U.S. coin production reached a three-month high in January, according to newly released United States Mint manufacturing data. However, output remained below 1 billion coins for the 17th consecutive month, following an earlier streak of eight months above that threshold.
The U.S. Mint produced 633.56 million coins for circulating during the month – including cents, nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollars – reflecting a 61.8% jump from December but a 16.2% decline from January 2024.
Here’s how January’s production compares to previous months over the past year:
January 2024 to January 2025 Circulating Coin Production
| Month | Mintages | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 633.56 M | 4 |
| December 2024 | 391.70 M | 9 |
| November 2024 | 602.90 M | 5 |
| October 2024 | 826.60 M | 1 |
| September 2024 | 486.00 M | 6 |
| August 2024 | 405.20 M | 7 |
| July 2024 | 235.20 M | 12 |
| June 2024 | 168.22 M | 13 |
| May 2024 | 396.08 M | 8 |
| April 2024 | 368.20 M | 11 |
| March 2024 | 332.70 M | 10 |
| February 2024 | 644.86 M | 3 |
| January 2024 | 755.98 M | 2 |
The U.S. Mint’s primary mission is to manufacture coins in response to public demand. It manufactures, sells, and delivers circulating coins to Federal Reserve Banks and their coin terminals, ensuring commercial banks and other financial institutions have the necessary supply.
Despite costing the Mint 3.69 cents to produce and distribute each penny, the Federal Reserve consistently orders more of them than any other denomination. In January, the Mint struck 242.4 million Lincoln cents, accounting for 38.3% of all circulating-quality coins produced for the month.
The future of the penny, however, is increasingly uncertain. On Feb. 9, President Trump ordered an end to its production, calling the move a step toward reducing "wasteful" government spending.
"For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents," Trump said in a Truth Social post. "This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Let’s rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it’s a penny at a time," Trump wrote.
Month-Over-Month
In month-over-month comparisons for coins commonly used by Americans, January production saw:
- 9.4% fewer Lincoln cents,
- 280% more Jefferson nickels,
- 52.8% more Roosevelt dimes, and
- 870.8% more quarters.
Mintages of Native American Dollars and Kennedy Halves
The U.S. Mint also produces other coins in circulating quality, including half dollars and dollars. While Native American $1 coins are no longer ordered by the Federal Reserve, they continue to be minted in circulating quality for collectors. The same applied to Kennedy half dollars until recent years — specifically in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
In many years, the U.S. Mint strikes both denominations in January to meet the expected demand for the entire year. However, that has not been the case for Kennedy half dollars over the past four years, as the Federal Reserve unexpectedly ordered millions more for circulation — approximately 12 million in 2021, 7 million in 2022, 18 million in 2023, and 52 million in 2024.
It remains unclear whether any 2025 Kennedy half dollars will be produced for general circulation. So far, production figures show 3.6 million half dollars struck at the Denver Mint and 5.8 million at the Philadelphia Mint, for a total of 9.4 million coins. By comparison, 2024 production totaled 21.9 million from Denver and 15.7 million from Philadelphia, amounting to 37.6 million coins.
Mintage levels for 2025 Native American dollars are expected to remain unchanged, with 1.12 million struck at both the Denver and Philadelphia Mints for a combined 2.24 million coins – the same totals as in the previous two years.
On Jan. 28, the U.S. Mint began selling rolls, bags, and boxes of 2025 Native American dollars from the Denver and Philadelphia Mints. Collectors can expect rolls and bags of circulating 2025 Kennedy half dollars to become available on May 6.
The following table details 2025 circulating coin mintages by production facility, denomination, and design.
U.S. Mint Circulating Coin Production in January 2025
| Denver | Philadelphia | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Cent | 82,400,000 | 160,000,000 | 242,400,000 |
| Jefferson Nickel | 43,680,000 | 38,400,000 | 82,080,000 |
| Roosevelt Dime | 68,500,000 | 56,000,000 | 124,500,000 |
| Quarters | 84,200,000 | 88,600,000 | 172,800,000 |
| Kennedy Half-Dollar | 3,600,000 | 5,800,000 | 9,400,000 |
| Native American $1 Coin | 1,120,000 | 1,260,000 | 2,380,000 |
| Total | 283,500,000 | 350,060,000 | 633,560,000 |
In total January production, the Denver Mint struck 283.5 million coins, while the Philadelphia Mint produced 350.06 million, bringing the combined output to 633.56 million coins. As previously noted, this represents a 16.2% decline from the 755.98 million coins minted in January 2024.
If the current production pace continues through December, the 2025 annual mintage would surpass 7.6 billion coins. For comparison, the U.S. Mint produced just over 5.6 billion coins for circulation in 2024, marking the lowest output since 2009.
Mint data also shows that 172.8 million quarters were struck in January, primarily consisting of Ida B. Wells quarters (168.4 million) and Juliette Gordon Low quarters (4.4 million), the 16th and 17th releases in the Mint’s 20-coin American Women Quarters™ series. Given their relatively low mintages, more of these same designs are likely to be produced later this year. The Mint began selling Ida B. Wells quarters in early February, with Juliette Gordon Low quarters set for release in March.
Major D said previously: “Yes! Not only is it user unfriendly–but it now also deletes product numbers and products from past schedules.”Not sure methods you use,however this may help or may help another reader that may be looking for US Mint product information. Using your favorite search engine, I suggest typing in a product name as close to the actual naming convention and adding US Mint and either press release, catalog, or both which I’ve often had pretty good success getting the data I’m looking for. Things such as release dates, original pricing, household limits, order windows, product description, and… Read more »
Also a reminder. Some of you may want to make sure you are signed up via subscriptions for this years Uncirculated, Proof and or Silver Proof sets. Not only could this be the end although not likely for collectors of the Lincoln Cent, this will be the last year or end for the Kennedy half Dollar as we know it.
