Buy as many UHR gold coins as you want

Order limits come off on Monday for the 2009 Ultra High Relief Saint-Gaudens $20 gold piece.

For the first time since the coins went on sale in January, any buyer can buy as many from the U.S. Mint as he can pay for.

The limit had been set at one when the program started to assure the widest possible distribution among collector buyers. It rose to 10 in July and to 25 in August.

So at 9 a.m. Eastern Time Sept. 21, it is a whole new ball game.

What does this signify?

The Mint must now feel that it has enough supply on hand to meet all likely demand. But how much might that be? I don’t know. I heard talk by private collectors at ANA putting the final demand around 125,000. But how much credence should be put in talk?

This order limit change could also signify the program is winding down and this is the way of cleaning out the pipeline. The Mint does this at the end of commemorative programs. That would confirm ANA chatter.

This possibility seems less likely than the first because it is only September and the maximum mintage limit for the entire program was set at 300,000. Buyers haven’t even hit the 100,000 mark yet.

However, if the program is winding down, what would that signify?

Perhaps ending the program early would be the mechanism to free up gold bullion to be made into blanks for the proof American Eagle program. That’s another program that is leaving collectors in an expectant mood.

Gold has given the hobby an exciting time in recent months, but the downside is that there are more questions than answers.

Anybody who is interested in getting an example of the UHR gold coin should probably think about purchasing it now. Why take a chance in being disappointed if you really do want one?

If you happen to want 10,000, you can probably have them, too.