In a one week-window this month, two First Spouse Gold Coins went off sale to leave only three available.
United States Mint production issues have delayed the launch of the eight 2012-dated coins, so the 2011’s are receiving extra attention. Their falling sales levels have significantly helped that as well. Collectors like scarcer coins, and the spousal series is one of the few from the U.S. Mint that are about guaranteeing scarcity.
The following offers a breakdown of sales for 2011 First Spouse Gold Coins as of Monday, August 20, 2012. The third column offers the most recent 7-day sales increase.
Sales Figures for 2011 First Spouse Gold Coins
| Latest Sales | Weekly Gains | Mintages | |
| 2011 Eliza Johnson First Spouse Proof | 3,907 | NLA | 6,812 of 15,000 |
| 2011 Eliza Johnson First Spouse Uncirculated | 2,905 | NLA | |
| 2011 Julia Grant First Spouse Proof | 3,969 | NLA | 6,887 of 15,000 |
| 2011 Julia Grant First Spouse Uncirculated | 2,918 | 45 | |
| 2011 Lucy Hayes First Spouse Proof | 3,456 | 51 | 5,719 of 15,000 |
| 2011 Lucy Hayes First Spouse Uncirculated | 2,263 | NLA | |
| 2011 Lucretia Garfield First Spouse Proof | 3,046 | 29 | 5,544 of 15,000 |
| 2011 Lucretia Garfield First Spouse Uncirculated | 2,498 | NLA |
NLA = No Longer Available.
As the data above highlights, sales of the one-half ounce 24-karat gold coins are coming in at less than half of their announced mintages.
Since the series was introduced in 2007, demand has steadily fallen for the coins. A major reason is simply their cost as gold prices have shot higher in recent years, lifting coin prices in the process. Today, the proof versions are $966 each while the uncirculated coins are $977 each. In contrast, when the Martha Washington First Spouse Gold Coins launched on June 19, 2007, the proof was just $429.95 and the uncirculated was $410.95. Martha’s coins had a combined mintage of 40,000 and sold out.
When the 2012 First Spouse Gold Coins are released, maximum mintages will retreat further from the 2011 level of 15,000 down to 13,000. But based on current sales levels, even 13,000 is too high.
For collectors of the series, they could not be happier with this as the value of scarcer coins tends to increase over time.