Many thanks, CaliSkier, for this very timely and important heads up. It really helps to be reminded of these kinds of things.
The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act authorizes the redesign of the half dollar between 2027 and 2030 with images on the reverse “emblematic of a sport tailored to athletes with a range of disabilities, including physical impairment, vision impairment and intellectual impairment.” Each half dollar will feature a single Paralympic sport after consultation with U.S. Paralympics, with one sport featured each year. So Kennedy will return to the obverse of the half dollar in 2027, but the eagle won’t return until 2031, if ever. I hope all of you like sports, because we’ll be seeing lots of them on our coins… Read more »
Morgan mentions: “So Kennedy will return to the obverse of the half dollar” The obverse will have Kennedy, however the likeness will be different. They could update the 2027 Kennedy Half with a profile facing right vs left, a straight on profile, larger or smaller or something like they did when they changed the image on the nickel? “(C) HALF DOLLAR OBVERSE.—The design on the obverse of the half dollar shall maintain a likeness of John Kennedy, and be designed in a manner so as to distinguish it from the obverse design used on the current half dollar” Also, an… Read more »
Thanks for the interesting info on the half $. In looking at the two Jefferson nickel obverse designs side-by-side what really captures my attention is the relief on the older one. I’ve found some older ones (1957-1964) recently in rolls that were BU. What a gorgeous coin in full relief and full luster! It’s too bad that the newer design is so flat- it really is a lesser coin IMO because of it.
Agree. Not sure when the penny image of Lincoln was flattened, but early 60’s and before the image was in full relief. Off topic a bit, but that’s why I never liked the Austrian mint products. Images are flat and uninspiring.
Not every coin from any specific country ought necessarily to be painted with the same brush, East Coast Guru. After all, I might contend that this Austrian Mint 2024 Twenty Euro Supernova coin has got more than a little pizazz going for it,
By the way, no offense whatsoever intended, my friend. While I am 100% blue-blooded American I still have a soft spot for Austria, the country of my birth thanks to my Seventh Army dad helping occupy the nation post-WWII! “As the Army goes rolling along!”
I also favor the higher relief, more defined images on older US Mint circulating coins. The relief has seemingly gone to a super flat profile which more than likely is done to reduce die wear and potential die cracks or damage. It should not take much pressure to strike these low relief images onto a planchet/blank. I’ve noticed this across the board on all denominations beginning in about 2018. 2018 is a guess, as I have more than a few die chip examples of Roosevelt dimes from 2017. Years 2018-present show less relief or less detailed images of a given… Read more »
i’m done with the whole mess of trying to beat bots to get something on release day, all my mint purchases are subscriptions now, so i’ll get the ‘last’ cent/half dollar/whatever as they come out in those sets. i might back-track on that rule if the mint comes out with something very compelling, but at this point it’d have to be pretty good, as none of the stuff for this year floats my boat.
c_q, Whatever invasive coin release day bots are left these days are but a shadow of their former selves and represent a severely reduced number compared to the bad old days of bot savagery. From the moment the Mint at long last put its foot down and quite firmly at that regarding the endless onslaughts of the countless bots launched by the seemingly relentless operatives at the Brooklyn Buying Club, this formerly overwhelming problem has shrunk monumentally in effect and significance. All it took back then was for the Mint to inform the aforementioned BBC that it was in danger… Read more »
I can’t say I blame you c_q.
If the Mint ceases production of the cent starting this month or next per Presidential directive then its total coin production for this year would fall well below last year’s.
The Federal Reserve Bank, not the United States Mint or the President, determines how many coins of which denominations are produced for circulation. Although an instrument of the U.S. government, the Federal Reserve considers itself “an independent central bank because its monetary policy decisions do not have to be approved by the president or by anyone else in the executive or legislative branches of government. It does not receive funding appropriated by Congress and the terms of the members of the board of governors span multiple presidential and congressional terms.” Conceivably the President could order the Mint, which is part… Read more »
I do understand what you’re saying here, morgan; however, there does appear to be somewhat of a gray area in this entire arrangement regarding the production of coins. I picked up the following bit of information from the web site of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System:
“The Federal Reserve’s role in coin operations is more limited than its role in currency operations. As the issuing authority for coins, the United States Mint determines annual coin production.”
Who knows; perhaps the final decision on the fate of the cent will have to be made by the courts.
Kaiser, I think the next question to get sorted out after businesses make the adjustment for no more cents is what to do with all of them. I’d really like to see them demonetized, after a period of cash exchange or deposit to banks. That way it would be legal to melt the copper ones finally: a boom for both hoarders and collectors, the later would see values go up as vast supplies get melted away.
So being able to melt pennies would be a boom for hoarders/collectors. How many people are hoarding 100lbs of pennies (around $450 per Cu spot currently), 200lbs ($900) or 500lbs ($2250)? Each 100lbs is around 14,500 pennies or $145 cost to you. Basically, for every 100lbs saved, you would walk away with $305.00! Keep in mind Cu spot fluctuates from the low $3 to $5lbs and if folks did flood the market with additional Cu, prices would surely drop. If that’s what you consider a boom, I’m glad I’m not you. I may have 20lbs of pennies in rolls and… Read more »
Believe it or not Craig, there are many in this country that would consider a 200% return on their copper 1c to be a shot in the arm (in a good way)– turning $100 in 1c jars into $300 cash in the wallet. People that have known there’s 3c in metal value for every 1c copper coin have specifically been saving them for this exact purpose. Of course, I expect collectors to hang on to theirs.
