Sales of 2009 Silver Eagle Bullion Coins are blistering hot, with an incredible record-breaking pace of 9.67 million sold through April, according to the latest US Mint sales stats.
Total Silver Eagle Bullion Coin Sales, Jan-Apr (2000-2009)
More silver eagles have been sold in February, March and April than any corresponding month since the American Eagle series was launched in 1986. What happened in January 2009? It was a great month for the eagles as well, coming in second place behind the record sales in January 2008.
Monthly Silver Eagle Bullion Coin Sales, Jan-Apr (2000-2009)*
2008 proved to be an exceptional year for the series, with historic sales at 19,583,500. At the current 2009 rate, nearly half of that amount will be sold in just four months. There is a potential to shatter last year’s record.
With the bullion coins continuing to sell like hot cakes, a question comes to mind as to whether the 2009 collector versions will ever get minted. In early March, the Mint suspended 2009-W American Eagle Silver coins, saying in part:
Production of United States Mint American Eagle Silver Proof and Uncirculated Coins has been temporarily suspended because of unprecedented demand for American Eagle Silver Bullion Coins.
Currently, all available silver bullion blanks are being allocated to the American Eagle Silver Bullion Coin Program, as the United States Mint is required by Public Law 99-61 to produce these coins "in quantities sufficient to meet public demand . . . ."
The United States Mint will resume the American Eagle Silver Proof and Uncirculated Coin Programs once sufficient inventories of silver bullion blanks can be acquired to meet market demand for all three American Eagle Silver Coin products.
Since the statement, flash forward nearly two months to today. Based on silver coin bullion sales, the Mint appears to be facing a steeper hill and more difficult climb. Will it be able to build an inventory of silver blanks for the collector silver eagles?
The following two tables show sales by month and totals from 2000-2009:
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | |
| January | 1,011,500 | 779,500 | 913,500 | 1,725,000 | 1,392,500 |
| February | 808,500 | 846,500 | 905,000 | 1,055,000 | 1,281,000 |
| March | 851,500 | 786,000 | 797,000 | 876,000 | 348,000 |
| April | 804,500 | 562,000 | 815,000 | 434,000 | 680,000 |
| January – April |
3,476,000 | 2,974,000 | 3,430,500 | 4,090,000 | 3,701,500 |
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
| January | 1,095,000 | 1,115,000 | 1,070,000 | 2,170,000 | 1,900,000 |
| February | 500,000 | 993,000 | 500,000 | 200,000 | 2,125,000 |
| March | 650,000 | 1,072,000 | 762,000 | 1,855,000 | 3,132,000 |
| April | 480,000 | 1,395,000 | 280,000 | 1,584,000 | 2,518,000 |
| January – April |
2,725,000 | 4,575,000 | 2,612,000 | 5,809,000 | 9,675,000 |
[Editor’s update: 2009 US Mint sales figures were updated to include totals to the end of April. Original article posting included tallies up to April 27.]
Saw your article posted on Coininfo. Yes Silver Eagles are hot,but at the premium dealers have been charging (5.50/spot on average) they are a poor investment. Unlike the low mintage of the 1996 Silver Eagles, the high mintage will prevent the coins from ever bringing a collectors premium. As the mint catches up with with demand, premiums will drop considerably. After all, price that the Mint charges their Distributors is still about $1.35 over spot. If your investing in Silver, buy generic rounds that are available at $1.25/1.75 over spot. When Silver again reaches $25.00 per ounce it will be… Read more »
There is much more paper silver than physical silver. The comex is rigged. I would not own paper silver. I would take delivery of physical silver as soon as possible.
too bad 2009 silver eagles will have no real value,looks like no proofs or w mints this year.
2009 is the most common silver eagle ever they will be first to be melted if silver becomes super high.
(2009) Silver UNC Higher Mintage numbers, lower coin value. This is for me an un-collectable or no value other than silver.
However, if they decided to produce (2009) W Proof in lower than past amounts, that could produce a highly collectable coin.
i hear in late septrember the w and proof silver eagles will come out,i bet they will sell out fast,and they might become an key date if they don’t have that much silver.
I had an order of the 2009 proof silver eagle…. the W. I called the mint, they told me that there will be no 2009 proofs minted… It will not be a “key” date”…. it will be missing. Leave it to the government to not make a profit. These guys would not know how to run a business if they spent 10 years and got a PHD in economics. What a bunch of jokers the govt employees are….. WOW… they could get 50-80 per coin… but there are such jokers they would rather not mint them.