Monthly Archives: August 2009

US Mint coin sales trended slightly lower last week with the exception of silver coin demand which was on the rise. Frankly, no numbers unexpectedly shouted and said "look at me."

Here are several highlights, plus a few topics that should make next week sales figures more interesting:

• UHR $20 Double Eagle sales continue to flow strong with 2,259 added for a new total of 82,959. (News of the week is about the new 25 coin limit increase.)

• Jackson's Liberty First Spouse proof coin sold out last week and that proved to be beneficial for the uncirculated option. It rose by 261 versus the prior weekly climb of only 34.

• American Silver Eagle Bullion coins settled down, no doubt thanks to the recent volatile movement of silver prices. While the last sales report showed the eagles had jumped by 475,000 in a week, the latest seven day gain is down to 275,000. Bullion American Gold Eagles fared slightly better although demand was still down with a rise of 15,000 versus the previous 22,000.

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The US Mint in a typical year offers Lincoln proof cents in two coin products. 2009, however, is far from a typical year for the penny given it is the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth and the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln cent itself.

Not only are there four new one-cent reverse designs this year to celebrate the historical occasions, but there are four different 2009 proof set products that the US Mint has produced for coin collectors.

The proof sets offer varying coin denominations within each, and the included cents are special not just for their four designs but for their unique composition. Unlike the circulating varieties, each proof penny is struck from the same metals as the original 1909 Lincoln bronze cent -- 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc.

So which proof set should set a collector buy?

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Following nearly a two week hiatus, two-roll sets of the second redesigned 2009 Lincoln Formative Years Cent, also known as the Rail Splitter penny, went back on sale at the US Mint.

The set with 50 coins from Philadelphia and 50 coins from Denver was first offered May 14 for $8.95 each. Prior to the Aug. 13 launch of the third Lincoln Professional Life Cent, the US Mint listed the Formative Years rolls as sold out and placed them on its "No Longer Available" page.

At the time, the latest Mint sales report had shown 300,246 of the two-roll sets were sold. A week later, the total was revised lower to 300,000, resulting in speculation that the Mint may cap sales of the third and fourth penny rolls at the same level.

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