The US Mint has added a “Last Opportunity” section to their website to highlight products which will only remain available for a limited time. This section has appeared on their website periodically over the past few years.View the section on the US Mint website here.
None of the products listed in the section are particularly surprising. Here is a listing of the products and the last day of sales. Availability through the listed date would also be subject to the US Mint’s remaining inventory, so earlier sell outs could occur.
November 15, 2011 12:00 Noon ET
- 2010 Mount Hood National Park Quarter bags and rolls
As stated on the product pages, the US Mint has been offering bags and rolls of each America the Beautiful Quarter design for one year from the initial release date. The date shown above occurs at the one year mark.
November 18, 2011 12:00 Noon ET
- 2009 Zachary Taylor Presidential Dollar Rolls
All other 2009 and 2010 Presidential Dollar rolls have already sold out, so this will clean up the offerings so only the designs from 2011 and onwards will be available.
December 1, 2011 12:00 Noon ET
- Proof 2010 Mary Todd Lincoln First Spouse Gold Coins
This coincides with the release date of the Lucretia Garfield First Spouse Gold Coins. For a few years, the US Mint had consistently timed the close of sales to coincide with the release date for the coin one year ahead in the schedule. For the most part, this did not take place for the 2010-dated coins, which sold out earlier at unexpected times. The proof Mary Todd Lincoln coin has managed to remain available.
December 16, 2011 5:00 PM ET
- 2011 Army $5 Gold
- 2011 Army Silver Dollar
- 2011 Army Half Dollar
- 2011 Medal of Honor $5 Gold
- 2011 Medal of Honor Silver Dollar
Under the authorizing legislation, the US Mint is only allowed to sell these commemorative coins during the 2011 calendar year. As in the past, the US Mint is concluding sales a few weeks before that to allow time for order processing and delivery before the close of the year. Some of this year’s commemoratives seem poised to have historically low mintages. See this post.
December 30, 2011 5:00 PM ET
- 2010 Silver Proof Set
- 2010 Proof Set
- 2010 Uncirculated Mint Set
- 2010 Presidential Dollar Proof Set
- 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters Proof Set
- 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Set
As mentioned on this site several times before, the US Mint has been planning to conclude sales of the 2010 annual sets at the close of this year. Despite the long duration of the sales period, sales are historically low for some options. See this post.
What is surprising is some of the products that were not included in the section. The US Mint will apparently continue to sell Presidential Dollar Coin Covers from 2009 and 2010, all of the 2010 Presidential $1 Coin & First Spouse Medal Sets, and the 2010 Lincoln Cent Two Roll Sets. In the past, the US Mint has sometimes included similar products in the “Last Opportunity” section to provide a definitive sales ending date.
Other News
On Wednesday, the US Mint implemented pricing changes for numismatic gold and platinum products. The gold products were priced lower by one pricing increment ($50 for each ounce of gold content). The basis for the new prices is an average gold price in the $1,600 to $1,649.99 range.
The single platinum product was lowered in price by one increment ($100). The basis for the new price is an average platinum price in the $1,450 to $1,549.99 range.
Without explanation, the US Mint resumed sales of the 2010 and 2011 Silver Proof Sets and ATB Quarter Silver Proof Sets. The other previously suspended silver numismatic products remain unavailable. These suspended products include the 2011 Proof Silver Eagle, 2011-W Uncirculated Silver Eagle, 2010-P Mount Hood 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin, and 2011-P Gettysburg 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin.
I believe sales will pick up prior to next Wednesday, on PM offerings, if it looks like the price will go back up. Most will be sitting on the fence to see if it goes lower.
Guess the 2011 annual sets will continue to be available. No point of a 35k limit to ’11 ATBs since none will likely even reach 27k.
I never thought the Mary Todd Lincoln Proof coin would make it to the one-year mark, given what happened with all of the other 2010 First Spouse coins. I still don’t think it will be available until the last sale date given, especially if the price stays down. I wonder how many of those proofs were struck?
Isn’t is hilarious how the US Government devalues it’s currency by making too much of it, and the US Mint devalues it’s products by constantly increasing mintages and extending availability… and they both wonder why no one wants their junk anymore!!
The mint website now shows a price of $229 for the ATB 5 oz but shows as “product is not available”
Now available! $229 for ATB and $51 for “W” Eagles.
That price drop isn’t big enough to get me interested in the 2011s.
Maybe the Mount Hood 2010-P will sell out by Christmas, unless silver spot recovers and the price goes back up. Even if it doesn’t sell out by then, I can’t see the Mint melting them down. I figure they’ll remain for sale until they’re all gone.
I wonder how many of the 2011′s have been struck? I seriously doubt it’s all 35,000. By that reckoning, those will very likely sell out long before reaching 35,000, since they can only be struck until 12/31. If the Mint is afraid they’ll hang around for years, they could be struck quite a bit below the maximum and then sell out earlier than expected, like the 2010 First Spouse coins. I haven’t decided if I’m going to buy the 2011′s or not.
What collectors don’t realize is that the lack of interest in the 2011 P ATB 5 ounce coins can potentially lead to some scarce/rare issues. Even more scarce than the 2010 P coins….
Scarcity will drive up secondary values…. Or perhaps with the new (lower?) mintages, it will be the “new normail” ?
Personally, I think the drop in price was bigger than I expected. I went ahead and picked up another Mount Hood while on the site. As far as selling out the 2011′s before 12/31/2011, I don’t think there is legislation in place for sales of the “uncirculated coins” to stop by then. Only the bullion products are limited to the end of the year stoppage. This is supported by the fact that all 2010′s were sold and shipped within 2011. I think the lower price will spark more interest since the margin is now much closer to the margin on bullion versions.