The latest United States Mint weekly sales report is out and the numbers reveal collectors purchased a solid 98,358 of the just released American Veterans Disabled for Life Silver Dollars in three days.
The first of two commemorative silver dollars to be issued this year was made available by the US Mint on Thursday, February 25, 2010, at noon Eastern Time. The coins pay tribute to Americans who became disabled for life while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. The 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper dollars are struck in both proof and uncirculated condition and are available for introductory prices of $39.95 and $33.95, respectively.
As is nearly always the case, collectors preferred the proofs — this time by a more than two-to-one margin in the early going with 66,209 proof silver $1s purchased. On the flip side, 32,149 uncirculated coins were ordered. The time frame for the reported figures was from Thursday to Sunday.
As a comparison, last year’s highly popular and sold out Abraham Lincoln Silver Dollar debuted with three-day sales of 116,558 for the proof and 61,164 for the uncirculated, totaling to 177,722. The final commemorative of last year, the Louis Braille Silver dollar, came in with initial sales of 28,880 for the proof and 11,964 for the uncirculated, totaling 40,844.
The price of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Silver Dollar coin includes a $10 surcharge that will be forwarded to the Disabled Veterans’ LIFE Memorial Foundation, which in turn will use the money towards construction of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington, D.C. The coins during the first three days have generated $983,580.00 for the memorial.
The silver commemoratives may be purchased directly from the Mint’s Web site at:
U.S. Mint Commemorative Coin Product Page
Orders can also be placed by calling 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may call 1-888-321-MINT (6468).
Regular coin pricing will go into affect after 5:00 PM ET on March 29, 2010. The proof and uncirculated silver dollars will rise to $43.95 and $35.95, respectively. The coins have a total mintage limit across both options of 350,000.
The obverse of the coin shows the legs of three disabled veterans with the inscription "THEY STOOD UP FOR US" arching over the top of them.
On the reverse, oak branches are bound with a ribbon into a wreath. At the base of the wreath is a forget-me-not flower. Inside the wreath the inscription is the inscription "Take This Moment to Honor Our Disabled Defenders of Freedom."
The next commemorative, celebrating the founding of the Boy Scouts of America, will be released by the Mint on March 23, 2010. (See Boy Scouts Commemorative Coins.)
