Buchanan Liberty First Spouse Gold Coin Sales Nose Dive

by admin on October 28, 2010

in Mint Sales Figures

First Spouse Coin Sales Figures logoDemand for First Spouse Gold Coins bottomed out in the most recent United States Mint sales figures. A serious drop in Buchanan’s Liberty coin sales combined with lower output from each of the other available options led to a net gain of 54. In the previous round, 539 of the 24 karat gold coins sold.

The biggest mover went the wrong way. 3,965 was the new total for the uncirculated Buchanan Liberty, a shortage of 29, compared to last week’s total of 3,994. The U.S. Mint typically does not provide an explanation as to such declines, although the number could be attributed to returns or cancellations.

Proof Buchanan’s Liberty First Spouse Gold, which consistently sold in the triple digits for weeks since its launch, only made it to 7 in this round. The other coins were not much better. Three strikes grew by 11 each, while the top two increased by 16 and 17. They were Jane Pierce proofs and Abigail Fillmore proofs, respectively.

It is hard to say whether cost was the factor, since prices remained unchanged at their highest level since October 6. The proofs are still $829 and the uncirculated are $816. Gold has been falling of late, however, and coin collectors may be waiting and hoping for it to fall even lower so coin prices will drop.

For the medal sets, slower sales of the Presidential $1 and First Spouse Medal combo seemed to be the norm. 521 sold versus 612. Buchanan’s set was favored, selling 251 and Pierce’s set advanced by 91. The lowest in the group was Julia Tyler’s gain of 23.

As a reminder, Lincoln First Spouse Gold Coins go on sale December 2, 2010.

The following tables compare the prior to most recent U.S. Mint sales data:

2010 James Buchanan’s Liberty First Spouse Coin Sales

Previous Sales
New Sales
Unit Increase
% Increase
Mintage Limit
Uncirculated 3,994 3,965 -29 -0.7%
15,000
Proof 6,067 6,074 7 0.1%
   
   

2010 Jane Pierce First Spouse Coin Sales

Previous Sales
New Sales
Unit Increase
% Increase
Mintage Limit
Uncirculated 2,324 2,335 11 0.5%
15,000
Proof 4,071 4,087 16 0.4%

2010 Abigail Fillmore First Spouse Coin Sales

Previous Sales
New Sales
Unit Increase
% Increase
Mintage Limit
Uncirculated 3,218 3,228 10 0.3%
15,000
Proof 5,076 5,093 17 0.3%

2009 Margaret Taylor First Spouse Coin Sales

Previous Sales
New Sales
Unit Increase
% Increase
Mintage Limit
Uncirculated 3,302 3,313 11 0.3%
20,000
Proof 4,589 4,600 11 0.2%
20,000

2009 Sarah Polk First Spouse Coin Sales

Previous Sales
New Sales
Unit Increase
% Increase
Mintage Limit
Uncirculated 3,501 3,501 0 0%
20,000
Proof 5,157 5,157 0 0%
20,000
 

Presidential $1 Coin & First Spouse Medal Set Sales

Previous Sales New Sales Unit Increase % Increase
Buchanan & Liberty 3,837 4,088 251 6.5%
Franklin & Jane Pierce 5,896 5,987 91 1.5%
Millard & Abigail Fillmore 8,180 8,270 90 1.1%
Zachary & Margaret Taylor 8,350 8,387 37 0.4%
James & Sarah Polk 9,534 9,563 29 0.3%
John & Julia Tyler 10,037 10,060 23 0.2%

 

The “as of date” for the latest Mint figures is Sunday, October 24.

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Barry Coyne October 28, 2010 at 7:30 pm

You want to know why the number of Buchanan’s Uncirculated coins has dropped?
For weeks, including my email to your website, I’ve been raising the alarm that the Uncirculated version of the Buchanan coin’s reverse is either struck with a damaged die or the die is deliberately different from the die used to strike the reverse for the Buchanan Proof coin. Random mishandling of the coins by Mint staff cannot account for the consistent differences between the Proof and Uncirculated versions.
The Proof coints are different from the Uncirculated version with all the differences occurring on the reverse. The Proof reverse has two vest buttons but no shirt buttons. In contrast, the Uncirculated reverse seems to have two buttons on Buchanan’s shirt as well as two buttons on the vest. Even more obvious, there are “scratches” on Buchanan’s vest that would easily pass for pocket openings. I thought the “scratches” in my first Uncirculated coin were evidence of mishandling, but the second Uncirculated coin I ordered had the identical marks in the same locations.
I wrote the U.S. Mint office and the response I received indicates they are clueless about the differences between the Proof and Uncirculated Buchanan’s coins. I doubt anyone at the Mint has personally bothered to examine one specimen of the Proof or Uncirculated versions in order to compare them. Smart collectors will soon realize that there are two varieties.

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