Precious Metals Sales Report: January 31, 2017

Silver

As of January 31, 2017, the U.S. Mint’s authorized purchasers (APs) bought 5,127,500 American Eagle silver bullion coins, with a net sales figure of 405,000 coins since this time last week.

Since the 2017 America the Beautiful 5-ounce bullion coins program is not yet underway, we thought it would be interesting to look at the figures for 2016 and compare them to previous years:

• Shawnee National Forest—105,000
• Cumberland Gap National Historical Park—75,000
• Harpers Ferry National Historical Park—38,100
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park—40,000
• Fort Moultrie (Fort Sumter National Monument)—27,900

Combined sales for 2016’s five 5-ounce bullion coins total 286,000 units, for a grand total of 1,430,000 ounces of silver. 2016 had the second-largest annual mintage ever for 5-ounce America the Beautiful bullion coins (2011 ranks first, with the extremely high total of 465,100). The totals for the entire program to date, from highest to lowest are as follows:

• 2011—465,100
• 2016—286,000
• 2015—212,000
• 2010—165,000
• 2013—160,000
• 2014—136,000
• 2012—113,800

With respect to individual issues, four 5-ounce ATB bullion coins to date have topped 100,000 in sales: Gettysburg National Military Park (2011), with 126,700; Glacier National Park (2011), with 126,700; Shawnee National Forest (2016), with 105,000; and Olympic National Park (2011), with 104,900.

[APMEX carries current and past-year America the Beautiful 5-oz. silver coins.]

Net amount of all silver bullion (ASE and ATB) sold by the Mint—

• last week: 405,000 oz.
• in 2017: 5,127,500 oz.

The value of an ounce of silver is up 19 cents from this time last week, to $17.29. Silver’s average last week, Monday through Friday, was $16.95 per ounce, almost identical to the previous week’s average of $16.96.

Gold

During the past week, the Mint sold 15,000 ounces of American Eagle gold bullion coins, bringing the 2017 total to 117,500 ounces. American Buffalo 1-ounce gold bullion coin sales sold 4,000 units last week, bringing the 2017 total for the category to 32,000 ounces.

Net amount of all gold bullion (AGE and AGB) sold by the Mint—

• last week: 19,000 oz.
• in 2017: 149,500 oz.

The value of an ounce of gold is down $14.50 from this time last week, to $1,198.80, according to the London Bullion Market Association. Gold’s Monday–Friday average last week was $1,201.26, very slightly down from the previous week’s average of $1,207.02.

Platinum

The sales total for the 2017 American Eagle one-ounce platinum bullion coins is 20,000 units, with 6,700 of those being sold during the past week. Platinum is down $2.00 compared to this time last week, when it was priced at $981.00 per ounce; platinum is now at $979.00 per ounce. The metal’s average last week, Monday through Friday, was $979.40, compared to the previous week’s $971.80.   ❑

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