to clear. Telephone orders paid via credit card are shipped upon acceptance of the charge by the credit processing center.

c. Mail Order Sales: All orders received by mail are processed on the day the order is received. If payment is made by check, money order, or cashier's check, then the order is shipped after the check has cleared our bank. LSM treats national brand money orders as a cash payment (e.g. United States Postal Money Orders). Please allow 5 days for in state checks and 12 days for out of state checks to clear. Mail order sales paid via credit card are shipped upon acceptance of the charge by the credit processing center.

d. Internet Sales: Payment by the customer is expected to be received within three mail days (72 hours) for all payments made by check, money order, or cashier's check. Orders are shipped after the check has cleared our bank. Please allow 5 days for in state checks and 12 days for out of state checks to clear. Telephone orders paid via credit card are shipped upon acceptance of the charge by the credit processing center. At this time LSM does accept PayPal, but not PayDirect or other Internet credit card pay systems because of the high cost of accepting such payments. See our Internet auction sites at Yahoo! and e-Bay for specific terms and conditions for internet auctions.

2. Types of Payment Accepted
LSM accepts a wide range of payments methods for our customers' convenience. Credit card orders are accepted with a purchase amount greater than $15.00. Please note that we do not accept American Express credit cards because of the high cost for processing the charges with American Express. Also, note we do not accept credit card payment for bullion items (gold, silver or platinum bullion coins/bars). Bullion items have such a low profit margin the cost of processing the charge exceeds the profit on the sale of the item. Listed below are the types of payments we accept:
a. Cash
b. Checks
c. Money Orders
d. Cashier's Checks
e. Wire Transfers (wire transfer instructions available on request)
f. Credit Cards
" Visa
" MasterCard
" Discover
g. Lone Star Mint Gift Certificates

3. Shipping and Handling
Shipping and handling cost represent the expense LSM incurs to ship an item or items to the customer. Orders are generally shipped via United States Post Office First Class Priority Mail. LSM determines the shipping and handling costs from the current postal rate schedule based on the value of the customer's order. Our intent is to insure our customers receive their orders in a timely manner at the lowest possible cost. Customers have the option to request overnight delivery via FEDEX at the prevailing rate. FEDEX delivery is not available for bullion orders or other high dollar value orders.
a. First Class U.S. Mail: Orders with a value of less than $50.00 are shipped First Class Priority Mail.
b. First Class Insured U.S. Mail: Orders with a value of greater than $50.00 and less than $500.00 are shipped First Class Priority Insured Mail. Orders with a value greater that $125.00 are shipped with returned receipt required.
c. First Class Registered U.S. Mail: Orders with a value of greater than $500.00 are shipped First Class Insured Registered Mail with a return receipt. Orders with a value greater than $1,000.00 are shipped with a signature guarantee.
d. FEDEX: FEDEX delivery is a customer directed delivery option with appropriate cost added. This option is not available for bullion orders.
e. United Parcel Service (UPS): UPS is used for orders requiring ground shipment for weight reasons.

4. Shipping to Lone Star Mint
LSM recommends customers ship coins, collections, estates, and bullion coins (gold, silver, platinum) via First Class Registered Insured U.S. Mail with a return receipt. Over the years LSM has received numerous large and small collections valued in the thousands of dollars shipped using this method without the loss of one coin. Shipping this way adds an extra day or two but it is well worth the peace of mind knowing your coins will arrive at our facility. Our shipping address is:

Lone Star Mint, Inc.
805 East 15th Street
Plano, Texas 75074-5805

5. Appraisals
LSM routinely does appraisals for collections to be sold, for insurance valuations, and for estate settlements. Our fee is for appraisals is based on the time to conduct the appraisal. We charge $45.00 per hour for all appraisals. The appraisal fee is waived if LSM purchases the collection or estate. Our appraisals are valid for a period of thirty (30) days to permit our customers time to consider our offer. The appraised value for bullion coins and bars does not have a thirty day period as their value can fluctuate based on daily market conditions.

6. Customer Purchases
We are active buyers of United States rare coins, United States currency, World Coins, World Banknotes, ancient coins, and precious metals (gold, silver, and platinum coins / bars). With over 75 years of combined numismatic experience, you can be assured your coins will receive the highest value possible. LSM accepts coins for purchase at our store location in the Historic District of Plano, Texas, at various coin shows we attend, or via mail delivery at our facility.

7. Coin Certification and Grading
As a service to our customers, LSM submits coins to two third party grading services. Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) is our preferred grading service. Independent Coin Grading Company (ICG) is our alternate grading service. Coins may be submitted to these services at these firms' established fee schedules plus the cost to ship the coins to the grading services. Both firms are well established third party grading services and coins certified by them enjoy a strong reputation for fair and accurate grading.

8. Lay-A-Way
LSM has an active Lay-A-Way program for collectors. The Lay-A-Way program is for all rare coins and currency with a value in excess of $50.00 and a value less than $1,000.00. We do not allow bullion coins and bars to be lay-a-way items. To place an item on the Lay-A-Way program one third (1/3) of the value of the item must be placed on deposit. The remaining balance must be paid in the following 90 days with payments made each month for the lay-a-way to be considered active. If the lay-a-way is not paid in full in 90 days and no payment has been received for 90 days, then the lay-a-way is considered to be in default. Once a lay-a-way is in a default position, LSM takes possession of the item and the deposit is considered forfeited.

9. Returns and Exchanges
We will accept returns on items sold and exchanges on items sold for up to thirty (30) days without discounting the value of the item sold. Bullion coins and bars are an exception to this rule as the value of the coins and bars are based on daily market prices. Returned or exchanged items can be used as credit towards the purchase of a like or different item. Returns and exchanges are permitted on all in store sales, mail orders, telephone orders, or Internet sales.

10. Gift Certificates
LSM sells gift certificates in all denominations starting at $10.00. Our gift certificates do not have an expiration date and are good towards the purchase of all items in the store including bullion products. These are very popular gift items for birthdays and during the Holiday Season. We treat LSM Gift Certificates as cash for in store or mail order sales.

11. Guarantee
We guarantee all items sold to be genuine and as described. All items sold may be returned with no questions asked. If you are not happy with an item we have sold for any reason, just return it. We request all return items to be returned unopened or in their original packaging as sold by us along with the sales receipt to insure the proper credit is applied.

12. Texas Sales Tax
A provision in the State of Texas Sales Tax law permits the face value of all United States Rare coins and currency to be deducted from the sales amount before the state sales tax is calculated. In addition, sales of rare coins, currency, and/or precious metals greater than or equal to $1,000.00 are exempt from the collection of Texas state sales tax. Coin supplies, books, newspapers, magazines, and albums are all taxable items regardless of the sale amount. LSM takes the time to show the calculation of the Texas Sales Tax law to our customer's purchase receipts.