2010 Boy Scouts of America Centennial Silver Dollar sales are on fire with an already 200,000 purchased, United States Mint Director Ed Moy revealed early Saturday morning during the American Numismatic Association’s National Money Show™ in Fort Worth, Texas.
"The coin program has already been a great success," said Director Moy. "It went on sale this past Tuesday, March 23rd, and as of this morning, out of 350,000 that were available to sell, 200,000 have been sold."
The sales figures have smashed those of the 2010 Disabled American Veteran commemorative that have been on sale for longer, and have topped last year’s opening sales week of the extremely popular 2009 Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial commemorative which eventually sold out.
As Mr. Moy indicated, the commemorative silver coins were made available for ordering on Tuesday, March 23. The Mint ceremoniously launched the dollars on Saturday, March 27, at the National Money Show.
The coins are available in both proof and uncirculated conditions. The introductory price for the proof is $39.95 while the uncirculated option is available for $33.95. Mr. Moy did not reveal how the sales were split between the two. The U.S. Mint generally releases more formalized coin sales figures each week by Tuesday.
While standard in their composition and weight for a commemorative, the Boy Scouts silver dollars are unique in the fact of their subject matter and the swarm of potential buyers. It is estimated that almost 2.8 million youth members alone belong to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Add in the million plus adult members and the numbers approach 4 million active participants.
The total allotted mintage for the commemoratives is 350,000. Many collectors expect they will sell out, and the inaugural sales figures are more supportive of the possibility.
The US Mint releases only two commemoratives each year. The first was the 2010 American Veterans Disabled for Life Silver Dollar. The proof and uncirculated coins went on sale February 25, 2010 and are still available. The Mint has reported a combined 166,368 have been sold between their launch and March 21, which — although much less than the Boy Scouts dollars, is a solid number for a silver commemorative. The first reported weekly Mint figures for the 2009 Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Silver Dollars came in at 177,722.
Customers may order the proof and uncirculated coins at the United States Mint Web site, http://www.usmint.gov/catalog, or at their toll-free number, 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).
The Boy Scouts of America Centennial Silver Dollar will be available at an introductory price through April 22, 2010, when it will be offered at regular pricing — $43.95 for the proof and $35.95 for the uncirculated (if they do not sell).