Major D,
I neglected to add that the many people throughout this country who live from paycheck to paycheck are quite possibly among those who have accumulated the largest storehouses of cents. Consequently, for them to be able to cash in all those coins for three times their original value would be a fortunate event.
The problem is, cents have been zinc for so long (since 1982) probably not many people have actual copper cents.
Good point, MarkInFlorida; I will have to “zinc” further about that.
One would think if people are living pay check to pay check, why in hells name would they be ‘hoarding’ cents? If that’s their road map to success, maybe that’s why they are living pay check to pay check.
Yeah, I suppose they should be using any cents they come across to pay their rent or mortgage, their car payments and gas, their grocery costs, their utilities, their medical bills, their clothing expenses and the occasional present for their kids’ birthday or Christmas. I guess it was about time someone pointed out their wanton profligacy as unrepentant penny savers.
The return would probably be worse than that since the coins are adulterated copper (only 95% pure; meaning you’d need closer to 15,350 to equal 100 lbs. of copper) and as far as I know, the copper markets want 100% pure.
Good point Vachon! The only cents I’ve ever collected were the wheat cents. I don’t think anyone is going to get rich off melting pennies, which of course you can’t do legally today. Besides, how many hernias do you think would occur carrying around 100lbs or so of pennies.LOL.
Imo, the 95% copper cents(and I’ve got plenty)will remain legal tender like all US coins are, and remain the commodity that it is in its original form. They are traded 24/7, 365, just like 90% Ag is, and I’ll trade my 95% Cu at some point in time(when I get bored again).
Any talk of melting, or the legalization of it, is a pipe dream.
It reminds me of the Prepper movement of the early 2010’s.
Doom & Gloom on the Brain.
Rick and Craig,
As with just about everything else that happens in this unfailingly mysterious world of ours, known to serve up its virtually endless surprises, the best “answer” to the above question may be the unforgettable Doris Day’s to give, as in:
Que sera sera,
whatever will be will be,
the future’s not ours to see,
que sera sera.
I couldn’t agree more Rick. I found it a bit humorous reading how people were going to become Lord Musk just by handing a jar or two (of pennies) over to get melted. I’m kind of ambivalent about eliminating the cent from production, as I like collecting the cent but don’t like the current iteration…the shield. If we don’t need billions of cents, why not just make millions instead?
Are you saying you don’t have your underground bunker in place for Armageddon? LOL.
Are you by any chance implying, Craig, that there are in fact some people out there who don’t have a bunker? The mind boggles!
If a ELE meteorite is headed our way, in our lifetime, then I want to be on the surface watching the fireball in the sky. I saw one, a fireball, streaking across the sky when I was a kid. It looked about the same size as the sun, but I could see flames shooting out around the core. It burnt up in the atmosphere somewhere in New York but it left a vivid image in my mind of the potential for catastrophe. If only we had iPhones back then to get that video!
I suppose, Craig, it might be kinder all around if an ELE meteorite did its job virtually instantaneously as I can’t even imagine how miserable life would be for what would be left of our temporarily surviving humanity if it were instead subjected to an unending sunless winter.
It was full of Nickels, Cents, and Tang powder packs, but some rabbid DOGE’s came along and dug it all up, loaded up the Cybertruck, and off they ran lol. It’s all stacked on Mars by now!?
That’s actually good to hear, Rick, since the 8.1 billion earth inhabitants who will soon find themselves transported to the Red Planet will need every bit of that currency and all the other vital supplies they can get their hands on. Hopefully there were plenty of those yummy and exceedingly nutritious Mars Bars to go with all of the Tang powder in that clandestine Cybertruck haul.
Rick,
It’s very astute of you to preface your comment with “in my opinion” since in the final analysis that is all any of us can ever hope to offer. Kudos, my friend!
It’s about the only disclaimer, or out that I have left in the arsenal.
So, why not throw it around from time to time?!
Rick,
I got an extra special laugh out of your IMO thanks to having long ago seen an episode of the TV law drama “The Good Wife” in which the presiding judge in a court case required every statement made by either the prosecution or the defense to be prefaced with “In my opinion.” It was totally insane and completely hilarious!
Vachon,
I love it. Now we can add not just one but two more terms to the “not quite pure metal” categories. This all started with the old 90% pure Silver coins commonly being known as “Junk Silver”. You’ve already been kind enough to contribute “Adulterated Copper” for application to the previously 95% pure Copper coins. Pursuant to this useful trend, I’m more than happy to provide a nickname for the Mint’s 90% pure and 91.67% pure Gold coinage; this will henceforth be eligible for the alternate title of “Diluted Gold”.
And don’t forget…War nickels…. 40% JFK…..
I’ve always liked the way you think, Major D, and the above shining example is certainly no exception. After the Mint shuts down cent production, demonetizing the coin will to allow it to be melted, much to the great delight of all the countless hoarders of the billions of units of this then (and for all practical purpose already now, for that matter) otherwise useless coin with an unexpectedly rather profitable end in sight. A win-win solution for everyone if there ever was one!
