The recent declines in precious metals seem to have shifted some investors preferences. For the current month to date, US Mint sales of gold bullion sales are on pace for the highest levels of the year, while silver bullion sales remain at typical levels.
From their peak prices reached in late April, silver has declined by about 32% while gold has declined by a modest 6%.
In the past week, the US Mint has sold 15,500 troy ounces of gold bullion coins, comprised of 11,000 ounces of American Gold Eagles and 4,500 ounces of American Gold Buffaloes. Monthly totals are now 89,000 and 9,500 ounces respectively. These figures reflect sales through May 16, 2010.
US Mint Bullion Coin Sales for Week Ending 5/16/2011 (troy ounces)
| Gold Eagle | 11,000 |
| Gold Buffalo | 4,500 |
| Silver Eagle | 756,500 |
| Silver ATB | 15,000 |
Silver bullion products, which remain subject to rationing, sold a combined 771,500 troy ounces in the past week. This consisted of 756,500 ounces worth of American Silver Eagles and 15,000 ounces worth of the 5 ounce America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins. For the latter product, the US Mint has now sold all of the available coins for the first two designs of the year featuring Gettysburg National Military Park and Glacier National Park. An additional 126,700 coins (633,500 troy ounces) featuring the Olympic National Park design will go on sale to authorized purchasers on May 23, 2011.
US Mint Bullion Coin Sales for Year to Date (troy ounces)
| Gold Eagle | Gold Buffalo | Silver Eagle | Silver ATB | |
| January | 133,500 | – | 6,422,000 | – |
| February | 92,500 | – | 3,240,000 | – |
| March | 73,500 | 38,000 | 2,767,000 | – |
| April | 108,000 | 20,500 | 2,819,000 | 1,127,000 |
| May | 89,000 | 9,500 | 2,177,500 | 140,000 |
| Total | 496,500 | 68,000 | 17,425,500 | 1,267,000 |
For the year to date, silver bullion coin sales have reached 18,692,500 troy ounces. Last year, the US Mint had sold 35,487,500 ounces across the two available silver bullion coin programs.
Gold bullion coin sales have reached 564,500 ounces for the year to date, compared to 1,429,500 for the prior year.
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