Today, January 7, 2013, the United States Mint began accepting orders from authorized purchasers for 2013-dated American Silver Eagle bullion coins. The opening day sales tally of 3,937,000 coins seems to represent the highest one-day sales total in the history of the program.

In recent years it has been typical for the Mint to experience the strongest sales for Silver Eagle bullion coins on the first day of availability for newly dated coins. Last year, orders had been placed for 3,197,000 Silver Eagles on the first day of availability for the 2012-dated coins. In 2011, opening day sales had measured 2,085,000 coins, and in 2010 opening day sales had measured 2,440,000 coins.

For the years 2009 and prior back to the start of the program in 1986, none of the monthly sales totals have exceeded today’s one-day sales total of 3,937,000 coins.

Today’s apparently record breaking one-day sales are driven by the typically high demand for newly dated coins as well as pent up demand following the unexpected sell out of 2012-dated Silver Eagle bullion coins on December 17, 2012. This sell out created a three week period during which no Silver Eagle bullion coins were available for authorized purchasers to order from the Mint.

During 2012, the Mint had sold 6,107,000 Silver Eagle bullion coins during the full month of January. Annual sales had reached 33,742,500 coins.

