Buchanan's Liberty First Spouse Gold Coin

On September 2, 2010 at 12:00 Noon ET, the United States Mint will begin sales of the 2010-W James Buchanan's Liberty First Spouse Gold Coins. This will represent the 16th release in the overall series and the 4th and final release of the "Liberty subset".

The obverse design of the coin is based on Christian Gobrecht's Liberty Head Quarter Eagle, minted from 1840 to 1907. Inscriptions have been added indicating "15th Presidency", the years of the term "1857 1861", the motto "In God We Trust", and the date of issue "2010".

The reverse design features an image of a young James Buchanan working as a bookkeeper in his family's country store. Surrounding inscriptions include "United States of America", "E Puluribus Unum", and the coin's bullion weight, fineness, and legal tender face value. The reverse was designed by David Westwood and sculpted by Joseph Menna.

The maximum authorized mintage for the Buchanan's Liberty First Spouse Gold Coin has been set at 15,000 across proof and uncirculated versions. Based on the recent average price of gold, the coins will be priced at $779 and $766 for proof and uncirculated versions, accordingly. There will be no household ordering limits imposed.

On the same date, the US Mint will also begin sales of a 1-5/16 inch bronze medal duplicate. This medal will feature the same design as the gold coin, but with some inscriptions removed. The bronze medals are priced at $5.50 each.

The First Spouse Gold Coins "Liberty Subset"

While the broader series is intended to honor the First Spouses of the United States, four issues of the series feature depictions of Liberty taken from circulating coins issued during the corresponding Presidential term. These designs are used for Presidents who served in office without a spouse. Previously, this has included Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and Martin Van Buren. The 21st President Chester A. Arthur also served without a spouse, but the authorizing legislation specifically calls for a design bearing the likeness of Alice Paul, who led a successful campaign for women's suffrage. She was born during the Presidency of Chester A. Arthur.

The previous designs used for the Liberty subset were from the Draped Bust Half Cent (Jefferson), Capped Bust Lettered Edge Half Dollar (Jackson), and Liberty Seated Dime (Van Buren).

These previous issues each had maximum authorized mintages of 40,000 coins across both proof and uncirculated versions. Only the first managed to reach the maximum, while the others had combined sales less than the maximum established for the upcoming Buchanan's Liberty coin. The last reported sales figures for the first three issues of the Liberty subset are shown below.

	Unc	Proof	Total
Jefferson's Liberty	20,000	20,000	40,000
Jackson's Liberty	4,754	7,806	12,560
Van Buren's Liberty	4,334	7,515	11,849

Sarah Polk First Spouse Gold Coins

On a final note, when sales of the Buchanan's Liberty coins begin, sales of the Sarah Polk First Spouse Gold Coins will likely end. These coins originally went on sale September 3, 2009. The US Mint has stated that sales of each issue of the series continue until the maximum authorized mintage is reached, or for approximately one year, whichever comes first. In practice, the Mint has ended sales of each issue when sales for the corresponding issue of the current year begin.

Through September 29, 2010, the US Mint has recorded sales of 3,395 uncirculated and 5,060 proof Sarah Polk coins, for a combined total of 8,455. This amount is higher than the current mintage low for the series, the Julia Tyler First Spouse Gold Coin, which had last reported sales of 2,861 uncirculated and 4,830 proof coins, for a combined total of 7,691.

Coin Update News: Latest US Mint Sales Report

US Mint 2010 Silver Proof Set

On August 26, 2010 at 12:00 Noon ET, the 2010 Silver Proof Set will go on sale at the United States Mint. This set contains 14 different proof coins, with 7 struck in a composition of 90% silver.

Each 2010 Silver Proof Set includes the following coins:

(1) 2010-S Proof Lincoln Cent - the first year of the new Union Shield design.

(1) 2010-S Proof Jefferson Nickel

(1) 2010-S Proof Roosevelt Dime - struck in 90% silver.

