Silver Dollars Lead Sales of 5-Star Generals Coins

The 2013 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coins were released five days ago on March 21, 2013 and the debut sales stats for the commemoratives are now known.

Those figures, as released by the United States Mint, indicate the silver dollars were the most sought after with the much more expensive $5 gold coins realizing significantly less initial public interest. In between those two were the number of clad half-dollar coins sold.

Before diving into the actual sales of each of the coins, perhaps a bit of background. The 2013 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Program was authorized by Congress under the 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Act (Public Law 111-262). According to the terms of the act, up to 100,000 gold coins, 500,000 silver dollars and 750,000 half-dollar coins could be issued in recognition of five United States Army 5-Star Generals and the United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC).

As described in an earlier article, the U.S. Mint created the 5-Star Generals $5 Gold Coin with an obverse portrait of Douglas MacArthur and a reverse featuring the symbol of the CGSC, the Leavenworth Lamp. The silver dollars contains the portraits of Generals George C. Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower on the obverse, and the Leavenworth Lamp again on the reverse. Finally, the half-dollar offers portraits of Generals Henry “Hap” Arnold and Omar N. Bradley on the obverse and the heraldic crest of Fort Leavenworth on the reverse.

All three coins are available in both proof and uncirculated qualities. In addition, the U.S. Mint also offers a 3-coin proof set.

Now for the actual debut sales stats for all of the 5-Star General Commemorative Coins:

	Opening Sales	Mintage Limit
$5 Gold Proof 5-Star Generals Coins	1,309	100,000
$5 Gold Uncirculated 5-Star Generals Coins	1,674
Silver Dollar Proof 5-Star Generals Coins	14,288	500,000
Silver Dollar Uncirculated 5-Star Generals Coins	8,110
Half-Dollar Proof 5-Star Generals Coins	8,538	750,000
Half-Dollar Uncirculated 5-Star Generals Coins	6,372
5-Star Generals 3-Coin Proof Set	4,900	10,000

 

These are the initial five-day sales for the commemoratives with an as-of date of March 25, 2013.

Looking at the percentages finds the 3-Coin Proof Set being the closest to a sell-out. Of the 10,000 product limit, 49% have already been sold.

Thanks to the strong 3-coin proof set sales, the individual gold proof coin now stands at approximately 7.9% of its mintage cap. This comes from the 4,900 sold in the set, as well as the 1,309 proof and 1,674 uncirculated sold individually adding up to 7,883 of the 100,000 limit set for the gold coins. By comparison, only 5.5% of the available silver dollars have been sold and just 2.6% of the half-dollars.

In looking for a sales comparison to previous commemoratives we can turn to the 2013 Girl Scouts Silver Dollars which made their debut on February 28, 2013. In their first five days of availability, buyer’s ordered a total of 41,624 of the silver dollars. This accounted for 11.9% of the coin’s mintage limit of 350,000.

For further comparison, we can look back to last year’s gold and silver Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coins. In the slightly longer first seven days of their sales, 11,622 of the gold coins were purchased and 69,406 of the silver dollars, both of which included 6,164 sold as part of the proof two-coin sets.

Surcharges collected on the sale of the products will be forwarded to the United States Army Command and General Staff College Foundation to help finance its activities in support of the college.

The following are the latest United States Mint numismatic silver product sales:

US Mint Sales: Silver Coins for Collectors

	Previous Sales	New Sales	Unit Increase	% Increase	Mintage Limit
Proof 5-Star Generals Silver Dollars		14,288	14,288
Uncirculated 5-Star Generals Silver Dollars		8,110	8,110
5-Star Generals 3-Coin Set		4,900	4,900
Proof Girl Scout Silver Dollars	53,045	58,746	5,701	10.75%	350,000
Uncirculated Girl Scout Silver Dollars	21,074	23,366	2,292	10.88%
2013-W Silver Eagle Proof Coins	375,740	379,602	3,862	1.03%	none
2012-W Silver Eagle Proof Coins	819,217	819,217	0	0.00%	Sold Out
2013 America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Sets	79,345	81,220	1,875	2.36%	none
2012 America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Sets	147,080	147,404	324	0.22%	none
2012 Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Sets	23,919	24,975	1,056	4.41%	none
Making American History Coin and Currency Sets	56,017	56,229	212	0.38%	100,000
2012-W Uncirculated Silver Eagle Coin	202,504	202,504	0	0.00%	Sold Out
2012 Limited Edition Silver Proof Sets	46,586	47,209	623	1.34%	50,000
2012 Silver Proof Sets	395,443	395,443	0	0.00%	Sold Out
2012-P Denali 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin	15,225	15,225	0	0.00%	Sold Out
2012-P Hawaii Volcanoes 5 Ounce Uncirculated Silver Coins	14,863	14,863	0	0.00%	Sold Out
2012-P Acadia 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin	14,978	14,978	0	0.00%	Sold Out
2012-P Chaco Culture 5 Ounce Uncirculated Silver Coins	15,776	15,959	183	1.16%	25,000
2012-P El Yunque 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin	17,314	17,314	0	0.00%	Sold Out
2012-S Silver Eagle Two-Coin Sets	251,302	251,302	0	0.00%	Sold Out

 

Monday, March 25, is the as of date for sales of the United States Mint numismatic silver coins above.

US Mint Sales: 2013 American Silver Eagle Bullion Coins

January	7,498,000
February	3,368,500
March	3,356,500
2013 Total	14,223,000

 

Thursday, March 28, is the as of date for the above bullion coins.

US Mint Sales: 2011-2012 America the Beautiful Bullion Silver Coins

2011 Gettysburg	126,700
2011 Glacier	126,700
2011 Olympic	104,900
2011 Vicksburg	58,100
2011 Chickasaw	48,700
2012 El Yunque	24,000
2012 Chaco Culture	24,400
2012 Acadia	25,400
2012 Hawaii Volcanoes	20,000
2012 Denali	20,000

 

The U.S. Mint last updated the America the Beautiful Bullion Silver Coins on Friday, March 1, 2013. Sales have slowed as none of the coins for this year have been released and all of the coins from last year sold out. Still available are the 2011-dated silver coins honoring Olympic, Vicksburg and Chickasaw.