In December, Australian bullion sales picked up nicely for products struck in silver but slowed significantly for those minted in gold, according to the latest figures from The Perth Mint of Australia.
Across 2022, the Mint’s bullion sales raced a second year in a row for silver and gold. Their annual sales tracked the highest for a year since CoinNews started collecting the data in 2013.
The Mint’s bullion gains set against precious metal prices that rallied in December — by 3.4% for gold and 11.1% for silver, and divided in 2022 — down 0.4% for gold but up 3.7% for silver.
December and Annual 2022 Gold Bullion Sales
Perth Mint December sales of minted gold coins and gold bars totaled 60,634 ounces, registering a decline of 47% from November but an increase of 10.5% from December 2021.
Of note, the Mint’s best month ever for gold bullion happened in October 2022 when their sales reached 183,102 ounces. For some comparisons that highlight the achievement, the next three highest sales months are: March 2021 at 130,730 ounces, February 2021 at 124,104 ounces, and March 2022 at 121,997 ounces.
The Perth Mint’s annual 2022 gold bullion sales at 1,116,969 ounces mark increases of:
- 6.4% from the 1,050,242 ounces in 2021,
- 43.4% from the 778,797 ounces in 2020,
- 186.8% from the 389,463 ounces in 2019,
- 177.8% from the 402,049 ounces in 2018,
- 205.7% from the 365,410 ounces in 2017,
- 114.7% from the 520,295 ounces in 2016,
- 145.1% from the 455,630 ounces in 2015
- 116.2% from the 516,709 ounces in 2014, and
- 48% from the 754,636 ounces in 2013.
December and Annual 2022 Silver Bullion Sales
Perth Mint December sales of minted silver coins and silver bars totaled 1,634,751 ounces, posting an increase of 24.3% from November yet a decline of 5.7% from December 2021.
General Manager Minted Products, Neil Vance said that after an extremely strong year, sales of gold bullion products took a breather during December, impacted by less trading days due to Christmas public holidays. "With less going on in gold, we managed to ship more than expected silver following the release of our internationally popular Australian Kookaburra 2023 Silver Coin Series in late November," he said.
2022 was exceptional for the Mint’s silver bullion with several high sales months, including all-time monthly rankings of second in September at 2,579,941 ounces, third in July 2022 at 2,465,513 ounces, fourth in January 2022 at 2,387,165 ounces, and fifth in May 2022 at 2,217,582 ounces. (The Mint’s strongest month for silver was September 2015 at 3,349,557 ounces.)
The Perth Mint’s annual 2022 silver bullion sales combined to 23,176,142 ounces, scoring increases of:
- 21.4% from the 19,091,681 ounces in 2021,
- 40.9% from the 16,452,490 ounces in 2020,
- 100.3% from the 11,573,602 ounces in 2019,
- 150.7% from the 9,243,058 ounces in 2018,
- 140.5% from the 9,636,408 ounces in 2017,
- 89.4% from the 12,236,766 ounces in 2016,
- 99.9% from the 11,595,504 ounces in 2015
- 206.3% from the 7,567,467 ounces in 2014, and
- 168% from the 8,647,862 ounces in 2013.
Perth Mint Gold and Silver Sales by Month
Below is a monthly summary of Perth Mint bullion sales from December 2021 to December 2022. The figures show monthly ounces of gold and silver shipped as minted products by The Perth Mint to wholesale and retail customers worldwide. It excludes sales of cast bars and other Group activities including sales of allocated/unallocated precious metal for storage by the Depository.
| Perth Mint Bullion Sales (in troy ounces) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Silver | Gold | |
| December 2022 | 1,634,751 | 60,634 |
| November 2022 | 1,315,293 | 114,304 |
| October 2022 | 1,995,350 | 183,102 |
| September 2022 | 2,579,941 | 88,554 |
| August 2022 | 1,655,334 | 84,976 |
| July 2022 | 2,465,513 | 79,305 |
| June 2022 | 1,523,765 | 65,281 |
| May 2022 | 2,217,582 | 98,515 |
| April 2022 | 2,119,491 | 80,941 |
| March 2022 | 1,649,634 | 121,997 |
| February 2022 | 1,632,323 | 72,651 |
| January 2022 | 2,387,165 | 66,709 |
| December 2021 | 1,733,293 | 54,861 |
I don’t understand why the all-bullion Perth Mint is featured here rather than the collectable coinage producing Royal Australian Mint. Bullion is after all an investment vehicle while circulating, uncirculated and proof coins are of numismatic interest.
There’s the 2022 Ukrainian Archangel released for sale on December 14th. Only 10,000 are minted. It sells for $180 for one ounce of silver. It’s one of the key dates. Also sold with the archangel angel gold plated in commemoration of the Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the war.
I looked online after you directed my attention to it here and it certainly appears to be fairly well sold out; I guess you weren’t exaggerating its degree of desirability, Antonio. It is after all a very striking (pun intended) coin not to mention that in view of what is happening in Ukraine now the relevance of its meaning has never been greater.
