The year’s first 2015 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Coins are out. Sold by the United States Mint, they’re very similar, yet different. Sharing a design symbolic of Homestead National Monument of American in Nebraska, there’s the bullion version intended for investors that launched on Feb. 17 and the uncirculated edition for collectors that went on sale March 5. This article presents a photo overview of the two.
First, let’s discuss some similarities between the two coins. Common to both are their designs, three-inch diameters, and their edge-incused weight and purity of .999 FINE SILVER 5.0 OUNCE.
Now, let’s talk about their obvious visual differences. The bullion version has a brilliant finish while the collector edition has an uncirculated finish. (See how both five-ounce coins are made.)
Then there’s a less obvious difference. While the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia strikes both, only the collector version has a denoting “P” mint mark on its obverse.
Also, collector uncirculated coins ship in special U.S. Mint-branded packaging along with certificates of authenticity.
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The U.S. government guarantees the weight, content and purity of bullion coins but these coins don’t have certificates. They also don’t have special packaging. Instead, the U.S. Mint delivers them in 10-coin tubes held in 100-coin monster boxes.
Both versions share the Homestead quarter design, Ronald D. Sanders’ representation of the three fundamentals of survival common to all homesteaders: food, shelter, and water.
Bullion coins are sold through the U.S. Mint’s network of Authorized Purchasers. Coin and precious dealers sell them for around $3-$5 per ounce over the spot price of silver. The collector uncirculated silver coin is available directly from the U.S. Mint at www.usmint.gov/catalog for $149.95.
Here are two larger photos of both sides of the collectible Homestead uncirculated silver coin:
And finally, here are two bigger photos of both sides of the Homestead bullion silver coin:
The uncerculated version is sold out! Did they really sold all in just 15 days? What are the sales numbers on them?
I just went to the Mint’s web site and they’re still on sale. In this article it states that they went on sale 03/05 the article is dated 03/20, that’s 15 days with a stated sale of uncirculated sale of 17,257. With a mintage limit of 30,000 that’s 12,743 to go. If you are concerned about not getting a piece in the future be a subscriber and you will get yours before they go on sale to the open market. I’ve had mine for a few days. The one thing I can never figure out is this mintage limit vs.… Read more »
Mike
Yesterday evening us mint website had indicated that the they were out of stock. Now they have them, and they will be ready for shipping on April 30. I was a subscriber until I disabled that option due to unavailable funds at the moment. Coin collecting is addictive as you may know; therefore, I’m trying to postpone and combine as possible. I think you got it regarding product limit and mintage limit.
Hi Guys, Hope I can help you with understanding the Mintage limits vs Product limits. The mintage limit is across all products. And the product limit is with regards to just one product. Still confused. I would be. Lets break it down: Lets use the Gold American Eagle Proof series as an example. Lets say that the Mintage Limit on the One Ounce Gold American Eagle is 50,000. Now the One Ounce is sold separately and in the 4 piece set and lets say this is an anniversary year and they also have the One Ounce in a special set.… Read more »
Thank you Ronnie, I take it the bullion coinage doesn’t figure into any of this.
I asked Adam Stump, deputy director of the U.S. Mint’s Office of Corporate Communications, about total Homestead 5 oz coin mintages. This is his response: “The current authorized limit for both numismatic and bullion 2015 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Coins for Homestead National Monument of America is 65,000 coins across both options. An announced maximum mintage limit of 30,000 coins has been issued for the America the Beautiful 5 Ounce Homestead Uncirculated Coin. However, based on demand, the U.S. Mint has the flexibility to mint and issue more than the minimum of 35,000 America the Beautiful 5 Ounce… Read more »
In other words if the total sales of uncirculated coins does not or appears to not make their limit, then the adjustment to bullion can increase. Based on history most uncirculated if not all ATB 5oz coins do meet their limit so that adjustment to bullion is a rare occurrence, one that requires close attention to the existing years trend and if done at all would be in the waining days of the sales envelope (usually approaching the next years release date). To gauge that choice I assume would be a tenuous decision because I suspect that there would be… Read more »