I don’t believe any US coins, nor currency has been demoninitized. Perhaps National a currency but I’m still researching that…. Stamps have been specifically Special delivery, Airlift and Parcel Post and special handling….
half cents are still valid $£€¥
the fed just orders from the mint based on ‘demand’ from banks. it’s not too hard to imagine the fed simply saying that there is no demand, and not order from the mint.
my preferred idea than just banning them is for the fed to just charge banks production cost for coins that cost more than face value to produce. then the banks will obviously stop ordering these coins, they aren’t “banned” outright with all the legal complications that would incur, plus the government won’t lose money on any that are produced.
c_q, charging banks more than face value kinda defeats the whole purpose of face value.
The point is to charge cost, so the Fed tells banks $25 boxes are $100 plus security, packaging, shipping and handling, so remote banks might end up paying $150 for a $25 box of pennies. That would put a quick end to the penny.
No, that’s not going to happen. First off, banks buy coins for their customers- they’re not going to incur additional costs over face value. No customer is going to pay more than face value, either.
that is exactly the point. they won’t do it, so it’s a quick way around the legal hurdle of the mint being required to make them. no private company would ever sell stuff for 25% of what it costs to produce, that’s a recipe for bankruptcy. the only reason the mint does this is because they are legally required to do so. if this were a higher-denomination coin, things can be done to mitigate it – but the cent has for years been relegated to virtual non-circulation anyway. the mint estimates that about 75% of each year’s production of cents… Read more »
…
Sorry, Rick, but my grasp of Morse Code has gotten rusty of late.
c_q,
The fly in the ointment here is that a one-time program of redeeming cents at banks for a profit would result in no more than those cents ending up right back where they were before they were redeemed. As soon as the banks that had bought them from the public returned those coins into circulation the cents would make another one-way trip into the very jars they had just been redeemed from. Long story short, the only way to end the cent is for the Mint to no longer make that denomination of coinage.
I’d say it is a done deal as far as the circulation 1c production ending. There’s no way that the Mint will go against the president. Remember the Treasury Sec ending the production of the Presidential $1 coins for circulation in 2012, yet they continued to be produced for numi sets through 2016? This leads me to believe that the Mint could continue to produce numi products with the 1c for collectors.
My belief exactly but higher prices, suckers await, PT Musk will determine proper price for buyers..
Perhaps there’s a “Cents on the Dollar for a Tesla” program in the works.
No matter who orders pennies, I’m sure mint officials are afraid musk and company will show up with a stack of you’re fired letters. The mint produces lots of products that never circulate. As long as collectors are willing to pay $19.99 for a P D S roll set, the mint will gladly sell them.
Andy, the Mint produces 3 types of products: Circulating, Bullion, and Numismatic. What I’m saying is that the Circulating cent (P&D) will no longer be made after Feb 9 (even if the Fed orders it) so the current January mintage plus whatever was made Feb 1 to Feb 8 will be it for 2025; Bullion is N/A in this situation; and Numi is a question mark. The Mint hasn’t made a circulating S-mint cent since 1974. It’s not known at the moment, but the Mint may include S-proof cents in 2026 proof sets and silver proof sets, and P&D satin… Read more »
Major D,
I’ll lay my bet right alongside yours as far as agreeing that the circulation cents will cease production, but I’ll further wager that the other varieties of 2025 cents will also be just as dead in the water.
Andy,
1) The Mint is self-supporting; tax dollars don’t figure into its expenses.
2) The only person who needs to be replaced if there is a refusal by the Mint to remove cents from the production schedule is its Director.
3) While not financed by the federal government, the Mint is nevertheless expected to produce seignorage for the Treasury’s General Fund; this is how Musk’s involvement would be applicable.
Not directly regarding the penny, but I wonder how many penny planchets are in inventory. Maybe the US Mint can sell rolls and bags of blank penny planchets for an elevated price. Or how about this bags of waffled penny planchets.
On the other hand, VinnieC, since already-minted coins are regularly melted down by the Mint it should be possible for them to do the same with blank cent planchets.
most of that comes in as-needed and not much stored on-site (not much room for lots of it), but there is almost certainly a long-term contract that the mint signs with the (non-precious) planchet suppliers to keep sending a certain amount each month or year for a set price. perhaps that contract is done annually, who knows, but it is very likely at least several months worth of planchets are coming to the mint whether the mint turns them into cents or not.
c_q,
This might just be a case where a Presidential directive overrides, i.e. trumps a contract and those two suppliers, the one for the zinc itself and the other in the case of the planchets, will have to swallow their pride and eat their losses. I’m not sure how many people will feel sorry for contractors that have been to a large extent living off the cost overruns their products have been saddling the Mint with.
APMEX now selling the 2024 Proof Set for $64.99
2024-S U.S. Proof Set
They are a high priced outfit, better deals anound
Plus they probably only pay $10 for the set from the general public. Thus, they have a huge markup. I stopped buying from them years ago.
That’s the thing with proof sets…the general public never, or rarely, can sell them for what we have to pay from a retailer. Until recently, with the mints onerous premium on PM’s, I would only buy the Ag proof sets. If I ever had to sell, I’d at least get spot!
I’d say the resale on the recent clad proof sets is better than any recent silver sets, ASEs or silver medals with the exception of the FHS.
The beauty of this, Major D, is that with clad coins achieving a more advantageous outlook in the purchase versus sale sector we might once again have an incentive to take coin collecting at least part of the way back to being a hobby for its own sake rather than serving primarily as a transactional enterprise.
Highly doubtful they’re buying for $10. More like $32/ half of their retail price. They price it based on market, and the market for this product is going up. Would I sell to them? No, I’d rather realize the entire profit myself.
