Eagle sales near record

As of Jan. 23, it was still unclear whether monthly sales of the 2012 one-ounce silver American Eagle bullion coin would exceed the record pace set in January 2011.

With 5,547,000 Eagles sold as of Jan. 23, the total was less than 1 million coins away from matching the 6,4220,000 number achieved in January 2011.

However, whether the record is broken, it is fair to say that the pace of demand growth has slowed. The January 2011 sales total was nearly double the 3,592,500 sales number recorded for January 2010.

Sound answers to many questions about investing in silver!

The Mint is currently not rationing supply in any way.

Demand for gold American Eagles as 2012 starts is more heavily weighted toward the factional sizes as compared to 2011 numbers.

So far in 2012, 75,000 one-ounce coins have been purchased compared to 130,500 in all of January 2011.

However, the half-ounce total of 46,000 coins vastly exceeds the 1,000 taken in January 2011.

For the quarter ounce, this year’s total is 32,000 coins so far compared to 8,000 in 2011 and the tenth-ounce sales total is 75,000 coins compared to 2011’s 20,000.