In just four days of numismatic sales by the U.S. Mint, customers placed orders totaling 49.9 percent of the initial production of circulation-quality 2012-P and 2012-D Chester A. Arthur Presidential dollars.

U.S. Mint spokesman Michael White said April 12 the Mint has production capacity to strike more should they be needed to meet demand beyond the 5.74 million already struck.

The Arthur dollars are the first to be produced and offered by the U.S. Mint strictly as a numismatic product since Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner’s Dec. 13, 2011, directive suspending production of all Presidential dollars for general circulation.

The dollars went on sale beginning at noon Eastern Daylight Time April 5 in 25-coin rolls, 250-coin boxes of rolled coins and 500-coin boxes of rolled coins.

Presidential dollar coin production for circulation was suspended because more than a 10-year supply, some 1.4 billion Presidential dollars, is already stored in Federal Reserve Banks and contracted coin terminals.

Suspension of the dollar coin production at the Denver and Philadelphia Mints is expected to save $50 million to $75 million annually in production costs, Treasury officials claim.

According to U.S. Mint officials, sales through April 9 — including those placed through the Mint’s Subscription program — totaled 2,866,600 coins: 1,462,325 from the Philadelphia Mint and 1,404,275 from the Denver Mint.

The U.S. Mint website at www.usmint.gov indicates that 5.74 million Arthur dollars were struck at the two production facilities in circulation quality — 2.94 million at the Philadelphia facility and 2.8 million at the Denver Mint.

The rolls and boxes of circulation-quality dollars are being sold strictly as numismatic products at premiums above face value.

Each $25 face value roll is being offered for $32.95 per roll. The $250 face value box containing 10 25-coin rolls from either Mint is $275.95. The $500 face value box containing 20 25-coin rolls from either Mint is $550.95.

Sales through April 9 represent:

? 25-coin roll, Philadelphia Mint, 31,533 rolls (788,325 coins).

? 25-coin roll, Denver Mint, 29,291 rolls (732,275 coins).

? 250-coin box, Philadelphia Mint, 1,254 boxes (313,500 coins).

? 250-coin box, Denver Mint, 1,216 boxes, (304,000 coins).

? 500-coin box, Philadelphia, 721 boxes (360,500 coins).

? 500-coin box, Denver, 736 boxes, (368,000 coins).

A $4.95 shipping and handling charge is added per order and an additional $7.95 shipping and handling charge per 500-coin box because of the weight.

Product orders may be placed through www.usmint.gov or by telephone toll free at 800-872-6468. Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may call 888-321-6468. ¦