Major D and East Coast Guru,
You could indeed both be correct depending on the circumstances. From my three decades in the logistics field I can relate that pricing on every level can depend as much on the driving force of imminent necessity as it can on typical market valuation. In plain English, if a seller is in desperate straits to find a buyer price his price will bottom out. On the other hand, if a seller has many desperate buyers his ask will skyrocket instead.
They once offered me $5 per ounce under spot for a gold eagle proof set, while my LCD paid $315 per oz. over spot!
As The Polar Express Conductor says so memorably, “Lesson learned.”
I’d say middle-of-the-road for most products. But I’m interested as to what retailers are lower?
In the old you get what you pay for department, while a firm like APMEX may not offer the lowest prices it could on the other hand be counted on to provide a degree of product value security that might well be lacking at a lower priced seller.
20 years ago I bought stuff from Hannes Tulving, sent a check he sent the stuff… well a few years later he got busted for not delivering coins paid for, I was lucky he took over $15M, sent to prison like 2016. So, being careful always advised, if it looks too good, it is, like those $18 AgE…..
You were rather fortunate to apparently not have been anywhere near the bottom of his apparent Ponzi scheme, John Q. Coinage. Now we get reports almost every day of someone falling for one foul scheme like that after another and the incidence of these scams appears to be getting ever more numerous.
Liberty, Gatewest used to be great no5 sure now for CN and US, they AMPEX seem$ higher than many. The USM really needs a direct bullion sale division, some min. Orders, they leave money on the table giving AMPEx et al the profit$
John Q. Coinage: “The USM really needs a direct bullion sale division”
Amen to that!
And there are Pre-Sales for the 2025 Proof Set on eBay. Want to guess how much?
And $67.70 by credit card.
Note: This refers to the APMEX price for the 2024 Proof Set.
A penny for your thoughts… Worth a read for collectors, metallurgists, concerned citizens, and “Enquiring Minds” IMO. At least take a gander if interested, at the Background, Executive Summary and immediate following charts, from the report to Congress titled: “2022 Biennial Report to Congress as Required by the Coin Modernization, Oversight, and Continuity Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-302)” (Link Below) Discussed are proposed changes, metals/alloys, R & D, associated costs, cost savings, increase in revenue/seignorage, denominations, seignorage, budgets, die manufacturing, wear on dies, annealing and other metallurgy concerns, manufacturing, procurement, availability, affects on the public and stakeholders, and other… Read more »
For any wishing to delve further into US Mint coin production planchets, suppliers and materials to strike said coins, this CoinWorld article by Paul Gilkes , has the inside scoop! “US Mint studies planchet production alternatives”’ An interesting read IMO.
https://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/us-mint-studies-planchet-production-alternative.html
Cali I always liked the steel cents or the Aluminum trials, a few somehow wound up in some Legislator($) pockets. Somehow eliminate the cent and nickel and the guy on the street will get rounded up. Plastic….maybe carbon fiber, or dump it worthless…l
Today’s Haiku…
Your pockets will be
free of the weight of nothing,
fellow citizens.
probably too early for the 2024 report, the 2022 one was submitted in april 2023
p.s. the ‘one supplier’ is artazn in tennessee, and there was a local news story about their ‘concerns’ about cent elimination:
https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/nations-sole-penny-blank-manufacturer-in-greene-county-could-be-impacted-by-proposal-to-stop-producing-pennies/
Thanks c_q for adding in $.02 to the topic!
So sad watching RCTV this AM, they are “down” to their last 50 ‘70’ FHG, down from425 they started with they claim….sad only getting $8k a pop. Kinda lucky how they scored so many in What 3 minutes!
Did the US Mint always say the Army, Navy and Marine ASEs were for the 250th anniversary? I assume it is a privy marked ASE. Also I think they changed the mint for one of them. That explains why there is no Air Force ASE.
Exactly, VinnieC. The United States Air Force did not become an independent component of America’s military forces until 1947; this year is its 78th anniversary.
Space Force is going to take a while to get to its 250th Anniversary.
True that, VinnieC. Speaking of which, I still find it hard to tell if the Space Force is truly independent or remains a branch of the US Air Force and if it really even matters.
I think I saw that the Marine ASE was originally supposed to have a W Mintmark. I think they changed it to P.
VinnieC, yes Army, Navy and Marine are 250th Anniversary. I haven’t heard anything about a privy. The schedule says Army has W-mint mark (due out this Summer), Navy has S-mint mark and Marine has P-mint mark (both due out in this Fall).
Despite Friday’s Risk Off trades, Gold increased over the week.
Eight consecutive weeks of w/w Increases.
That hasn’t happened since COVID in 2020.
On January 26th, I posted Gold was “Still Cheap.” Four weeks later, it has risen $157.35/oz. (from $2,776.80 to $2,934.15).
“That hasn’t happened since COVID in 2020.”
That’s a distressing comparison. As always, gold proves to be a hedge in unsettled times.
REB,
You can call me paranoid, but I’ve got this sense that having a lot of gold in very troubled times may actually make one a prime target for evildoers.
Certainly worth more than a fleeting thought.
REB,
I do appreciate your even considering that to be a reasonable conjecture. On a less drastic but perhaps equally pessimistic note, I’ve always felt that if things really did go to pieces economically there might not be anything to turn to for salvation. Just saying.
Remember when gold was $300 and only those crazy goldbugs said gold was going to $1000? Then it was at $1000 and those crazy goldbugs said it would go to $3000. I’m calling $5000. But I hope the government doesn’t call it in first.