(5) 2010-S America the Beautiful Quarters - struck in 90% silver and featuring Hot Springs National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and Mount Hood National Forest.

(1) 2010-S Proof Kennedy Half Dollar - struck in 90% silver.

(1) 2010-S Native American Dollar - featuring the Hiawatha Belt design.

(4) 2010-S Proof Presidential Dollars - featuring Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, and Abraham Lincoln

It's worth noting that all of these coins have previously been released by the United States Mint in other proof sets except for the 90% silver Kennedy Half Dollar and Roosevelt Dime.

The 14 coins of the 2010 Silver Proof Set are packaged in three separate plastic lenses and placed within an outer cardboard box with certificate of authenticity. The sets are priced at $56.95 with no stated maximum production and no household ordering limits.

The price of the set represents an increase of $4 compared to the cost of the 2009 Silver Proof Set. Last year's set contained 18 different coins with 8 coins struck in 90% silver. The price increase follows suit with the previously released 2010 annual sets, although in this case the pricing is more easily justified by the higher price of silver.

When last year's set went on sale on July 17, 2009, silver was $13.16 per ounce yielding a silver value per set of $19.99. Using silver's current price of $18.40 per ounce, the silver value per 2010 Silver Proof Set is $24.63. For the calculations, I used Coinflation's Silver Coin Melt Value Calculator.

Sales trends for the currently available 2010 annual sets suggest lower final sales will be achieved for each set compared to the 2009 versions. Likely, the 2010 Silver Proof Set will follow suit. The last reported sales figure for the 2009 Silver Proof Set was 694,406.

Coin Update News: Latest US Mint Sales Report

Tyler, Polk, and Taylor Added to Direct Ship Program

Today, the United States Mint added some new options to the Direct Ship Program. Three out of the four releases for the 2009 Presidential Dollars featuring John Tyler, James K. Polk, and Zachary Taylor are now available.

The Direct Ship Program allows individuals or businesses to order $1 coins in quantities of $250 at face value with no charges for shipping and handling. The purpose of the program is to facilitate the introduction of the coins into circulation. Some coin collectors have ordered boxes of $1 coins through the program to search the coins for errors or high grade examples and then spend the rest into circulation.

The last time the US Mint added new options to the Direct Ship Program was in early January, when 2010 Native American Dollars and 2001 Sacagawea Dollars were added. Both of these options still remain available along with Presidential Dollars for George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Andrew Jackson. With today's addition of John Tyler, James K. Polk, and Zachary Taylor, there are now ten different design options available through the program.

On a related note, I wrote an article about $1 coins that was published today in the Washington Post. Many others have written about the lack of public adoption and the growing stockpile at the Federal Reserve Banks. In my article, I explore exactly why the Federal Reserve Banks are forced to order the coins, which in turn compels the US Mint to produce them in such unnecessarily high numbers, and also the odd fact that production of $1 coins accounted for more than 60% of the US Mint's profit last year.

Here's the article: Why does the Mint keep pumping out $1 coins when few are buying in?

2010 Platinum Eagle on Waiting List

After almost exactly one week of sales, the 2010 Proof Platinum Eagle has been put on waiting list status at the United States Mint, signifying that orders have been received to fulfill the 10,000 coin maximum mintage.

Orders can still be placed on the US Mint's website, however these orders will be for placement on a waiting list. In the event that coins become available due to order cancellations, orders are fulfilled from the waiting list on a first come, first served basis.

The 2010 Platinum Eagle proof coin went on sale Thursday, August 12 priced at $1,892 each. By Sunday, August 15, sales of the coin had reached 8,268, representing more than 80% of the maximum mintage. Yesterday, a pricing adjustment reduced the cost of the coin to $1,792 each, likely providing the impetus for reaching the 10,000 coin maximum.

The time frame necessary to reach the maximum is slightly faster than last year. The 2009 Proof Platinum Eagle took slightly more than seven days to sell the maximum mintage of 8,000 coins. Last year the sell out did not spark an immediate boost for secondary market prices. Rather, it took some time for prices to steadily increase to around $2,400 per coin. The most recently completed auctions for raw 2009 coins show prices just above $2,500.

