Revolving precious metals prices have once again affected sales of American silver coins.
October started with another series of numismatic silver coin suspensions, lifting the total times such suspensions have occurred January through October 2012 to three.
This latest interruption ended with higher coin prices "because silver has been trading in a range of $30.00 – $35.00 per ounce since August 23, 2012," the U.S. Mint stated on October 3, 2012 after suspending sales of thirteen of its silver products,
Since then, the U.S. Mint began publishing new silver coin prices on the Federal Register, with each coin rising by $5 for every ounce of silver it contains. Price hikes affect numismatic products containing American Silver Eagles and America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins. Specifically, they include:
| US Mint Numismatic Silver Coin Price Increases | |
|---|---|
| Product | New Price |
| 2012-W Proof American Eagle Silver Coins | $59.95 |
| 2011-W & 2012-W Uncirculated American Eagle Silver Coins | $50.95 |
| 2012 US Mint Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set | $59.95 |
| 2011-P Gettysburg National Military Park Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins | $229.95 |
| 2011-P Glacier National Park Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins | |
| 2011-P Olympic National Park Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins | |
| 2011-P Vicksburg National Military Park Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins | |
| 2011-P Chickasaw National Recreation Area Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins | |
| 2012-P El Yunque National Forest Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins | |
| 2012-P Chaco Culture National Historic Park Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins | |
| 2012-P Acadia National Park Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins | |
| 2012-P Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins | |
These coins returned for sale on the morning of October 10, which was nearly one week after they were suspended.
[Note: This article was updated to reflect the silver coins return from suspensions.]
July was the last time the U.S. Mint had halted sales of a numismatic silver coin. Back then, the 2012-W Proof American Silver Eagle was taken off sale when the price of silver dropped toward $27 an ounce. The Silver Eagle returned later in July at $54.95, or $5 less than its pre-suspension price.
Before that, the only other silver coin suspensions occurred in February, which was the last time silver’s price really took off in 2012. The white metal topped $37 an ounce during a several day rally. Affected coins included the 2011-W Uncirculated Silver Eagle and America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins. The coins returned for sale at their same prices in early March when silver prices stabilized and backed down toward $33 an ounce.