MarkInFlorida,
I remember the data points you referenced.
I Don’t see the government calling it in. I Do see the Mint purchasing Gold from individuals.
cagcrisp,
I don’t see the government doing a repeat of the gold confiscation of the FDR variety either. After all, that took place during far more precarious times.
When you see the US Mint purchasing Gold directly from individuals, do you mean individuals voluntarily selling their gold bullion to the government (as opposed to being forced)?
Rich,
Yes.
Similar to what the Royal Mint does…
Yes.
Similar to the Royal Mint.
Who would sell their private gold currently valued at close to $3000 an ounce to the government at its price of $42 an ounce?
Kaiser,
We are referring to two separate things.
The United States Mint uses open market pricing for Gold used in production of numismatic and bullion Gold.
The $42/ounce you are referring is the statutory price of Gold that is used on the Mint’s balance sheet.
Do not confuse balance sheet numbers vs. income statement numbers.
The Royal Mint has been purchasing Gold from individuals for years.
The Key in the United States would be the federal tax implications.
The Key….federal tax implications….isn’t that always the sticky wicket when selling an asset of value. If the government needed Au that badly, maybe they could exempt federal taxes on the purchase of Au for a period of time. I’d consider selling some under those conditions.
Bingo…
Well, Craig, as soon as the promised Presidential/DOGE visit to Fort Knox takes place we citizens will either be in shock (finding an empty storehouse) or awe (seeing countless pallets of gold).
Kaiser, doubtful the public will “see” anything. Guess we’ll just have to believe what the president tells us he “sees”.
Kaiser,
I’ve heard Sec. of Treasury Scott Bessent has already confirmed that the Au is there. I hope that is accurate as I don’t trust politicians (of any stripe) to protect our money.
Craig and Major D,
Anyone up for an “official” citizen’s venture to inspect both West Point and Fort Knox for the actual extent of U.S. gold reserves?
Or maybe we can coax Geraldo Rivera out to do another expose! I’d watch that. Or maybe we could get that female reporter who was tweeking her butt on the pallets of gold and ended up with Au flakes on her legs. Remember that from a couple years ago?
Craig,
I ended up reading your statement as “Female tweeking butt with gold flakes on legs.” Was there more to that comment?
Craig,
IMO, unless there has been some serious prevarication afoot as to how much of the precious metal the US has in storage, the government shouldn’t need to purchase any gold from the public.
Got it, cagcrisp. I just assumed – and we all know how easily that simple action can send one down the wrong track – the government was limited to paying its on the record statutory price of gold for however much of the precious metal it purchased from private citizens. As it is said, you learn something every day.
Who? He’s on first base.
Whose wife comes in to pick up his check every Friday?
That’s right!
Naturally. Now you’ve got it.
I knew I was getting close, and here I am scoring a home run!
Oh yeah like they’re going to be paying fair prices, a hassle…mail it in? Registered….$$$$$$
and why?
John Q. Coinage,
Why?
Answer: Federal tax implications
Depends on the quantity. A few Oz. Of AGE not worth it, a 100 maybe but Eagles have no 1099 required I believe under $10k cash….? They can run the mint smoothly hardly see the, becoming buyers. Bullion only they wouldn’t be paying for an 1911 D $2 1;2….And I just read the USM has a working balance of 2.7 million Oz. Of Au, that’s a lot @3k a z Cag…or 4k struck.
I don’t know’s on third.
Exactly!
(with thanks to Major D)
The higher the price of gold the further any possibility of its ownership moves into the realm of the nation’s top 1%. Not that this should surprise anyone.
Gold being “Still Cheap” is relative not just to the spot price of other precious metals but also to how deep one’s pockets might be. I, for one, can’t bring myself to think that Gold was ever cheap unless you had somehow mined it yourself.
Here’s a breakdown of the contents of a $25 Fed box of Lincoln 1c (50 rolls) that I went through last night: 13 x wheat copper, 475 memorial copper (including 3 x AU & 5 x S-Mint), 3 x Canadian copper, 1 zinc error coin, and 9 x zinc AU. A further breakdown of the copper: 6 x 1959 101 x 1960s 261 x 1970s 65 x 1980-81 42 x 1982 copper A total of 58 zinc 1982s were found (72% copper, 28% zinc): 29 x 1982 (P) Copper Large Date 11 x 1982 (P) Copper Small Date 2… Read more »
Ok, a correction: a total of 58 zinc and copper 1982s were found…..
I would be Surprised if the Mint went back to publishing weekly sales and production numbers.
I don’t see why not, but maybe they’ve figured out that no one really cares anymore. I’m sure there are other reasons to speculate as to their tardiness as of late. Besides, there are websites that have people dedicated to every move the Mint makes, and will share what they’ve learned through the product code methodology, geekhood, or other means.
For example, I myself was playing around with those methods last night(I’m bored again)in regards to the 2024 Silver Proof Set. Over the last 10 hours, the Mint has sold 5 sets, with 1661 sets remaining in their inventory.
Rick,
During Trump 1.0 the Mint went a few months without reporting weekly sales…
Backdated sales once resumed…
Any speculation as to why that was? I’m curious if you have a thought on that.
Just be careful, the ‘T’ word tends to cause the premature melting of Snowflakes.
Weekly sales numbers have been misleading for years and I was told Ryder didn’t like reporting misleading numbers because they didn’t comply with FASAB accounting.
“Weekly sales numbers have been misleading for years”
Another assertion without any proof or source.