The strong demand for the 2010 Platinum Eagle is somewhat of an anomaly for US Mint products this year. Other products have fallen short of prior year sales trends. The only other 2010 product to sell out was the Boy Scouts Commemorative Coins. In that situation, the coins experienced strong opening sales, but then dragged on for months before an official sell out was attained.

Gold Coin Prices to Increase, Platinum Coin Prices to Decrease

Under the United States Mint's pricing policy for gold and platinum numismatic coins, the prices for available gold coins should increase while the price for the one available platinum coin should decrease. Based on past practices, the price changes would likely take place around mid-morning today.

Pricing for US Mint numismatic gold and platinum coins is determined by the average price of the metals from the prior Thursday AM to current Wednesday AM London Fix Prices. If the average falls into a different range than the currently in use, prices are adjusted accordingly. Ranges are established at $50 increments for gold and $100 increments for platinum. As an additional criteria, the Wednesday PM price must directionally agree with the new range for a pricing update to take place.

For the relevant period, the average price of gold was $1,218.11, within the $1,200 to $1,249.99 pricing range. The Wednesday PM London Fix price seems likely to fall within the same pricing range. First Spouse Gold Coins and the 2010 Proof Gold Buffalo are currently priced based on an average price of $1,150 to $1,199.99.

For the First Spouse coins, prices should be increased from $754 to $779 for proof coins and from $741 to $766 for uncirculated coins. For the Gold Buffalo, prices should be increased from $1,460 to $1,510. This will bring the prices for these products back to their highest levels on record.

Meanwhile, the average price of platinum for the relevant period was $1,532.78, within the $1,450 to $1,549.99 pricing range. The Wednesday PM London Fix Price also seems likely to fall within this range. The one available platinum coin is currently priced for a higher range, suggesting a price decline is coming. Prices for the 2010 Proof Platinum Eagle should be reduced from $1,892 to $1,792 per coin.

At this price, the coins will carry a much more reasonable premium above the spot price of platinum. Assuming a platinum price of $1,535 per ounce, the coins were previously priced at a premium of 23.25% above spot. After the price increase, the premium will be cut down to 16.74% above spot.

The price decrease for this nearly sold out product will also bring about an odd situation for collectors. Some collectors who already purchased the coin may be tempted to cancel orders and place new ones at the lower price. At the same time, with more than 80% of the maximum mintage sold through Sunday, these collectors risk a sell out occurring in the interim, or some other situation whereby their second order is canceled. For collectors who have not yet ordered but have been contemplating the coin, the price decrease might be the incentive to place an order, accelerating a sell out.

2010 Platinum Eagle Proof Coins Open Strong

The opening sales figures for the 2010 Proof Platinum Eagle are now available. From the start of sales on August 12 to the sales reporting date August 15, the US Mint has recorded sales of 8,268 coins out of the 10,000 coin maximum authorized mintage.

The strong initial sales for the coin are somewhat surprising. Personally, I had been expecting a much slower start. This is one of only a few 2010 US Mint products that have outsold the comparable 2009 product.

The 2009 Proof Platinum Eagle had opened with sales of 7,207 out of the maximum authorized mintage of 8,000 coins. A sell out occurred after approximately one week.

With more than 80% of the maximum authorized mintage for the 2010 Proof Platinum Eagle sold as of Sunday, another sell out is almost certainly forthcoming.

For anyone still contemplating the 2010 Proof Platinum Eagle, an interesting situation is setting up this week with regards to pricing. The US Mint adjusts prices of numismatic gold and platinum prices in response to changes in the weekly average price of the metals. Coins are currently priced based on an average platinum price in the $1,550 to $1,649.99 range.

