Mint Stats: Year-end demand pushes up numbers

The gold Mercury dime was going to go back on sale as this issue goes to press. Next week we will see whether the remaining 8,904 coins are snapped up by eager buyers. In the meantime, it is clear that eager buyers are acquiring the traditional coin sets for Christmas gifts. The 2016 Presidential proof set rose by 2,881 to 207,134. The five-quarter America the Beautiful silver set rose by 1,601 to 86,277. The 2016 silver proof set moved ahead by 10,440 to 343,796. The 2016 uncirculated coin set increased by 8,010. These numbers might not be large, but they are adding new life to long-available Mint offerings.

Sales of the gold Standing Liberty quarter moved up by 577 to reach 84,625. The maximum possible is 100,000. At the same time, the gold Walking Liberty half dollar rose by 1,674 to 58,682 of a possible 70,000. With bullion sales winding down, the half-ounce gold Eagle was up by 1,000 pieces to 3,000, and the gold Buffalo by 1,500 to 7,000 in December.