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American Gold Buffalo Sales Spike 179% In April

Gold News
Sales of American Gold Buffalo Coins Soar In April

After falling 26% year over year in March, sales of American Gold Buffalo coins snapped back sharply, rising 95% in April vs April 2015. The steep rise was similar to the increase in April of the sale of American Gold Eagle coins which rose 221% in April from March and 296% year over year.

The U.S. Mint sold 19,500 one ounce 24K American Gold Buffalo coins in April 2016. This reflects a 179% increase from sales of 7,000 American Gold Buffalo coins in March. April sales of American Gold Buffalo coins were up 95% the 10,000 sold in April 2015.

Sales of American Gold Buffalo Coins in April 2006 – 2016

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Sales of American Gold Buffalo coins rebounded sharply in April.

Sales of American Gold Buffalo coins in April 2016 were the fourth highest April total in which the coins were minted.

About the American Gold Buffalo Coin

American Gold Buffalo coins are 24K gold while American Gold Eagle coins are 22K. One ounce American Gold Buffalo coins are slightly smaller and lighter than their one ounce American Gold Eagle counterparts that contain 3% silver and 5% copper mixed in the alloy, bringing the total weight of a one ounce American Gold Eagle coin to nearly 1.10 ounces.

The American Gold Buffalo is the U.S. Mint’s answer to 24K gold coins issued by the Canadian and Austrian Mints. American Gold Buffalo coins are only minted in one ounce sizes, unlike their American Gold Eagle counterparts which are minted in one ounce, one half ounce, one quarter ounce and one tenth ounce sizes. In 2008, however, the U.S. Mint produced American Gold Buffaloes in one, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/10 ounce sizes. The coins were sold individually and in complete sets.

2016 American Gold Buffalo Sales

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Sales of American Gold Buffalo coins should be around quarter of a million if the pace of sales continues at its current rate.

American Gold Buffalo 2016 Sales Projection

If sales of one ounce American Gold Buffalo sales continue at an average of about 20,000 month. (79,500 sold from January – April), sales in 2016 would be about 240,000. The annual record for sales of American Gold Buffalo coins is 323,000 set in 2006, the first year of the coin’s mintage.

Sales of One Ounce American Gold Buffalo Coins 2006-2016

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American Gold Buffalo coins generally sell less than the more popular American Gold Eagle coins.

In 2006, their first year of mintage, 323,000 American Gold Buffalo coins were sold.

Total U.S. Mint April Gold Sales – 125,000 Ounces

When April sales of American Gold Buffalo coins (19,500 ounces) are combined with American Gold Eagle (AGE) sales, including one tenth ounce AGEs (5,500 ounces); one quarter ounce AGEs (3,500 ounces); one half ounce AGEs (3,000 ounces) and one ounce AGE coins (93,500 ounces), the total gold sold at the U.S. Mint in April was 125,000 ounces.

In March 2016, the U.S. Mint sold 45,000 ounces of gold across all products.

Sales of gold at the U.S. Mint have not been as robust in 2016 as sales of silver. Sales of American Silver Eagles are on pace to set a record for the fourth year in a row. Perhaps the low price of silver relative to gold is driving the proportionally higher sales of silver to gold. In 2016, the U.S. Mint has sold approximately 60 times more silver than gold and the gold silver price ratio has fallen from over 80:1 earlier in the year to closer to 70:1 at the end of April. The price of gold rose about 20% in 2016 through April, while the price of silver rose about 28%.

American Gold Buffalo sales data from USMINT.GOV

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This article by BGASC is not, and should not be regarded as, investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular course of action.