Physical silver buyers paying 54% premiums with negligible change in demand.

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Yellowstone National Park Silver Coin Sales Top $5.1M on First Day

Coin News

May 20, 2011

The Yellowstone National Park 5 Oz Silver Uncirculated Coin enjoyed robust sales out of the gate. 18,143, or 68.2 percent, of the collector coins were purchased on the first day they went on sale, leaving 8,587 on the table for other buyers.

Opening demand for the second five ounce coin closely matched the first. Buyers scooped up about 19,000 of the Hot Springs coin by the evening of its first day on sale.

The United States Mint collected over $5.1 million in sales on May 17, the day the Yellowstone coin launched. The 18,143 sold represents unique buyers paying $279.95 each, since the issue has a one coin per household limit.

That sales level is supportive for a potential solid demand environment for upcoming strikes in America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin Program. Especially when considering that the Yellowstone National Park silver coin did not enjoy several distinct benefits surrounding the first Hot Springs release, including:

• A pent-up demand advantage of being the inaugural issue in a new coin series, the
• Momentum due to expectations of a first day sellout, and a
• Significantly lower premium as it relates to the coin’s melt value


In terms of perceived price differences, both coins opened at $279.95. However, the London Fix silver price was at $48.70 an ounce when Hot Springs launched and at a much lower $36.28 an ounce for the debut of the Yellowstone. Based on the melt values of both coins (each contains five ounces of .999 fine silver), their launch day premiums were significantly different. The Hot Springs’ cost over melt came in at $36.45, or 15.0 percent, while Yellowstone was at a much higher $98.55, or 54.3 percent. Despite the at least perceived price differences, opening demand was still nearly equal between the two coins. That would seem to bode well for the series, although it is way too early to make that call.

To order the Yellowstone National Park Silver Coin, visit its product page located in the Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters section at http://catalog.usmint.gov/or call the United States Mint directly at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).

The United States Mint officially called the Hot Springs five ounce coin a sell out on Thursday, May 19, or three weeks to the day after it was released. The coin unofficially sold out one week earlier when the Mint took in the maximum 27,000 orders. However, it still allowed interested parties to join a "waiting list" in the event one became available due to an order cancellation.