“I was told Ryder didn’t like reporting misleading numbers…”
First, “told” by who? Second, Ryder’s been gone since Oct 1, 2021.
Perhaps Deep Throat is at it again; this time he’s targeting the Mint.
Wow, you lasted a whole day Rick before instigating again.
Your response to my reply during an entirely separate conversation was predictable, but in a good way, as you referenced me by my name instead of Rick-E-this, or Bozo-that. So thank you.
PS: Congrats for capturing the copper cents in your area at a rate of 20%.
In my region, I have historically captured around 15% copper on a good $25 box. Some boxes are 100% bu zinc–bummer.
To think I’ve been wasting my money on salt to clear the driveway!
Your humor is spot on! Keep up the good work✓
Thanks, Rick. Most of the so-called “jokes” I come up with around the house elicit groans of disbelief/dismay from my darling wife but every now and then I am rewarded with a “That’s a good one”, a comment which needless to say is music to my ears. If I were to do standup comedy I would have to be billed as the occasionally humorous or 10% funny comedian. I think I’ll remain content with my attempts at sit-down humor.
I had a radio show in college. One of my periodic guests was “The Unfunny Comic.” He had a deadpan delivery similar to Bob Newhart. He was actually quite funny. It was tough to keep from uproariously laughing on air at the guy.
REB,
That must have been great, to be able to immerse yourself in that sort of creative enterprise during your college years!
I, on the other hand, immersed myself in dish water in the cafeteria. I wasn’t the chief cook, but I was the head bottle washer.
I counted the $ at night In Grammar school cafe, pulled out all the silver change replaced with $ my dad gave me to flip. A lot of walkers and Mercury dimes, it was late 1960s…I started real young g
“We cannot force someone to hear a message they are not ready to receive. But we must never underestimate the power of planting a seed.”(unknown) Before you Post, THINK: * T: Is It TRUE? * H: Is It Helpful? * I: Is It Inspiring? * N: Is It Necessary? * K: Is It Kind? I’ll add, is it Thoughtful… Because it’s not Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary or Kind… I believe you are better than this and again, keep in mind this is not a good example for young numismatists to follow. No matter your perceiving the subtlety of this being just… Read more »
Excellent post for us all, Cali.
CaliSkier,
Thank you so very much for being the necessary conscience of CoinNews; what you say does make a difference.
“…maybe they’ve figured out that no one really cares anymore.”
Hey, wait a minute Rick, I can’t speak for anyone else but I still care. I want my Mint Report! (Not to be confused with MTV, but nevertheless similarly in demand)
Kaiser, I still like to see a ‘reports’ accuracy, timely, uhh not sure and in a way I don’t care, but I still do > even if like watching a train wreck in slooow motion.
otherwise how would I know an issue was represented to be 17k when in reality it was 9k…. Or when 300 sets get returned
Cali how’s the snowpack this year?
John Q. Coinage,
One would or at least ought to be able to expect that some amount of information reporting is better than complete radio silence anytime.
IMO they’re useless anyway, late, delinquent, inaccurate, u reliable, change able at will, subject to change wOut notice…..and as for mintage limits forghettaboutit there are lies, damn lies@ the mint and mintage or product li,it,mere,suggestion not for any reasonable reliance….immersive fraud kinda
Can’t have transparency because that goes against democratic norms.
And they’re back, cagcrisp. Kind of like a reverse version of the “And they’re gone” meme.
Is DOGE scheduled to review the Mint’s programs? I’d be very interested to see their recommendations.
DOGE does not report anything. Nor does it recommend.
DOGE is in no way qualified to assess the inner workings of the US Mint. If they were to be given the go-ahead to get involved in such relative minutiae it would be a disaster. As Dirty Harry so wisely declared, “A man’s gotta have his limitations.”
Great quote….
but they’re almost everywhere Kaiser, Jacks and Jills of all trades, occupations know it alls…. Maybe they find the millions in gold that got “lost”…melted…. Phasered
Yes, that pallet of First Spouse Gold that was “accidentally” melted was interesting. Possibly re-constituted into 24k Buff Bullion, but what do I know.
John Q. Coinage,
Well, there certainly is that. Anyway, my feeling in regard to what DOGE can and/or can’t do is just that, an opinion and nothing more. Maybe it would be worthwhile in the interest of general enlightenment to give the Mint a bit of possibly unexpected and outside-the-norm sort of scrutiny.
Tom D. Rogers, Sr.
Tom, It looks like your Sacagawea Reverse Design for the 25th anniversary Gold coin will remain intact.
Congratulations!
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1111648/citizens-coinage-advisory-committee-recap-february-2025#latest
John Q. Coinage said two threads back: “It appears the mint has LOWERED the premiums on APdE……in line with Platinum it seems. 1 k premium ridiculous” Great catch and truly another US Mint mystery! The price appears to be a mistake, as the US Mints “pricing range table” still indicates they should be priced $355 higher than the American Platinum Eagles or $1,900?($1,850 on Wed?) I suggest taking a screen shot for anyone attempting to capitalize on the Mint error. For any curious, since it wasn’t as easy to find as it once was, like anything else on the lame… Read more »
Is there a 2025 pricing table?
Caliskier & Major D,
The US Mint 2024 pricing range table is still the current one listed by the Mint; they have not released the 2025 pricing range table yet. Current (2/24/2025) Mint pricing of numismatic gold and platinum products match the 2024 price guide, however the pricing of the palladium products (the PdAE) do not match the 2024 price guide, with the pricing (premium) decreased by $355. A big THANK YOU to John Q. Coinage for first noting the lowered price for the Palladium American Eagle coin yesterday and to Caliskier for further amplification today.
