The United States Mint has announced mintage limits for next year’s First Spouse Gold Coins, keeping those honoring Elizabeth Truman, Mamie Eisenhower and Lady Bird Johnson at 10,000 like this year’s issues while boosting the two featuring Jacqueline Kennedy up to 30,000.
From 2011 to 2014, the U.S. Mint notes that sales of the 24-karat gold coins have been similar with fewer than 7,000 sold per design. It expects this trend to continue for the one-half ounce gold pieces commemorating Elizabeth Truman, Mamie Eisenhower and Lady Bird Johnson.
Jacqueline Kennedy holds a special place in the hearts and minds of many Americans, and so the Mint expects much higher demand for coins featuring her. It also anticipates the potential of higher sales from collectors wanting to make special proof sets.
"For Kennedy, in addition to being renown, the release of the 2014 50th Anniversary Kennedy Half-Dollar Gold Proof Coin may cause a sharp increase in demand from customers seeking to make special Kennedy gold sets using both the 2014 50th Anniversary Kennedy Half-Dollar Gold Proof Coin and the 2015 Jacqueline Kennedy First Spouse Gold Proof Coin," the Mint notes.
To account for the potential variable, the Mint believes that 30,000 coins would "allow flexibility to increase production should customer demand exceed forecasted sales volumes for the other designs."
As a reminder, the Mint said that it is not obligated to produce, nor would it strike, the maximum mintage limits unless supported by public demand. First Spouse Gold Coins are produced at the West Point Mint in collector qualities of proof and uncirculated. Public demand also sets the ratio of proof to uncirculated coins up to the maximum mintage limits.
