Wednesday, November 4, 2009

US Mint Sales: Bullion Robust, Collector Coins Retreat

http://www.coinnews.net/wp-content/images/2009/Mint-Sales-Figures.jpg

US Mint collector coins moved like molasses when compared to sales figures of two weeks ago. But bullion coins — especially gold — still had a little swagger in their step. October will be a robust month for American Eagles and American Buffalos.

These and other highlights follow:

  • UHR Double Eagles took a significant hit, rising sadly by only 562. Since they went on sale Jan. 22, there has been one single instance when weekly sales were lower. The reason? Gold has been on a five day losing streak, which started last Thursday. It makes sense for collectors to be cautious in buying with expectations of a $50 price decline. We missed that reduction by just 28.8 cents.

  • In the Lincoln category, the Chronicles sets were taken off standby status last week with the max 50,000 officially allocated. Lincoln Cent Proof Sets climbed by 4,900, which was less than half of the prior 10,921 increase.

  • 2009 US Mint and US Mint Proof Sets were the biggest unit gainers, rising 21,826 and 22,613 respectively. The proof sets were actually up a tad bit. Not so for the mint sets which previously climbed by 74,474. The 500,000 milestone is still nearly 11K away.

  • Three of the ten US Mint sold First Spouse Gold Coins did improve over the prior week. But numbers were not impressive as a group. 213 coins in total were sold versus the prior 514. Again, collectors may have been speculating some and waiting for a price drop.

  • Coming back to bullion coins, Silver Eagles have already marked their best October ever, despite sales slowing slightly over the past seven days. As for American Buffalo Gold coins, in less than two weeks 110,500 have been purchased. That is already 64.2 percent of the total (172,000) that was sold in all of 2008.

Major US Mint coin sales follow:

American Bullion Coin Sales: October


Oct. 7
Oct. 14
Oct. 21
Oct. 28
Silver Eagle Coins
282,000
892,000
1,625,000
2,240,000
Gold Buffalo Coins 0 0 86,000 110,500
Gold Eagle Coins
26,000
50,000
75,500
104,500
22,707,500 Silver Eagles, 1,058,500 Gold Eagles, and 110,500 Buffalo Eagles were sold in 2009, as of Oct. 28

US Mint Collector Coin Sales

(Data compare previous to current Mint sales reports)

UHR Double Eagle $20 Gold Coin



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Notes
1 ounce
100,704 101,266 562 0.6%







US Mint coin information page: 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin
Current eBay auctions: 2009 UHR $20 Gold Coins

2009 US Mint Proof Set



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Notes

1,185,841 1,207,667 21,826 1.8%

US Mint coin information page: United States Mint 2009 Proof Set®
CoinNews article: 2009 US Mint Proof Set

US Mint 2009 Silver Proof Set



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Notes

532,365 541,347 8,982 1.7%

US Mint coin information page: United States Mint 2009 Silver Proof Set®
CoinNews article: 2009 US Mint Silver Proof Set

2009 US Mint Uncirculated Set



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Notes

466,481 489,094 22,613 4.8%

US Mint coin information page: United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set®
CoinNews article: 2009 US Mint Set

2009 Presidential Dollar Proof Set



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Notes

579,083 581,444 2,361 0.4%

US Mint coin information page: US Mint Presidential $1 Coin Proof Set CoinNews article: 2009 Presidential Dollar Coin Proof Set

2009 Presidential Dollar Uncirculated Set (P&D)



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Notes

88,773 89,670 897 1.0%

US Mint coin information page: Presidential $1 Coin Uncirculated Set
CoinNews article: 2009 Uncirculated Presidential Dollar Coin Set

Louis Braille Silver Dollar



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Notes
Proof
125,344 126,173 829 0.7%
Uncirculated
45,937 46,163 226 0.5%
Braille Easy-Open Capsule
20,951 21,063 112 0.5%
Braille Education Set
5,996 7,000 1,004 16.7%







US Mint coin information page: Commemorative Coins

Lincoln Silver Dollar Sales*



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Notes
Proof
325,000 325,000 0 0.0%
Uncirculated
125,000 125,000 0 0.0%
Chronicles Set
50,000 - -







US Mint coin information page: Commemorative Coins
Current eBay auctions: Uncirculated Proof

2009 Lincoln Cents



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Notes
Birthplace Rolls *
96,000 96,000 0 0.0%
Formative Years Rolls*
300,000 300,000 0 0.0%
Professional Life
238,484 240,590 2,106 0.9%
2009 Lincoln Proof Set
156,734 161,634 4,900 3.1%







US Mint coin information page: Lincoln Cent Two-Roll Sets
Information site: 2009 Lincoln Cents
Current eBay auctions: 2009 Lincoln Birthplace Cents
Current eBay auctions: 2009 Lincoln Formative Years Cents

US Virgin Islands Quarter Sales



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Total
100-Coin Bag (P)
5,699 6,071 372 6.5% 11,981
100-Coin Bag (D)
5,562 5,910 348 6.3%
1000-Coin Bag (P)
1,122 1,148 26 2.3% 2,277
1000-Coin Bag (D)
1,110 1,129 19 1.7%
Two-Roll Set
25,602 27,096 1,494 5.8% 27,096







US Mint coin information page: D.C. & US Territories Collectibles
CoinNews article: US Virgin Islands Quarter Bags & Rolls

American Samoa Quarter Sales*



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Total
100-Coin Bag (P)
7,325 7,325 0 0.0% 14,510
100-Coin Bag (D)
7,185 7,185 0 0.0%
1000-Coin Bag (P)
1,499 1,499 0 0.0% 2,933
1000-Coin Bag (D)
1,434 1,434 0 0.0%
Two-Roll Set
33,865 33,865 0 0.0% 33,865







