Gold rallied on the last trading day of 2012 to finish 7.0% higher for the year and notch a 12th straight annual increase.
Bloomberg reported that the streak was the longest since "at least 1920," but it was also the smallest yearly gain since 2008 as a result of prices dropping 2.2% for the month and 5.5% for the quarter. Gold prices surged 10.2% in 2011.
On Monday, gold for February delivery advanced $19.90, or 1.2%, to settle at $1,675.80 an ounce on the Comex in New York. The day’s pick-up came as positive signs emerged in U.S. fiscal cliff talks and comes on the heels of five consecutive weekly declines.
"Comex gold futures prices rallied sharply in afternoon trading Monday, on news the Obama administration and U.S. lawmakers have apparently made good progress and are near a deal on the U.S. ‘fiscal cliff’ matter that has been dominating the business news headlines for several weeks," wrote Jim Wyckoff in the PM Kitco Metals Roundup. "Short covering, bargain hunting and even some fresh safe-haven demand early in the day were featured in the gold market."
Silver, Platinum and Palladium Futures
March silver prices traded up 25.2 cents, or 0.8%, to $30.227 an ounce. Silver advanced $2.31, or 8.3%, in 2012. After jumping 16.4% in the first quarter, silver fell 1.1% in the second, soared 25.2% in the third and finished with a loss of 12.6% in the fourth. Much of the recent quarter’s loss came in December as silver prices plummeted 9.2%.
Platinum group metals (PGMs) rebounded in 2012 with platinum gaining $137.50, or 9.8%, and palladium rising $47.20, or 7.2%. In the previous year platinum declined $373.30, or 21.0%, and palladium dropped $147.35, or 18.3%.
On Monday, platinum for April delivery rose $20.80, or 1.4%, to $1,542.40 an ounce. It logged a fourth quarter loss of 7.6% with more than half of that, 3.9%, coming in December.
March palladium added $3.05, or 0.4%, to $703.35 an ounce. It bucked the trend of other precious metals, rising 2.2% in December and jumping 9.8% since September.
London Precious Metals
Precious metals in London marked final 2012 fixings that were mostly on par with metal futures in New York.
- Gold gained $6.50, or 0.4%, to $1,664.00 an ounce,
- Silver declined 20.0 cents, or 0.7%, to $29.95 an ounce,
- Platinum shed $4.00, or 0.3%, to $1,523.00 an ounce, and
- Palladium lost $5.00, or 0.7%, to $699.00 an ounce
Each of the precious metals gained in 2012. Annual performances for London bullion over the last 12 years follows.
| 2000-2012 Gold Prices and Annual Gains/Losses | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Price | $ Annual Gain | % Annual Gain |
| 2000 | $272.65 | ||
| 2001 | $276.50 | $3.85 | 1.41% |
| 2002 | $342.75 | $66.25 | 23.96% |
| 2003 | $417.25 | $74.50 | 21.74% |
| 2004 | $435.60 | $18.35 | 4.40% |
| 2005 | $513.00 | $77.40 | 17.77% |
| 2006 | $635.70 | $122.70 | 23.92% |
| 2007 | $836.50 | $200.80 | 31.59% |
| 2008 | $865.00 | $28.50 | 3.41% |
| 2009 | $1,104.00 | $239.00 | 27.63% |
| 2010 | $1,410.25 | $306.25 | 27.74% |
| 2011 | $1,574.50 | $164.25 | 11.65% |
| 2012 | $1,664.00 | $89.50 | 5.68% |
| 2000-2012 Silver Prices and Annual Gains/Losses | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Price | $ Annual Gain | % Annual Gain |
| 2000 | $4.58 | ||
| 2001 | $4.52 | -$0.06 | -1.20% |
| 2002 | $4.67 | $0.15 | 3.21% |
| 2003 | $5.97 | $1.30 | 27.87% |
| 2004 | $6.77 | $0.81 | 13.50% |
| 2005 | $8.83 | $2.06 | 30.43% |
| 2006 | $12.90 | $4.07 | 46.09% |
| 2007 | $14.76 | $1.86 | 14.42% |
| 2008 | $10.79 | -$3.97 | -26.90% |
| 2009 | $16.99 | $6.20 | 57.46% |
| 2010 | $30.63 | $13.64 | 80.28% |
| 2011 | $28.18 | -$2.45 | -8.00% |
| 2012 | $29.95 | $1.77 | 6.28% |
| 2000-2012 Platinum Prices and Annual Gains/Losses | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Price | $ Annual Gain | % Annual Gain |
| 2000 | $611.00 | ||
| 2001 | $477.00 | -$134.00 | -21.93% |
| 2002 | $598.00 | $121.00 | 25.37% |
| 2003 | $814.00 | $216.00 | 36.12% |
| 2004 | $859.50 | $45.50 | 5.59% |
| 2005 | $964.00 | $104.50 | 12.16% |
| 2006 | $1,117.00 | $153.00 | 15.87% |