For the current period so far, the average price of platinum is $1,531.50, with only one London Fix price remaining for the calculation. It seems likely that the average price will be one increment lower than the current range, suggesting a price decrease this Wednesday. However, under recently revealed additional pricing criteria, the lower average price could be overruled if the Wednesday PM platinum price falls within the higher range.

Platinum is currently $1,541. If it rises to at least $1,550 for the Wednesday London PM Fix, then prices will not be reduced for the 2010 Proof Platinum Eagle, despite the lower weekly average. At the same time, collectors will have to consider how long it will take for the remaining 1,732 coins to sell out.

Coin Update News: Complete US Mint Sales Report

James Buchanan Presidential Dollar Rolls

Sales of the James Buchanan Presidential Dollar Rolls will begin at the United States Mint on August 19, 2010 at 12:00 Noon ET.

This will represent the fifteenth release in the ongoing series of Presidential Dollars. The obverse of the coin features a portrait of James Buchanan designed by Phebe Hemphill. Inscriptions include "James Buchanan", "In God We Trust", "15th Presidency", and "1857-1861". The reverse of the coin features a rendition of the Statue of Liberty designed by Don Everhart with inscriptions "United States of America" and "$1". The motto "E Pluribus Unum" along with the date and mint mark appear on the edge lettering of the coin.

The United States Mint will offer 25-coin rolls from either the Philadelphia or Denver Mint. The circulation quality coins are packaged in US Mint branded wrappers which indicate the issue, face value, and mint of origin. The rolls are priced at $35.95 each.

The final mintage of the James Buchanan Dollar is already known, despite the fact that the coins have not yet been released. The US Mint has indicated final coin production of 36,820,000 coins at the Philadelphia Mint and 36,540,000 coins at the Denver Mint. This combined mintage of 72,360,000 represents the lowest mintage for a Presidential Dollar to date.

Presidential Dollar rolls for the last four consecutive releases still remain available for sale at the US Mint. The latest available sales figures indicate the James K. Polk Rolls have sold 41,036 (P) and 39,511 (D), the Zachary Taylor Rolls have sold 38,421 (P) and 36,739 (D), the Millard Fillmore rolls have sold 36,228 (P) and 34,760 (D), and the Franklin Pierce rolls have sold 31,570 (P) and 31,348 (D).

Coin Update News: 2011 First Spouse Gold Coin Designs

US Mint on Facebook and Twitter

The United States Mint has recently set up pages on Facebook and Twitter. The Facebook Info page states, "The United States Mint is pleased to be a part of the social media network to increase awareness of our programs and products."

The first updates to the pages were posted in July, but recently they have become much more active. Yesterday, the US Mint also sent out an email notification to newsletter subscribers. So far, both the Facebook and Twitter pages are posting the same information, which has included notifications about events, newly released products, and a few "Did you know?" posts.

The Facebook page can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/United-States-Mint/103695769458

The Twitter page can be found here: http://twitter.com/usmint

The US Mint has been taking steps to broaden its presence on the internet. About a year ago, they created a website with information and videos on the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin at www.uhrgoldcoin.gov. The US Mint seemed to use the site in conjunction with some online and off line advertising campaigns. Unfortunately, the site is no longer active and simply forwards to the US Mint's online catalog.

Earlier this year, the US Mint had a microsite created for the new America the Beautiful Quarters Program at www.americathebeautifulquarters.gov. One of the most useful functions of the site is to provide live videos of the launch ceremonies for each newly released coin of the series.

The next step, of course, will be for the US Mint to update its main website and online catalog at http://www.usmint.gov/. In their 2009 Annual Report, the Mint mentioned that a "Web Site Integration Project" was in process, which would integrate and consolidate the information and e-commerce aspects of the current site. During the 2009 fiscal year, the project began with drafting content requirements and initiating the design phase. This year, integration and development tasks should be continuing.

2010 Proof Platinum Eagle

Sales of the 2010 Proof Platinum Eagle will begin at the United States Mint later this week on Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 12:00 Noon ET.