The 19ASE ENHANCED drop was the worst BS
buy the Pd before the powers rethink it….temptation
“The 19ASE ENHANCED drop was the worst BS”
Amen, Brother JQC.
REB and JCQ,
You got my vote for that reality 100%!
Mr. Mike Unser, it would be great if Coin News could inquire with the Mint’s Michael White and report the status of the weekly Cumulative Sales Report since it hasn’t been updated all month.
It seems the last time this happened was in November of 2019 when Mr. White said that the two Mint employees responsible for the update had left employment, and that the Mint was working on automating the report production process in order to prevent publishing disruption in the future.
…
Yes, the date of the report has changed– but all of the sales numbers in the report are unchanged since Feb 2.
GLD just Closed at Another All Time Closing High.
GLD closed at $272.21 (24×5 trading may cause price variation).
Gold Up.
Silver Down.
Platinum Down.
Palladium Down.
Gold:Silver ratio over 91:1
Red flags if you are Long equities…
Gold Down.
(As of 2/25 – 4 AM)
Gold just pooped
The Mint has just posted the latest Numismatic Products: Cumulative Sales Report for week ending 2/24/2025 (sales report valid 2/23/2025).
Rich, I just saw. The numbers have been updated this time. In addition, the prior 2-9 and 2-16 reports were retroactively updated as well.
Sometimes, Major D and Rich, the Mint surprises us in a good way. How ’bout dat!
High/Low spread on spot Gold today has been $69.70/oz.
Gold:Silver ratio over 92:1
Red flag if you are Long equities.
Somebody better get on the same page…
10 year Treasury is Currently 4.29%
Unbelievable.
28 trading days ago the 10 year Treasury was 4.79%
Unbelievable.
Somebody better get on the same page…
Speaking of “pages”, cagcrisp, I can’t help but be reminded of the old ticker tape machines by your recent series of reports, although I think I can safely assume those devices are now extinct. And since this week appears to be some sort of movie flashback event for me, the film that the concept of ticker tapes take me back to most is the memorable (1983) “Trading Places”; what a delightful hoot that was!
Major said previously: “APMEX now selling the 2024 Proof Set for $64.99. 2024-S U.S. Proof Set.” John Q Coinage replied: “They are a high priced outfit, better deals anound” Major D replied: “But I’m interested as to what retailers are lower?” Major D Littleton Coin has them for $52.50 +$6.95 shipping($59.45), Mount. Vernon for $59.50 + $7.95($67.45), Palm Island $59.00 +$6 shipping($65), and Apmex is $67.70($64.99) + $9.95 shipping.($77.65 or $74.94) PS Major D’s price is for check or wire. The prices I quoted from lower priced retailers are all for CC.
Thanks, CaliSkier. It’s highly unusual for Littleton to be lower. But then APMEX had the set for $49.99 (check or wire) just last week. Perhaps APMEX is out front with reading where the market is going? I’ll stick a pin in this one and check back where all of these retailers are at in 6 months.
You’re welcome Major D. With not being too familiar with any of these outfits, whether any are net buyers of sets, with the exception of knowing 3 of the 4 by name, I’m thinking that all 4 will be sold out of the 2024 Proof Sets, before the 6 months goes by? At the very least, I definitely expect the 4 to all have price increase before then. Keep us posted, if you track this scenario or drop us an update, if anyone else ends up tracking sales.
Major D and CaliSkier,
I’ve become accustomed to Littleton customarily being at or near the highest when it comes to coin pricing, so this report is very surprising to me. Who knew!
APMEX has free shipping on any orders over $199. I always strive to never pay shipping.
That, Major D, is one of the things I live for. Free shipping…music to my ears!
I replied and then edited my response, which then was placed promptly into the “awaiting for approval SPAM” folder. I attempted to respond to Kaiser 1st, then Major D with the same post and got the same flag. I’ve noticed that Mike and or Darrin Lee Unser, do not seem to review and release the edited or awaiting approval responses any longer? Any others have a similar experience or notice the same thing? We will see if it gets a review and released out of the “penalty box”/time out”?
CaliSkier, It’s both interesting and coincidental that you brought up this very issue at this time. Over the many years that I have been a member of this site, admittedly with a couple of extended sabbaticals thrown in for good measure, I have noticed that on occasion some “waiting for approval” comments eventually end up in a perpetual limbo rather than ever seeing the published light of day. This makes me think that the default “discriminator” on this site might in fact be an algorithm, albeit one which can be overridden by the site owners when so desired. I’m guessing… Read more »
$59+ for clad proof? Seems a tad outrageous to me. I switched to silver long, long ago and have learned the value of patience in purchasing. I don’t pay much over spot. Yes, there are a few holes in my “series”, but I’m still being patient.
DaveSWFL,
I recently elected to take the opposite tack and have gone all base metal for simple collecting purposes as I never sell anything to profit from, but your comment has given me new food for thought in that regard. Decisions, decisions…will they never end?
Mint silver is crazy excessively priced….. next year Ag proof wil be $150…last buyer turn off the lights
That being so, John Q. Coinage, it doesn’t really have to be a problem of concern to the Mint. The Mint’s retail losses can be compensated for by opening the tap wider for wholesale purchasers to scoop up many more silver Mint coins for much less each than we retail customers would ever pay, thus allowing those resellers to assume the responsibility of being the main purveyors of grossly overpriced silver coins.