Seeing is believing. There was crazy-like gold fever in the air last week. The U.S. Mint’s suspension of in-person purchases of 1964-2014 50c Kennedy gold coins became clearer after watching TV footage of people running toward the retail shop at the U.S. Mint in Denver.
Video from Denver’s ABC affiliate KMGH-TV shows a mad dash on Thursday morning with people tripping and falling in the rush to get a ticket to buy one. Later in the day, the United States Mint halted in-person sales of the 50-cent gold pieces to "ensure the safety of those wanting to purchase the coin and the safety of its own employees."
Struck in 99.99% pure gold to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy half-dollar, the special dual-dated gold coin launched last Tuesday, Aug. 5, for $1,240. Sales across U.S. Mint channels on the first day combined to 56,694. They moved up to 61,700 by the second day. At that time, in-person purchases were restricted to one. There was another limit of how many were allotted for sale each day at the ANA money show in Illinois and at U.S. Mint retail locations in Denver, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
1964-2014 Kennedy gold coins from the U.S. Mint remain available online at www.usmint.gov/catalog and via 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). There is a limit of 5 coins per household.
Return to CoinNews.net on Tuesday for a fresh set of sales figures.
