Precious Metals

American Eagle silver sales exceed 7-million mark

By Paul Gilkes

Published: Feb 9, 2016, 9 AM

Another 722,500 silver American Eagle 1-ounce coins were recorded sold by the U.S. Mint on Feb. 8.

Coins for Coin World photography courtesy of SilverTowne.

Sales of silver American Eagle bullion coins totaled 7,722,500 through Feb. 8. Sales began Jan. 11.

Coins for Coin World photography courtesy of SilverTowne.

Of the 142,000 ounces in 2016 gold American Eagle bullion coins sold thus far in the calendar year, 104,000 of the total is in 1-ounce $50 coins.

Coins for Coin World photography courtesy of SilverTowne.

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A total of 36,000 gold 1-ounce 2016 American Buffalo $50 coins have been sold by the U.S. Mint from Jan. 11 through Feb. 8.

Coins for Coin World photography courtesy of SilverTowne.

Add another 722,500 American Eagle silver bullion coins to the calendar-year 2016 sales total.

That's how many of the 1-ounce .999 fine silver dollar coins the U.S. Mint sold to its authorized purchasers on Feb. 8, from the week's allocation of 1 million coins released for sale that day.

The Feb. 8 sales brought the cumulative total of 2016 bullion coins to 7,722,500 since sales began Jan. 11.

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Remaining available for sale to authorized purchasers are 277,500 of the coins. The next allocation will be made available Feb. 16, as Feb. 15 is a national holiday, President's Day, with all government offices closed.

The U.S. Mint had weekly allocations of the silver American Eagles for the better part of the preceding year, and has continued the practice into 2016 as it competes with other world and private minting concerns for available planchets.

The calendar-year and series sales record was set in 2015, with 47 million coins recorded sold. Sales were ended by the U.S. Mint on Dec. 14, 2015, so production at the West Point Mint could be focused on 2016 silver bullion coins. The first weekly allocation of silver American Eagles on Jan. 11 was 4 million coins, and they all sold within four days.

American Eagle gold bullion coins

Sales of American Eagle .9167 fine gold bullion coins cover four weights and denominations. The coins are offered in 1-ounce $50 face value coins, half-ounce $25 coins, quarter-ounce $10 coins, and tenth-ounce $5 coins.

Cumulative sales from Jan. 11 through Feb. 8 total 142,000 ounces. The total reflects 104,000 ounces in 1-ounce coins;, 13,000 ounces in half-ounce coins (26,000 coins), 9,000 ounces in quarter-ounce coins (36,000 coins), and 16,000 ounces in tenth-ounce coins (160,000 coins).

American Buffalo gold coins

The U.S. Mint is only selling American Buffalo .9999 fine gold bullion coins in a 1-ounce size bearing a $50 face value.

Cumulative 2016 sales reached 36,000 coins as of Feb. 8, with 34,000 of the total in January. The Mint sold 34,500 of the American Buffalo gold coins in January 2015.