The US Mint has added Jackson's Liberty First Spouse Gold Proof Coin to its sold out list, in a move that will shock collectors of the $10, one-half ounce 24-karat gold coin series.
With the exception of sell outs due to mintage limits met, past First Spouse Coins have been available from the US Mint for a year or until replaced by a following year release.
Jackson's Liberty was launched on Aug. 28, 2008. Since 7,806 proofs and 4,493 of the uncirculated options have been sold as of Aug. 16, 2009 -- well short of the combined 40,000 mintage limit -- the common assumption was that the coin would remain for sale until the release of the Sarah Polk First Spouse Coins on Sept. 3.
Julia Tyler First Spouse Gold Coins launched today at noon. The coins mark the eleventh in a series honoring First Ladies of the United States.
Each coin is struck from 1/2 ounce of 24-karat gold from the United States Mint at West Point. Proof and uncirculated versions are available, with a maximum mintage of 40,000 across both options. The exact ratio of proof to uncirculated are determined by customer demand.
Julia was the second wife of President John Tyler. His first wife, Letitia, had passed away while he was in office. (The US Mint released Letitia Tyler Gold Coins in July.) Julia was 30 years younger than the President, but a romance started to blossom a few months after Letitia's passing.
The 24-karat, one-half ounce coins struck in proof and uncirculated conditions will be available from the US Mint at noon ET, with launch prices set Wednesday.
If the average price of gold continues its trend below $950 an ounce, the proof will be listed for $629 and the uncirculated for $616. Or, $25 less than current 2008-dated spouse coin prices.
Martin Van Buren's Liberty First Spouse gold coin and a bronze medal replica are now available from the United States Mint. The 1/2-ounce gold proof and uncirculated versions are priced at $549.95 and $524.95, respectively. Both have a face value of $10, are composed of 24-karat gold, and have an overall mintage limit of 40,000.
A bronze medal bearing the likeness of Van Buren's Liberty coin is also available for $3.50.
Dubbed "The Red Fox of Kinderhook" for his red hair, political acumen and birthplace in New York, Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States. America was prosperous when Van Buren took office, but less than three months later the panic of 1837 occurred and was quickly followed by a five-year depression. Van Buren was voted out of office, making him the third president to serve only one term.