There have been a number of interesting jumps in sales for a few of the gold coin offerings this week. Was it due to the leap in the the price of the precious metal in the latter part of January or simply a rush to buy 2006 items before they go off sale?

Consider that the proof tenth-ounce gold 2006 American Eagle leaped by 2,829 pieces to 21,928. That is an almost 15 percent increase in one week. The four-coin gold Eagle proof set was up by 427.

The ?W? mintmarked uncirculated gold 2006 American Eagle one-ounce coin saw sales rise by 466, an almost 10 percent increase, while the four-coin gold ?W? uncirculated set increased by 668.

Regular silver American Eagles, the ones that sell to the bullion market, passed the 1-million mark this week.

Sales numbers for the five-coin clad and silver state quarter proof sets for 2007 were added this week.