The U.S. Mint's 2014 sales record of 44,006,000 American Eagle silver bullion coins is on the verge of being surpassed, which should occur the week of Nov. 30.

At the close of business Nov. 23, the cumulative 2015 sales total had reached 43,663,000 coins, just 363,000 coins short of tying the current record. The 2014 record is likely to be shattered Nov. 30 when Mint officials announce the next weekly silver American Eagle allocation to its authorized purchasers.

From the weekly allocation of 1 million coins announced Nov. 23, authorized purchasers placed orders for 733,500 coins from the allotment, leaving 266,500 left to purchase for the remainder of the week. The Nov. 23 sales brought calendar year 2015 totals to 43,663,000.

November sales reached 3.82 million coins. January is the highest sales month, with 5.53 million coins sold, followed by July with 5,529,000 coins. Additional monthly sales totals likely could have surpassed those two highs had sales not been under weekly restrictions because of limitations in acquiring sufficient planchets on which to strike the bullion coins.

The American Eagle silver bullion coins are not sold directly to the public. Instead, the coins are sold to a netwrok of authorized purchasers who offer a two-way market for the coins. Orders are placed based on the closing London PM spot price per troy ounce plus a $2 premium per coin. The coins are then sold at a mark-up to other dealers, collectors and investors.

Sales of the American Eagle silver bullion coins to the authorized purchasers, have been on weekly allocation for most of 2015 because of planchet shortages.