US Mint coin information page: D.C. & US Territories Collectibles
CoinNews article: American Samoa Quarters in Bags and Rolls

Guam Quarters*



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Total
100-Coin Bag (P)
13,012 13,012 0 0.0% 25,349
100-Coin Bag (D)
12,337 12,337 0 0.0%
1000-Coin Bag (P)
1,487 1,487 0 0.0% 2,821
1000-Coin Bag (D)
1,334 1,334 0 0.0%
Two-Roll Set
38,231 38,231 0 0.0%
38,231







US Mint coin information page: D.C. & US Territories Collectibles
CoinNews article: Guam Quarters in US Mint Bags and Rolls

Puerto Rico Quarters*



Old Sales
New Sales
Unit Change
% Increase
Total
100-Coin Bag (P)
20,000 20,000 0 0.0% 37,295
100-Coin Bag (D)
17,295 17,295 0 0.0%
1000-Coin Bag (P)
1,047 1,047 0 0.0% 2,000
1000-Coin Bag (D)
953 953 0 0.0%
Two-Roll Set
41,669 41,669 0 0.0%
41,669







US Mint coin information page: D.C. & US Territories Collectibles
Current eBay auctions: US Mint Puerto Rico quarter rolls
Current eBay auctions: US Mint Puerto Rico quarter bags

*Sold out/no longer available.

Notable summaries of sales articles this week from CoinNews and sister sites follow:

  • First Spouse Coin Sales Slip - FirstSpouseCoins.us
    Sales retreated again for the beautiful 24-karat First Spouse Gold Coins. In fact, the total unit increase for the seven day period was less than half of what it was in the prior report. Sarah Polk Proofs still led the First Spouse series by adding 79, but both Anna Harrison Proofs and Letitia Tyler Proofs lost …

  • US Mint Silver Coins Cool, Bullion Eagles Near 23M - SilverCoinsToday.com
    US Mint sales numbers are often mixed when it comes to silver related collector products — demand for coins in one hand rise while those in the other decline, metaphorically speaking. October has been different. Silver coins have trended up or down as a group without the mixing …
  • 2009 Lincoln Coin Sales Movement - 2009LincolnPennies.com
    Sales were modest for 2009 Lincoln products this time around. To clarify, there were no big spikes, like last week. The 2009 US Mint Proof Set climbed another 21,826 compared to last week’s 21,189. The redesigned pennies in the set were believed to make this year’s set more popular than previous years. Right now, over …
  • Bullion Gold Buffalos Top 110K - CoinNews
    The United States Mint has sold 110,500 one-ounce American Buffalo $50 Gold Bullion Coins since they were released on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009. To place that in perspective, in less than two weeks bullion dealers have purchased 64.2 percent of the total (172,000) that was sold in all of 2008 …

The non bullion coin sales figures above have an "as of date" of Oct. 25. The previous reported sales figures are located here. For an always updated reference of the latest articles, visit US Mint Sales Figures.

2009 American Buffalo Gold Proof Coin Launches with Little Issues

http://www.coinnews.net/wp-content/images/2009/2009-American-Buffalo-Gold-Proof-Coin.jpg
Today at noon ET the United States Mint began selling the 2009 American Buffalo Gold Proof Coin for $1,360.00, as it announced on Oct. 22.

The one-ounce .9999 fine (24 karat) gold coin is expected to draw significant attention. The US Mint handled early demand in improved fashion compared to the collector blitz and resulting problems that brought its web site down just a few weeks ago with the release of another product, the Lincoln Coin and Chronicles Set.

While there were initial reports of several minute online order delays, that appeared to be the extent of any issue. Phone lines were busy. Some collectors indicated that it took dozens of minutes to get through to a Mint customer service representative, but again, it was unlike their experience of weeks back where there were reports of over an hour of delay and repeated "call back" messages. The Mint added an extra menu option that routed customers to a different queue and standby waiting list, which may have helped.

The Mint’s handling of the Buffalo Gold proof orders on opening day indicates they made improvements, but demand may also have been less intense. The $1,360.00 price point certainly held some customers at bay — especially when considering that gold prices have been dropping for several days and the coins missed out on a $50 price cut by a mere 28.8 cents. (See 28.8 Cents Prevents US Mint Gold Coin Price Reductions.) Many may try and wait for such a cut next week, despite the possibility that the coins could sell out — the Mint has not indicated how many are available, and there are no order limits in place.

Last year the Mint struck fractional sizes of the Buffalo gold coin. This year it will not as a result of a slashing of its numismatic portfolio — a decision the Mint made in Nov. 2008.

The bullion version of the 2009 American Buffalo Coin has current sales figures of 110,500. These versions, which the Mint offers only to authorized purchasers who resell them to the public, were released two weeks ago (Oct. 15). As a perspective in how strong demand has been, 172,000 were sold in the entire year of 2008. It looks as if the 2009s will outpace that number in a few short weeks.

Both the obverse and reverse of the Buffalo coin are the same basic design that first appeared on the 1913 circulating nickel, commonly known by most as either the "Indian Head Nickel" or the "Buffalo Nickel."

The obverse has a portrait of a Native American, said to be a composite of three Indian chiefs. Many have claimed to be one of those three models, but only two were ever verified by the artist James Earle Fraser; Cheyenne Chief Two Moons and Lakota Sioux Chief Iron Tail.

The reverse contains an image of an American buffalo, also known as a bison. It is believed by many to be modeled after the creature named "Black Diamond" who lived in the New York City Zoo.

Phone orders may be placed at the US Mint toll-free number 1-800- USA-MINT (872-6468). Additionally, online ordering is available at http://www.usmint.gov/, or directly here.