| 2007 | $1,529.00 | $412.00 | 36.88% |
| 2008 | $899.00 | -$630.00 | -41.20% |
| 2009 | $1,466.00 | $567.00 | 63.07% |
| 2010 | $1,731.00 | $265.00 | 18.08% |
| 2011 | $1,381.00 | -$350.00 | -20.22% |
| 2012 | $1,523.00 | $142.00 | 10.28% |
| 2000-2012 Palladium Prices and Annual Gains/Losses | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Price | $Annual Gain | % Annual Gain |
| 2000 | $954.00 | ||
| 2001 | $440.00 | -$514.00 | -53.88% |
| 2002 | $233.00 | -$207.00 | -47.05% |
| 2003 | $193.00 | -$40.00 | -17.17% |
| 2004 | $184.00 | -$9.00 | -4.66% |
| 2005 | $253.00 | $69.00 | 37.50% |
| 2006 | $324.00 | $71.00 | 28.06% |
| 2007 | $370.00 | $46.00 | 14.20% |
| 2008 | $183.50 | -$186.50 | -50.41% |
| 2009 | $402.00 | $218.50 | 119.07% |
| 2010 | $791.00 | $389.00 | 96.77% |
| 2011 | $636.00 | -$155.00 | -19.60% |
| 2012 | $699.00 | $63.00 | 9.91% |
US Mint Bullion Coin Sales
U.S. Mint bullion sales climbed Monday with the one-ounce American Eagle gold coin up 6,500.
In annual sales comparisons between 2012 and 2011 for American Eagle and American Buffalo bullion products:
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22-karat American Eagle gold coins reached annual sales of 753,000 ounces in 2012 compared to 1 million ounces in 2011. The U.S. Mint will begin accepting orders from its distributors for its 2013-dated Gold Eagles on Jan. 2, 2013. Until the inventory is depleted, older coins will be sold alongside the new ones.
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American Eagle silver coins hit 33,742,500 in 2012 versus 39,868,500 in 2011. The 2012-dated Silver Eagles sold out on Dec. 17, 2012. The U.S. Mint will begin accepting orders for the 2013-dated Silver Eagles on Jan. 7, 2013.
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24-karat American Buffalo gold coins achieved annual sales of 132,000 in 2012 against the 174,500 in 2011. The U.S. Mint will begin taking orders from its distributors for its 2013-dated Gold Buffalo coins on Jan. 2, 2013. It will also sell the 2012-dated Buffalos in 2013 until they are gone.
Sales on the day, for the week-to-date, December and 2012 follow.
| US Mint American Eagle and Buffalo Bullion Coin Sales | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Sales | Last Week | Week-To-Date | Dec Sales | Annual Sales | |
| $50 American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins | 6,500 | 2,500 | 6,500 | 73,000 | 667,000 |
| $25 American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,000 | 71,000 |
| $10 American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,000 | 76,000 |
| $5 American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 315,000 |
| $50 American Buffalo Gold Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8,000 | 132,000 |
| American Eagle Silver Coin* | N/A | 1,635,000 | 33,742,500 | ||
| America the Beautiful 5 Oz. Silver Bullion Coin Sales | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Sales | Last Week | Week-To-Date | Dec Sales | Annual Sales | |
| 2012 El Yunque National Forest 5 oz. Silver Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,000 | 21,900 |
| 2012 Chaco Culture National Historical Park 5 oz. Silver Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20,000 |
| 2012 Acadia National Park 5 oz. Silver Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25,400 |
| 2012 Hawai’i Volcanoes 5 oz. Silver Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20,000 |
| 2012 Denali National Park 5 oz. Silver Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20,000 |
| 2011 Olympic National Park 5 oz. Silver Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85,900 |
| 2011 Vicksburg National Military Park 5 oz. Silver Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39,500 |
| 2011 Chickasaw Park 5 oz. Silver Bullion Coins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29,700 |
| TOTAL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,000 | 262,400 |
Coin sales figures shown above are in the number of coins sold. Calculate total ounces by using the bullion coin’s weight.
