Sales of the Uncirculated 2002-W Salt Lake City Olympic $5 gold half eagle are the lowest as a single $5 coin ordering option. The coin has one of the lowest mintages among $5 gold commemorative coins issued by the U.S. Mint since 1986.
According to Mint sales figures through Aug. 7, 10,040 of the Uncirculated half eagles were sold: 5,172 as a single coin and 4,868 as part of a four-coin Proof and Uncirculated set. The Mint also recorded sales of 32,204 of the Proof 2002-W half eagles: 8,785 as an individual coin, 18,551 as part of the two-coin Proof set and 4,868 as part of the four-coin Proof and Uncirculated set.
Combined sales of 42,244 Proof and Uncirculated half eagles, all struck at the West Point Mint, represent 52.8 percent of the maximum 80,000 authorized by Congress under enabling legislation.
Sales of the 2002-P Olympic silver dollars - with the Proof and Uncirculated versions both struck at the Philadelphia Mint - combined reached 200,800 coins, or 50.2 percent of the maximum 400,000 authorized by law.
The Proof sales totaled 162,225 silver dollars: 138,806 as individual coins, 18,551 as part of the two-coin Proof set and 4,868 in the four-coin Proof and Uncirculated set. The Uncirculated dollar sales totaled 38,575 of the silver dollars: 33,707 sold individually and 4,868 as part of the four-coin set.
The purchase price of each half eagle includes a $35 surcharge and each silver dollar carries a $10 surcharge. Half of the surcharges are to be paid to the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games of 2002 for payment of expenses incurred in staging the Winter Olympics Games. The other 50 percent is authorized to benefit the United States Olympic Committee for the training of American athletes and to help in their participation.
This is the fifth Olympic coin program in the United States. The Mint produced coinage programs for the 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996 Games.
For more information on prices and availability of the 2002 Olympic coin options, access the Mint's Web site at www.usmint.gov or call the ordering line at (800) USA-MINT.
