Baseball gold sellout likely

Initial sales figures for the National Baseball Hall of Fame commemoratives show just how wise the Mint was in putting order limits into effect the day before sales began yesterday.

In less than 24 hours the Mint has sold 41,797 of the 50,000 gold $5 coins available.

Proofs ordered total 26,798. Mint State pieces total 14,999.

For silver dollars, the order surge, though evident, was not as close to sellout status as the gold.

Thus far buyers have grabbed 156,675. This breaks down as 108,164 proofs and 48,511 uncirculateds.

Interest in clad coins is not much in evidence.

Purchases so far total 73,354 half dollars out of a potential mintage of 750,000.

Proofs taken are 43,376 and Mint State coins are 29,978.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper is winner of the 2013 Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog and is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."