Australian sales of bullion gold and silver slowed in August compared to July and a year ago, the latest figures from the Perth Mint show, yet they ended sharply higher than in all but one of the months in the first half of 2015.
Bullion sales in August couldn’t compete from those in July, when the Mint’s gold sales rallied to a nine-month high and its silvers sales peaked at an eighth-month high.
As for the numbers, Perth Mint orders of gold coins and gold bars advanced 33,390 ounces last month, falling 34.6% from the 51,088 ounces delivered in July and slipping 8.2% from the 36,369 ounces sold in August 2014. For the year to date, gold sales at 253,128 ounces are down 16.3% from last year’s starting eight-month total of 302,463 ounces.
Perth Mint silver coins at 746,700 ounces in July dipped 5.2% from the prior month’s 746,700 ounces and fell 13.6% from the 818,856 ounces sold during the same month last year. From the January through August period, silver sales combine to 4,265,350 ounces for an 11.6% decline from the same period last year when they totaled 4,825,180 ounces.
Perth Mint Gold and Silver Sales by Month
Below is a monthly breakdown of Perth Mint bullion sales from August 2014 to August 2015.
| Perth Mint Bullion Sales (in troy ounces) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Silver | Gold | |
| August 2015 | 707,656 | 33,390 |
| July 2015 | 746,700 | 51,088 |
| June 2015 | 384,586 | 31,019 |
| May 2015 | 337,511 | 21,671 |
| April 2015 | 472,273 | 26,545 |
| March 2015 | 638,557 | 34,260 |
| February 2015 | 392,114 | 31,981 |
| January 2015 | 585,953 | 23,174 |
| December 2014 | 477,731 | 40,211 |
| November 2014 | 851,836 | 49,904 |
| October 2014 | 655,881 | 55,350 |
| September 2014 | 756,839 | 68,781 |
| August 2014 | 818,856 | 36,369 |
United States Mint Bullion Sales in August
U.S. Mint bullion sales in August also maintained strength, lower than the previous month but sharply higher than a year earlier.
As far as the U.S. Mint’s core bullion products and Augusts go, there is no better one for American Silver Eagles and just three stronger for American Gold Eagles.
Gold Eagles at 101,500 ounces slipped 40.3% from July but soared 306% from August 2014. Silver Eagles at 5,529,000 ounces slowed 10.7% from the prior month but leapt 136.4% from a year ago.
