Do you ever buy from the mint?

Sorry for the newbie questions. Figured I'd ask a lot before spending my money. I'm interested in pre-1933 gold, maybe other modern issues from the mint. I haven't seen much talk about people buying directly from the mint for modern/recent releases.

1. Is buying from the mint not worth it? over priced?

2. Is there anything you WOULD buy from the mint versus elsewhere, certain commemoratives or special issues?