October was explosive for US bullion coins. Unprecedented demand for gold and silver coins elevated the month with US Mint recorded sales levels that are either at or near the top of the all-time high charts.

Bullion American Gold Buffalo and American Silver Eagle coins enjoyed their best October ever.

For the Silver Eagles, more than double the amount were sold last month at 2,939,000, than in any previous October. The month also stands out as the time when 2009 became the best selling year ever for eagles — dating all the way back to their launch in 1986. The latest numbers pad the tally further with 23,406,500 delivered in the first 10 months of this year. Read the rest of this entry »

No proof one ounce gold or silver American Eagle coins will be struck this year by the US Mint, Bob Van Ryzin relays during his "What’s In the News" segment on this week’s Coin Chat Radio.

He also informs us of several other American Eagle products that will not be available. But the Mint is planning on producing gold Buffalo coins as well as the proof one ounce American Eagle platinum coins this year.

The recent record high on gold prices is the next topic of conversation when Numismatic News Editor Dave Harper talks with Pat Heller from Liberty Coin Service. Heller’s explanation of the spike includes two reasons that can best be described as rumors at this point: Read the rest of this entry »

The United States Mint announced today that it will offer for sale 2009 one-ounce American Buffalo Proof Gold Coins and one-ounce American Eagle Platinum Proof Coins. The release dates for these products are tentatively October 29 and December 3, 2009, respectively.

In addition, the agency will release the one-ounce 2009 American Buffalo Gold Bullion Coin on October 15 and the fractional 2009 American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins-in the one-half ounce, one-quarter ounce, and one-tenth ounce weights-on December 3.

The United States Mint will not offer the following products in 2009:

• the one-ounce American Eagle Silver Proof Coin;

• the one-ounce American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coin;

• the American Eagle Gold Proof Coins (all weights, as well as the four-coin set);

• the one-ounce American Eagle Gold Uncirculated Coin;

• the United States Mint Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set™, which also includes a one-ounce American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coin; and

• the American Eagle Platinum Bullion Coins (all weights)

Read the rest of this entry »

In a switch from recent months, bullion American Gold Eagles are off to the races in September while their counterpart Silver Eagles appear winded.

Both were slow out of the blocks, as the US Mint posted the first September figures only on the 9th. (The Labor Day holiday may have contributed to a delay.) But then Gold Eagles blasted off.

With just half of the month gone and 15 days still left on the books, an already 62,500 have been sold to the US Mint’s authorized dealers. In contrast, 86,000 were sold in the entire month of July. 82,000 in all of August. Of course in those months gold didn’t head up and leap over the $1,000 an ounce mark like it has this month. Read the rest of this entry »

The United States Mint sold 2.13 million Silver Eagles and 82,000 Gold Eagles during the month of August. Pretty impressive. Still, if these numbers seem lower than those from July or June, that’s because they are.

From that fact alone, it would be easy to conclude that gold and silver eagle coin demand is on the retreat. But that wouldn’t exactly be accurate.

An analysis of the historical record shows that August often tends to be a weaker month for bullion American Eagles. Any decline, should therefore be almost expected and certainly not a surprise.

What every investor or collector of the series should be studying is not just the 2009 monthly trends, but the historical performance of the coins during a given month. That offers a clearer and more complete performance picture. Read the rest of this entry »

Demand is lower for bullion coins? Poppycock. US Mint sales figures released Wednesday say otherwise.

Marking the third best month of a record setting pace year, demand in June for American Eagle Gold and Silver Bullion Coins jumped aggressively over May.

Silver eagle sales soared in June, rising 340,500 higher than May figures. 2,245,000 silver bullion eagles were sold. The total is now 13,824,500 for an annualized rate that is easily on track to smash last year’s 20,583,000 record. Read the rest of this entry »

The US Mint on Monday ended the allocation process which limited the number of gold and silver American Eagle bullion coins authorized dealers could order. Ironically, as of Monday also, week-over-week sales soared 8.1 percent for the silver eagles and 9.1 for the gold eagles.

Even with the latest surge, the Mint is apparently confident that enough silver and gold blanks are on hand that rationing is no longer needed — at least in the near term.

And with that, a buzz of excitement immediately begins with collectors now wondering whether the Mint has sufficient inventory to begin producing the previously suspended 2009 collector proof and uncirculated versions. Of that, no word has yet been given. Read the rest of this entry »

Demand for 2009 Eagle Gold Bullion Coins has declined to the lowest level of the year, but sales still recorded the 5th best May ever for a series that dates back to 1986. Further, 2009 continues to be the strongest year of sales for the bullion coins since the Y2K safe-haven buying in 1999.

Gold Eagle Bullion Coin Sales in May (1986-2009)

The US Mint reported selling 65,000 American Eagle Gold Bullion coins in May. Historically, the month has never been exceedingly strong for the series, and 2009 is no different despite its record start. Sales dropped by more than half compared to April, which was the best performing month of the year with 147,500 eagles sold. Still, May trailed only behind same month sales in 2004, 1999, 1998, and 1987. Read the rest of this entry »

2009 American Eagle Gold Bullion Coin sales are off to the quickest start in ten years and have recorded the third best performance since the series began in late 1986, according to the latest United States Mint coin sales statistics.

Eagle Gold Bullion Coin Sales Total, Jan-Apr (1986-2009)

From January through April, the US Mint has sold 489,500 eagle gold coins to its authorized dealers. That trails only behind the Y2K explosion of safe haven buying of bullion in 1999, and then the inaugural leading months in 1987 after the coins were first introduced. (The Mint sold 855,000 ounces of bullion gold coins in the first four months in 1999 and 570,000 in same months in 1987.) Read the rest of this entry »

The US Mint’s recent actions to temporarily suspend production of collectible 2009 gold and silver American Eagle coins in order to produce their bullion counterparts is, to say the least, annoying to many coin collectors. Worst of all, it could be many months before the collector coins are offered since bullion coin sales are off to their quickest pace in 10 years.

The collector community may be able to empathize somewhat by stepping back from emotion over the Mint directives and instead focus on the reality — and the biggest angst that has driven many recent Mint decisions, the "unprecedented demand" for gold coins.

Yes, the Mint’s use of the word unprecedented in many of its communications is perhaps too strong a term. The writing pens of attention seeking bloggers and the conspiracy minded get hot. They correctly point out that larger demand for gold coins was met in past years without any coin suspensions, but then "gotcha" finger pointing and the trendy come lately Mint-bashing generally ensues. Read the rest of this entry »