Whilst the price of gold has risen by over 400% since 2000, demand for gold coins has actually grown at an even faster rate. For example, the one ounce Gold Eagle saw production increase 6-fold during the decade 2001-2011 (the last published figures).
In actual fact, since prices corrected in spring 2013, demand has actually risen still further – with the mint in fact having to temporarily suspend production of some of their fractional eagle coins in the aftermath of this correction. This highlighted the fact that the trend for buying gold coins was not dependent on a rising gold price.
The attraction of precious metal coins has grown significantly in recent years, resulting in international mints reporting unprecedented demand. This increase in demand can be attributed to a number of factors – such as the flight to the safe haven of gold since the banking crisis and the sharp rise in numismatic interest from the growing economies of Asia.
This has meant that many of the most popular numismatic issues are selling out more quickly than ever before. Gold pieces have tended to take much of the limelight, with annual releases such as the US Gold Eagle and Australia Kangaroo selling out year after year. However, silver has proved just as popular, with UK coins like the Prince George selling out large mintages within weeks.
In November each year much excitement is created around the launch of the new British Sovereign from The Royal Mint. And 2015 has proved no different, with collector demand for the new coin seemingly greater than ever.
The newly released coin for 2015 once again features the iconic St George and the Dragon design by Benedetto Pistrucci on the reverse that has become so synonymous with the British Sovereign since it first appeared in 1817. Indeed, since 1887 (the Golden Jubilee year of Queen Victoria) this design has not appeared on the Sovereign on just four occasions.
As the market for commemorative coins has matured over the last decade or so, significant advances in techniques and technology have been introduced to numismatic pieces.
Indeed, before the turn of the century the most radical departure from the norm you would see on any coin would perhaps be the double-thickness production of a piedfort coin, which was first introduced to the range of British collectable coins in 1982 with the 20p UK Silver Piedfort Coin.
On the 28th October – less than a month after the official release of the 2015 Silver Maple Set – we received information that 75% of the mintage had already sold out. Taking this into account, our expectation is that a sell out with by announced by end of November – earlier than ever. You can still secure yours at Harrington & Byrne by clicking here – but only limited stocks remains.