The U.S. Mint revealed March 18 that the nation's coin producer is changing its criteria for pricing gold bullion coins.

The following email was sent to the Mint's network of authorized purchasers for American Eagle and American Buffalo gold bullion coins:

"London Gold Fix on March 20, 2015

"This is to inform you that on Friday, March 20, 2015 the U.S. Mint will start using the LBMA Gold Price (PM) to price and settle all of its gold bullion coin orders.  The new gold price replaces the London Gold Fix and will be managed by the ICE Benchmark Administration (IBA).  We do not anticipate any transition issues. Moving forward all gold bullion transactions with the United States Mint will utilize the new LBMA Gold Price (PM) in place of the (PM) London Gold Fix."

LBMA is the acronym for The London Bullion Market Association.

The U.S. Mint does not offer a two-way market in the bullion coins it strikes. Instead, the Mint sells the coins to network of authorized purchasers who buy the coins based on the closing spot price of the metal on a given day, plus a small premium. The APs may then sell the coins for a mark-up to other dealers and the general public.

Related news: London Silver Market Fixing Company relinquished administration of silver price fix effective Aug. 14, 2014