As of Thursday, April 12, 2012, the United States Mint is no longer selling the individual 2011-W $5 Proof American Gold Eagle.
The 22 karat, one-tenth ounce gold coin was added to the ‘No Longer Available" section of the U.S. Mint’s website with a "sold out" indication. This latest removal leaves just the four-coin set as the last option available for the 2011-dated proofs.
Earlier "sell outs" in the series included the $25 coin in February, the $10 denomination in December, and the $50 version in October. The still available 2011-W Proof American Gold Eagle Four-Coin Set contains all four fractional sizes, but it is also more expensive at a current price of $3,585.50. The $5 proof was $215.50 when it was taken out of the Mint’s lineup.
When the American Gold Eagle products launched in April 2011, the published product limit of the $5 strike was 30,000 with an overall mintage limit of 70,000 to account for its inclusion in the four-coin set. Like the others before it, those figures were unattainable. For many numismatists, the price and the economy were voiced as reasons to avoid them.
The most recent sales figures are listed in the table below.
| 2011-W American Proof Gold Eagle Coins — Product Limits, Mintages, Sales* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRODUCT LIMIT | MINTAGE LIMIT | CURRENT SALES | NOTES/PRICES | |
| $50 Proof Gold Eagle Coin (1 oz) | 30,000 | 70,000 | 30,000 | SOLD OUT |
| $25 Proof Gold Eagle Proof Coin (1/2 oz) | 15,000 | 55,000 | 8,066 | SOLD OUT |
| $10 Proof Gold Eagle Coin (1/4 oz ) | 16,000 | 56,000 | 10,381 | SOLD OUT |
| $5 Proof Gold Eagle Coin (1/10 oz ) | 30,000 | 70,000 | 23,926 | SOLD OUT |
| 4-Coin Set | 40,000 | N/A | 17,991 | $3,585.50 |
*All sales are as of Monday, April 9, 2012. Coin prices can change weekly depending on the direction of precious metals.
The four-coin set is likely to go off sale soon, since it has been the U.S. Mint’s practice to discontinue sales of older issues in a series when the latest releases arrive. 2012-W Proof American Gold Eagles launch on Thursday, April 19. On the other hand, the set’s discontinuation is not a certainty. The Mint may want to prolong the four-coin set’s sales period, like it is continuing to offer the 2011-W Proof American Buffalo Gold Coin after the 2012-dated Buffalo went on sale in March.
Proof and bullion American Gold Eagle coins first arrived in 1986. The bullion version does not have a mintmark or a mirror-like finish with a frosted design. 2012 bullion Gold Eagle sales began on January 3, but unlike the proofs, their sales are restricted to the U.S. Mint’s network of "Authorized Purchasers" or AP’s.
A collector uncirculated American Gold Eagles appeared on scene in 2006, but they were not produced in 2009 or 2010. The 2011-W Uncirculated American Gold Eagle sold out by January 17, 2012. The 2012 issue is not yet listed in the US Mint’s product schedule.
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