Platinum Hits Record High: Will Coin Sales Follow?

Platinum hit a record high as strong industrial demand and supply fears drove investors to buy.

Spot platinum made it to $1,519 an ounce, breaking the $1,500 barrier for the first time on Monday.

It then pulled back slightly for the night, yet was still sitting at $1507 an ounce at 2:20 p.m. (ET on Tuesday).

In further positives for platinum, its futures for January advanced to $1524 an ounce, hitting another record high in trading today.

With new highs for platinum, several coins are better bargains

Suddenly, given its newer perceived flirting price of $1949.95, the U.S. Mint’s 30,000 limited edition 10th Anniversary Platinum Coin Set looks drunkenly attractive even for a penny-pincher.

The two proof coins within the set each contain a 1/2 ounce of platinum. That coupled with their unique collector value make their purchase price at least more palatable.

To comparatively place platinum’s upper movement into perspective, when the Mint announced their pricing for the anniversary coins, platinum futures were hovering around $1420 an ounce. That’s now approximately $100 less than today’s price.

Two additional examples of Mint products that now offer a bigger bang for the dollar:

• 2007 American Eagle Platinum Uncirculated One Ounce Coin - $1630.95
• 2007 American Eagle Platinum Proof One Ounce Coin - $1,740.95

Clearly, if today’s platinum prices stay firm or further increase, all platinum coins will become better bargains. Investors and coin collectors with extra cash will certainly take a deeper look at pocketing more.

Of course, that’s if the Mint doesn’t first suspend platinum coin sales, like they did with several Gold American Eagle coins.