The United States Mint this week increased the number of 2015 American Eagle silver bullion coins available to its distributors. The agency has allocated their sales for most of the year because of silver planchet shortages. Despite rationing, 2015 Silver Eagles claimed a record that continues to climb.
This week’s allocation jumped 16.8% to 1,075,000 coins. Last week’s supply slipped 8% to 920,500 coins from the prior limit of 1 million coins. The U.S. Mint is striking 2015 American Silver Eagles through this week only so it can begin making the 2016-dated edition which goes on sale Jan. 11. This year’s final allocation amount will be announced on Dec. 14.
Last week, U.S. Mint distributors ordered all available coins for the fourth straight time. That has mostly been the norm all year aside from a slower buying spell in October.
On Monday, Nov. 30, sales of the one-ounce, .999 fine silver coins broke last year’s annual record of just over 44 million coins. Sales through Friday are sitting at 44,850,000 coins. They should reach 45,925,000 coins by week’s end and then close next week at a final 2015 sales record of around 47 million coins — give or take a few hundred thousand depending on the final allotment round.
Produced annually since 1986, the U.S. Mint does not sell American Eagle silver bullion coins directly to the public. Instead, they are sold through a network of authorized purchasers. AP’s, consisting of major coin and bullion dealers, brokerage companies, and other participating financial intermediaries, pay the U.S. Mint $2 more than the spot value of each coin they buy.
