Monthly Archives: April 2011

Queen Elizabeth led the Royal Maundy Service on Thursday in Westminster Abbey, the same location where Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry next Friday.

In keeping with an annual tradition to mark Holy Thursday before Easter, the Queen handed out commemorative coins along with uniquely minted coins within small red and white purses. This year was different, however, as it was the first time the Queen's birthday coincided with the Maundy Thursday [...]

U.S. gold prices closed above $1,500 an ounce for the first time and to a fifth straight record on Thursday, lifting its weekly gains for the holiday-shortened week to 1.2 percent.

Silver was the metal in focus, however, rushing over $46 an ounce, a fresh 31-year high, and capping a weekly gain of 8.2 percent -- the best since December. A weaker U.S. dollar, rising crude and debt/credit concerns were noted for prompting investors into buying bullion as a currency/inflation hedge [...]

The United States Mint released a series of five products on Thursday featuring 2011 American Gold Eagle Proof Coins. Started prices range from a low of $195 for the smallest offering up to $3,215.50 for a set containing all four coins.

The 22-karat American Gold Eagle debuted in 1986 with two types available -- bullion versions intended for investors and proofs minted for coin collectors. The 2011 bullion eagles were released through the United States Mint network of authorized dealers on January 3. These coins do no carry a mint mark nor have a special finish [...]

As silver prices continue to push for new 31-year highs and strive for an all-time record, silver coin values have blasted off for common coins once worth just 5, 10, 25 or 50 cents.

It is difficult to imagine that a 50-cent piece with mintages in the tens of millions is worth nearly $17, or that a worn out nickel is valued at more than $2.50. But they are, thanks to silver prices that have jumped 172 percent since the end of 2009 [...]

Spot gold dealings opened with a $3.50 per ounce gain in New York and the yellow metal was quoted at the $1,505.10 level on the bid-side.

Overnight highs near $1,510.00 were recorded amid the aforementioned dollar-oriented selling overseas but the US currency was seen attempting to regain the 74 level that it breached on the index in the wee hours at the time metals opened for trading in New York.

For the moment, the US currency remained near the 73.85 zone ahead of pre-holiday weekend book-squaring activities [...]

Rising silver prices have helped and hindered US Mint silver products, based on the latest sales figures from the bureau.

Five of the six clad and gold U.S. Army and Medal of Honor commemorative coins registered poorer weekly gains, but three of four silver U.S. Army and Medal of Honor coins improved.

The silver coins contain 0.773 ounces of the metal, giving them a melt value of $34.86 at the current spot price of $45.07 an ounce [...]

Wednesday's action in precious metals was off to a robust start across the price boards. Platinum and palladium shone brightest this morning, offering starting gains of 1.5 and 3.2 percent respectively...

More gains were in store for silver on the back of intense speculative attention and the white metal broke through yet another price barrier with relative ease: the one at the $45.50 level. There is, at this point, not much that potentially stands between that level and the round figure overhead in terms of resistance...

Spot gold dealings opened with a gain of $8 per ounce and were quoted at the $1,502.70 per ounce mark in New York. The confluence of higher moving averages, higher daily closings, higher trading volumes and higher [...]

U.S. gold futures prices advanced to a new all-time record of $1,500.50 an ounce before settling back a notch to register a more modest 0.1 percent increase on Tuesday.

Silver was on fire as the metal glowed toward $44 an ounce and finished up 2.2 percent. Weakness in the U.S. dollar, rising crude-oil and worldwide credit/debt concerns were noted as supporting the two precious metals.

June gold prices advanced $2.20 to close at $1,495.10 an ounce on the [...]

The United States Mint on Tuesday released its 2011 America the Beautiful Quarters Uncirculated Coin Set™. The set is the second in a series and it is available for $21.95.

The uncirculated coin set includes a total of ten coins. The quarters are split, with five each manufactured at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints. The five 2011 quarter designs honor national parks and a national site located in the states of Pennsylvania, Montana, Washington, Mississippi and Oklahoma [...]