Editor's note: Due to technical problems, there will be a delay in posting the sales figure boxes. We regret the inconvenience.
Here in Wisconsin, a bunker mentality will be setting in shortly. But you folks in the Northeast U.S. know all about that don?t you?
On the way is a big snowstorm. As far as I know, it?s not going to be anywhere near as big as the blizzard that ravaged the East Coast.
Over my vacation, I got to thinking about big snow storms and recent weather patterns. Having grown up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and now living in Wisconsin, I?ve survived some bad winters. This isn?t one of them. In fact, I can?t remember the last bad one we had.
We had a mild January, one of the warmest I can ever recall. As for snow, the ground is almost bare.
That could all change in the coming days, so I?m stocking up on canned goods and water, whether or not we get the ?big one.?
Numismatically speaking, this is a good time of year. New products are flowing from the Mint like milk and honey, or, in keeping with the season, like snow from the heavens. We?re buried under with Benjamin Franklin commemoratives, 2006 gold and silver proof American Eagles (sales figures provided in the boxes) and new state quarters. Nebraska is on its way.
So, naturally, we have a good deal of news to report. First of all, the 2005 American Eagle platinum proof half-ounce coins have gone off sale. At last count, a total of 1,520 were sold. That leaves the quarter-ounce and tenth-ounce platinum Eagles. I?ve got to believe they?ll soon be off the market.
Second, for all you Kennedy half buffs, the 2005 Kennedy half dollar two-roll sets have gone off sale as well, with a total of 46,120 sets sold. Is it just me, or is it strange that the 2001 Kennedy half 200-coin bags and two-roll sets are still around? I mean, why 2001 of all years? If anybody has an answer, let me know. This is the kind of thing that keeps me at night.
As far as other things to be aware of, plans are coming together for the launch ceremony for the Nebraska state quarter, slated for April 7 in Lincoln, Neb.
On deck in the Mint?s 50 State Quarters Program is the Colorado quarter, which is expected to come out in June.
So far, I don?t have production figures for the West Virginia state quarter. I?ll be trying to track those down.
A blizzard of products will be released in March, which is what got me thinking about the weather in the first place. Stay tuned for sales figures on items like the platinum Eagles and the 10-coin clad proof set and various coin covers. E-mail questions to peter.lindblad@fwpubs.com.
