2014 Great Sand Dunes 5 Oz Silver Uncirculated Coin Released

Great Sand Dunes National Park makes one of its final appearances on a collectible product with today’s United States Mint release of a three-inch, five ounce silver coin bearing a reverse design emblematic of the site in Colorado.

New from the U.S. Mint is the 2014-P Great Sand Dunes silver coin, the fourth issue of the year and the 24th overall from the series of America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins.

Pricing, Discount and Premiums

This latest numismatic release has a regular price of $154.95 with subscribers receiving a 10% discount, paying $139.45. Subscribers are U.S. Mint customers who made an earlier commitment to order new ATB five ounce silver coins as they are released. Both prices are low compared to when the series was introduced in 2010. Those early coins sold for $279.95 apiece.

Pricing today is less of a bargain versus earlier releases this year when silver prices were higher. ATB silver coins are struck in 99.9% fine silver and at Monday’s London silver price of $18.64 an ounce each has an intrinsic or melt value of $93.20. At the coin’s regular or non-discounted price, that places the U.S. Mint premium per ounce at $12.35. The previous three coins launched with lower premiums per ounce of $11.66, $11.33 and $11.18.

Still, its price is very attractive when contrasted against collectible Silver Eagles. United States Mint premiums are $34.31 for its one-ounce proof Silver Eagle and $25.31 for its one-ounce uncirculated Silver Eagle.

Great Sand Dunes National Park Silver Coin Design

Designs on this 5-ounce piece are the same as on the Great Sand Dunes National Park Quarter, which was ceremoniously released earlier this month and launched into circulation on Aug. 25.

The reverse or tails side design, created and sculpted by Don Everhart, shows a father and son playing in the sand next to a creek bed. The distinctive mountains and sand dunes appear in the background. Obverses of America the Beautiful coinage have John Flanagan effigy of George Washington.

Edges of the ATB quarters and companion silver coins are different. Quarters have a reeded edge while edges of five ounce silvers coins are flat and incused with ".999 FINE SILVER 5.0 OUNCE."

See how five ounce coins are made at the Philadelphia Mint.

Sales of 2013 – 2014 ATB 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins

This year’s first release and all of last year’s issues have sold out. The U.S. Mint did not produce them to the original stated mintages since early demand sets how many are actually made. Here is a table of 2013 and 2014 sales as of Sunday, Sept. 7:

Ordering

2014-P Great Sand Dunes National Park Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins may be ordered online from the United States Mint website using this product page. They may also be called in at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). No per household ordering limits are in place.

Coins arrive encapsulated, set inside a protective outer box and come with a United States Mint Certificate of Authenticity.

Bullion Version of Great Sand Dunes 5 Oz Silver Coin

The U.S. Mint also strikes bullion five ounce America the Beautiful silver coins that are intended for investors. The Great Sand Dunes Five Ounce Silver Bullion Coin debuted along with the quarters on Monday, Aug. 25. It has sales of 10,000 as of Friday, Sept. 12. The U.S. Mint sells bullion coins to authorized distributors who buy them in bulk and resell them in smaller quantities to dealers or straight to the public.

These bullion coins share the same designs and main specifications as the above described uncirculated pieces. In differences, they:

• have a brilliant instead of matte finish like the uncirculated coins,
• are also struck in Philadelphia but lack the "P" mint mark, and
• do not ship in special U.S. Mint packaging

Bullion five ounce silver coins are usually available from precious metals and coin dealers for a few dollars per ounce over spot.