US Mint Sales of Gold and Silver Coins Slow From April

Sales of gold Eagle and Buffalo coins by the US Mint were 82,500 ounces in May, compared to 246,500 ounces in April and 62,500 ounces in May 2012.  As of May, year to date gold sales are a record 716,500 ounces and up 106% from 2012.

Sales of silver Eagles by the US Mint were 3,458,500 in May, compared to 4,087,000 ounces in April and 2,875,000 in May 2012.  Year to date silver sales are a record 21,768,500 ounces and up 50% from 2012.

Gold and silver sales in May were significantly below April.  Toward the end of April the US Mint announced that they were stocked out of 1/10 ounce gold eagles which is their most popular gold coin.  Also during April and May many internet coin dealers announced shipment delays as they could not quickly replenish their inventory from the US Mint.  This suggests that supply by the US Mint constrained sales in May, while demand remained high.  

The US Mint also seems to have raised prices for direct or retail business.  Currently an uncirculated one ounce gold eagle is $1,725 from the US Mint website.  This is a $345 or 25% premium to the current spot price of about $1,380.  A quick review of 3 internet coin dealer shows that they are currently selling gold eagles for $1,435 or a premium of $55 over spot.  Dealer pricing from the US Mint for one ounce gold eagles is 3% over spot, which is currently $41.  So the dealers are currently asking a $14 per coin margin over their cost.  A couple of months ago I did an analysis that showed dealers were charging a margin of about $30 per 1 ounce gold eagle.

When the US Mint started shipping 1/10 ounce gold eagles again in mid-May I saw several articles about how the pricing showed that physical gold was really valued at $1950 per ounce.  The US Mint price for 1/10 eagles was (and still is) $195 per coin and the spot price of paper gold at the time was below $1,400.  This assertion missed the fact that the 1/10 eagles for sale by the US Mint for $195 are proofs.  I am learning about coin collecting.  Proofs certainly carry a much larger premium over melt value than circulated, and even uncirculated coins.  The internet coin dealers currently have uncirculated 1/10 eagles for sale in the $160 per coin range, while higher quality pressing go for up to $200 per coin.  Already in June the US Mint reports sales of 45,000 1/10 gold eagles, so their pricing is not out of line.

The internet coin dealers are now quoting US eagles for immediate delivery, so they seem to have re-stocked their inventory.  I have not heard of any shipment delays or stock outs from the US mint, so they seem to have caught up with wholesale demand, as well.  The real action is in India, Dubai, and China, where demand seems to still be outstripping supply and historically high premiums to melt continue to be reported.