The reverse design of this year's coin is based on the theme "To Establish Justice," representing the second in a six year design series presenting the core concepts of American democracy. Last year's coin carried the theme "To Form a More Perfect Union." Themes for future releases are "To Insure Domestic Tranquility" (2011), "To Provide for the Common Defense" (2012), "To Promote the General Welfare" (2013), and "To Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and our Posterity" (2014).

The 2010 Platinum Eagle Proof Coin reverse features a blindfolded Justice holding scales and a laurel branch. An American Eagle privy mark is also included. Inscriptions read "Justice the Guardian of Liberty", "United States of America", and the weight, purity, and face value of the coin. The reverse was designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill. The obverse of the coin features the rendition of the Statue of Liberty designed by John Mercanti that has been used for all American Platinum Eagle coins.

The proof coins are available in one ounce size only. After 2008, the US Mint discontinued the fractional weight and collectible uncirculated versions of the coin. The US Mint also hasn't produced the bullion version of the coin since late 2008.

The maximum authorized mintage for the 2010 Proof Platinum Eagle is 10,000 coins, representing an increase of 2,000 over last year's maximum. The household ordering limit has been set at five, the same level as last year.

The initial price of the coins will be based on the average London Fix prices from last Thursday AM to the current Wednesday AM, with additional consideration given to the Wednesday PM price. Because of higher platinum prices last week, the average looks like it will fall within the $1,550 - $1,649.99 range, which yields a price of $1,892 per coin, compared to a price of $1,792 for last year's coin.

The 2009 Proof Platinum Eagle had sold out at the US Mint in approximately one week. Some unique circumstances of the release contributed to the quick sell out. After nearly a year of uncertainty, the US Mint had announced the cancellation of all collectible Gold and Silver Eagles, but the availability of the Proof Platinum Eagle, which would be released in December. By releasing the coin so late in the year and canceling all other collectible American Eagle coins, there was a sense of urgency to the offering and a larger pool of potential buyers. Some would-be buyers of the gold and silver coins may have opted to purchase the platinum coin instead. Some collectors may have decided to purchase the coin as the first year of a new series. Others may have purchased the coin in anticipation of a sell out due to the relatively low maximum mintage.

The circumstances of this year's release are different. Personally, I don't think there will be a repeat of last year's quick sell out. If a sell out does occur, I think it will take place after a matter of months.

This year, the release takes place in August and hope still lingers for 2010 Proof Gold and Silver Eagles, diffusing some of the urgency of the platinum offering. Besides the dedicated followers of the series, collectors might be more likely to wait and see than buy immediately. The increased mintage and price serve as additional disincentives. The higher mintage makes the coin seem less desirable than the first release and might be pushing the limits of the collector base for a one ounce proof platinum coin. The higher price might put the expensive coin out of reach for some collectors.

More generally, sales of nearly all US Mint products have had slower sales this year compared to last year. As a case in point, the most recent sales report indicates that the 2010 Proof Gold Buffalo has sold 24,891 coins after two month and one week. After a comparable period last year's 2009 Proof Gold Buffalo had sold more than 42,000 coins.

Coin Update: Latest US Mint Sales Report

Coin Related Bills Move Forward

Bills which will authorize commemorative medals for September 11 and commemorative gold and silver coins for the Star Spangled Banner have passed both the House of Representatives and Senate and will become law with the President's signature.

On July 22, the bill H.R. 4684 passed in the Senate after being passed in the House two days earlier. This bill authorizes the production of one ounce silver medals in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the establishment of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

The designs for the medals "shall be emblematic of the courage, sacrifice, and strength of those individuals who perished in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the bravery of those who risked their lives to save others that day, and the endurance, resilience, and hope of those who survived."

Up to 2 million of the proof silver medals may be struck, with a recommendation included in the legislation that one half of the medals be produced at the West Point Mint and one half at the Philadelphia Mint. Sales of the medals are authorized to begin January 1, 2011. A sales ending date is not specified, although medals could not be struck after December 31, 2012.

