March 28, 2024

January 2009 US Mint Gold, Silver, and Platinum Bullion Sales

Many track the tonnes in the trust for Gold and Silver ETFs in order to gauge the continuing growth in investment demand for precious metals. This year, I wanted to try my own version of tracking precious metals investment demand by reporting monthly sales totals for the US Mint’s bullion coin programs. Hopefully this will provide another aspect of information for investors to ponder.

Under normal circumstances, this information would be an excellent indicator for physical precious metals demand. However, we are not currently in an environment of normal circumstances.

The US Mint continues to ration sales of one ounce Gold Eagle and Silver Eagle coins. Additionally, they still have not yet begun offering Platinum Eagle or fractional Gold Eagle coins. This implies that there is an undefined amount of unmet physical demand which exists above and beyond the numbers. Nonetheless, I will get into the habit of posting this information.

January 2009 US Mint Bullion Sales
1 oz. 1/2 oz. 1/4 oz. 1/10 oz. Total oz.
Gold Eagle 92,000 92,000
Gold Buffalo
Silver Eagle 1,900,000 1,900,000
Platinum Eagle

Total ounces of gold sold during January 2009 was 92,000 ounces. This compares to 26,000 in January 2008. The amount does represent a decline from the prior month of December 2008 when 176,000 ounces were sold. However, as mentioned above, this may be a reuslt of ratoining and not necessarily decreased demand.

Total ounces of silver sold duing Janaury 2009 was 1,900,000 ounces. This is down from both the year ago period January 2008 when 2,170,000 ounces were sold and the prior month when 2,158,500 ounces were sold. Again, this might not necessarily be a result of decreased demand.

No platinum was sold during January 2009, as the US Mint has not resumed productoin after a suspension instated late last year.

Comments

  1. The drop in sales could also be people not having as much money to spend. All though many investor’s would still be buying in this market. Seeing how the stock market can’t find a bottom yet.

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