Since these would be classified as National Medals, this program does not count towards the maximum of two commemorative coin programs per year. The two coin programs already authorized for 2011 celebrate the Medal of Honor and the United States Army.

On August 2, 2010, the bill H.R. 2097 passed in the Senate after passing in the House on September 9, 2009. This bill would authorize $5 gold and $1 silver coins issued in commemoration of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner.

The designs for the coins "shall be emblematic of the War of 1812 and particularly the Battle for Baltimore that formed the basis for the Star-Spangled Banner."

The coins carry the typical specifications for $5 gold and silver dollar commemorative coins. The maximum authorized mintages are 100,000 for gold coins and 500,000 for silver coins, across proof and uncirculated versions. The coins could be issued during the calendar year beginning January 1, 2012.

The other commemorative coin program already authorized for 2012 will honor the United States Army Infantry and the establishment of the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center.

The schedule for upcoming commemorative coin or medal programs that have been approved or are awaiting the President's signature appears below.

2011	Coins Included	Status
United States Army	$5 gold, $1 silver, half	Approved
Medal of Honor	$5 gold, $1 silver	Approved
September 11	silver medals	Sent to President
2012
United States Army Infantry	$1 silver	Approved
Star Spangled Banner	$5 gold, $1 silver	Sent to President
2013
Girl Scouts Centennial	$1 silver	Approved
2014
Civil Rights Act of 1964	$1 silver	Approved

COMMENTS CLOSED FOR THIS POST.

2010 Boy Scout Silver Dollars Finally Officially Sold Out

It appears that the proof version of the 2010 Boy Scouts of American Centennial Silver Dollar has finally sold out at the United States Mint. The coin had been lingering on "waiting list status" for an unusually long time.

The United States Mint began sales of the Boy Scouts Silver Dollars on March 23, 2010. Because of the large number of current and former Boy Scouts and the relatively low authorized mintage of 350,000 coins, a sell out was widely expected.

On April 23, 2010, the US Mint indicated that they had received orders sufficient to meet the "maximum limit" for the uncirculated version of the coin. They continued to accept orders for a waiting list, which would have orders fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis if coins became available due to order cancellations. The waiting list for the uncirculaed coins was closed after a week on April 30, 2010.

Unrestricted sales of the proof version of the coin continued all the way until June 18, 2010. At that time, the Mint began accepting orders for placement on a waiting list. Up until today, more than six week later, orders were still being accepted for the waiting list. This is the longest I can recall seeing a US Mint product under "waiting list status."

The last reported sales figures indicate that 105,000 of the uncirculaed version of the coin had been sold and 245,000 of the proof coins had been sold. The combined individual sales meet the maximum authorized mintage of 350,000 coins.

Some readers have pointed out the lack of any special sets or collectible products related to this year's commemoratives. Last year, both commemorative silver dollars were included in special products, with the Lincoln Coin and Chronicles Set and the Braille Education Set.

The 2010 Boy Scouts Silver Dollar may have been particularly well suited to a special product or set offering. The US Mint could have created a "Young Collector's Set" as they have for some precious commemorative issues. This would have been appropriate for encouraging or fostering an interest in coin collecting for current Boy Scouts. Another potential idea would have been to create a product incorporating the requirements or educational materials to study for receiving the coin collecting Merit Badge. Finally, an excellent reader suggestion was to create a set including a special version of the 2010 Kennedy Half Dollar, since John F. Kennedy was the first former Boy Scout to become President.

Besides this year, I believe that the last time absolutely no collectible products or sets were available for the year's commemorative coins was back in 2003 with the First Flight Centennial Commemorative Coins. Each year since and for most years prior, at least one of the year's commemorative coins has been incorporated into a separately issued set, multi-coin set, or other educational offering.

US Mint Coin Production July 2010

Updated coin production figures are now available from the United States Mint. Additionally, the preliminary mintage figures for the Yosemite National Park Quarter and final mintage figures for the James Buchanan Presidential Dollar have been provided.

During July 2010, a total of 772.08 million coins were produced across all denominations. Production included cents, nickels, dimes, quarters, and Presidential Dollars. Production did not take place for the Kennedy Half Dollar and Native American Dollar.

The latest monthly total shows a decline from the previous month's production of 918.94 million and breaks the streak of four consecutive monthly increases. Notably, coin production for the year to date now exceeds the total production for all of 2009.

The table below presents the latest coin production figures broken down by denomination and mint facility. The first number column represents the number of coins produced during July 2010, and the second number column represents total production for the year to date.

2010 US Mint Coin Production Figures
	July 2010	YTD 2010
Lincoln Cent - Denver	212.80 M	1,124.40 M
Lincoln Cent - Phil.	242.80 M	1,182.43 M
Jefferson Nickel - Denver	36.24 M	72.48 M
Jefferson Nickel - Phil.	43.68 M	119.76 M
Roosevelt Dime - Denver	75.50 M	262.00 M
Roosevelt Dime - Phil.	104.50 M	324.00 M
Quarters - Denver	21.60 M	110.00 M
Quarters - Phil.	10.60 M	99.40 M
Kennedy Half - Denver	0	1.70 M
Kennedy Half - Phil.	0	1.80 M
Native Am Dollar - Denver	0	42.98 M
Native Am Dollar - Phil.	0	32.06 M
Pres Dollar - Denver	12.04 M	111.86 M
Pres Dollar - Phil.	12.32 M	112.56 M
Total	772.08 M	3,597.43 M

The stand out numbers in this update are for the 2010 Jefferson Nickels and 2010 Roosevelt Dimes. Nearly 80 million nickels were produced in the latest month across the Philadelphia and Denver mint facilities. This amount is nearly equal to the production of the 2009 Jefferson Nickel for the entire year. Similarly, the 180 million dimes produced in the latest month exceeds total annual production for the 2009 Roosevelt Dime.

The continuing escalation of mintages for this year's nickels and dimes makes them increasingly less remarkable, but perhaps solidifies the allure of the low mintages achieved in the previous year.

This second following table presents the preliminary or final production figures for 2010 coins featuring rotating designs. The figures for the America the Beautiful Quarters must be considered preliminary, as the US Mint has indicated that production may be restarted for previous issues within the same calendar year. Based on available information, the figures for the Presidential Dollars can be considered final.

2010 US Mint Coin Production by Design
	Denver	Phil.	Total
Hot Springs Quarter	29.00 M	30.60 M	59.60 M
Yellowstone Quarter	34.80 M	33.60 M	68.40 M
Yosemite Quarter	34.80 M	35.20 M	70.00 M
Fillmore Dollar	36.96 M	37.52 M	74.48 M
Pierce Dollar	38.36 M	38.22 M	76.58 M
Buchanan Dollar	36.54 M	36.82 M	73.36 M

The Yellowstone Quarter had preliminary production of 34.80 million Philadephia Mint coins and 35.20 million Denver Mint coins. On a combined basis, the total 70 million coins narrowly exceeds the production for the previous design. However, it's tough to draw comparisons or conclusions on these numbers as production may be resumed at any point.

The James Buchanan Presidential Dollar had overall production of 73.36 million, broken down as 36.54 million coins from Philadelphia and 36.82 million coins from Denver. The combined mintage is below both of the previous 2010 Presidential Dollars and also represents a fresh mintage low for the Presidential Dollar program.

The posting of final mintage figures for the James Buchanan Presidential Dollar comes earlier than expected. The circulation release date for the coin is still several weeks at August 19, 2010. Possibly, the United States Mint has ended production early in order to allow more time for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Dollars, which are expected to be in heavy demand.

Coin Update News:
Yosemite National Park Quarter - Launch Ceremony Photos
US Mint Sales Report - including Yosemite Quarter Bags and Rolls