Yes, I saw it’s available on ebay for the price I quoted. Usually, I buy mine from a dealer, since like our uncirculated ASEs, they’re only available through dealers. Even they appear to be sold out now. There will be coins issued this year, but when hasn’t been made public yet. I’ve noticed mintages of 10,000 isn’t unusual for European issues. For U.S. issues, that’s considered a scarce one.
That is one heck of a markup on a one ounce silver coin, Antonio, and particularly for a bullion strike at that. In comparison the U.S. Mint’s superior strike proof and uncirculated silver coins may be thought of as a bargain.
This is not meant to be critical of or single out Ukraine in particular– but for as random and numerous are all the numismatic and bullion choices we might as well be collecting pogs (also called milk caps, which were popular with my kids in the early 2000’s). I thought those cardboard circular cut-outs with all manner of cartoon characters and designs were junk and I hated seeing money being spent on them. Now I’m beginning to think the same about all of these modern coins.
So many by so many countries and distributors, you may very well be right.
Antonio and Major D, the worst offenders in this regard are the assorted tiny island nations who contract various “world mints” to produce so-called special issues and/or commemoratives for them.
IDK Kaiser, the Royal Canadian Mint sure does a good job of churning out a large number of low mintage coins, pendants, and painted metal. As a business model, they seemed to have adopted the “make lots of small amounts and sell out the product quickly” strategy (move them in/ move them out) — unlike the US Mint which apparently likes to store stock for 6+ years. I’m not sure which is worse for the collector- an overabundance of low mintage stuff, or mintages that take a decade or more to sell out? Looking at the AI $ series for… Read more »
What intrigues me the most about the Royal Canadian Mint, Major D, is the number of three dimensional so-called “coins” they produce. Whenever I see one of their alleged masterpieces consisting of one standard side and what is literally a statue of some sort on the other I just shake my head.
But people buy them, that’s what they care about.
You’re sure right about that, Antonio- and I’ve been one of them! My RCM purchases include a couple of 2022’s “Farewell to the Penny” 1-oz silver coins, 2022’s 1.5 oz “Majestic Grizzley Bear” bullion and 2021’s 10c circulation- 100th Anniversary of the Bluenose” 3-roll dime wraps. I definitely lean towards the classic coins. But my favorite is one I bought at auction: 2006 Canada $20 1-oz silver Tall Ships Hologram, The Ketch.
I love a coin like this that appears to “explode” into your eyes!
Each to his/her own. Anyway, Antonio, who’s to judge what is attractive except each individual as it appears to them personally.
I have a selectively gold plated Canadian Parks Dollar from their 2011 proof set. That’s my favourite of that type. I don’t care for the colorized coins. You’re right, to each its own. Not my cup of tea though.
Antonio,
I agree plated coins have a superior appearance to colorized ones.
Major D, when it comes to modern Sovereign Silver Coins, you can’t go wrong with the three beautiful argent ladies: the Mexican Libertad’ Winged Victory statue, the British Britannia’ figure of Britannia, and the American Eagle’ classic Lady Liberty.
Yes, I’ve been collecting two of the three.
I assume that means if you haven’t purchased heavily the US Women’s quarters you are sexist, and if you did little with the Baseball coins last year you are a racist. Or maybe you simply like the themes/designes offered by other countries
Hey Tom, not sure where you’re getting that from? Please enlighten me. I simply responded to Rich that I have been collecting ASE and Silver Britannia. But that is by no means exclusive. The vast majority of my acquisitions have been US Mint product. And that includes AWQ, NLB coins and AI $ (and many other US Mint series), though I wouldn’t say “heavily” as is the case with all of my coin purchases. I have never attached (or implied) any sexist or racist sentiments to any coins. How does calling out the myriad number of coins and bullion across… Read more »
Nice reply, Major D.
It perplexes me, Tom, as to why you would want to put those words in other people’s mouths; no one here said anything of the kind.
This one sure came out of nowhere. Makes sense I guess, since nowhere in it is there any value for the collectors using this site. Try to do better in the future, Tom. Please.
Major D and Good Sir Rich, while I don’t myself yet possess any of those I can totally understand their great visual appeal.
I was only intending to put those words in my mouth since I didn’t buy into the mint’s offerings, and not anyone else’s. My apologies if anyone took it that way.
Very gentlemanly of you to reply to our concerns in that way, Tom. Please understand that we have been burned before and therefore are inclined to want to nip any possible unseemliness in the bud.
Tom, thanks for the clarification.
I had read somewhere earlier (or at least implied) the low sales of the Negro commemoratives was, in part that a high percentage of collectors are white, and therefore….In all honesty it wouldn’t surprise me if that was true, but not to any great degree that was implied. Personally I wish the Mint could avoid such areas that might be controversial. I had a brother in law who wouldn’t vote for a candidate with a woman as a vice president, so I imagine if he were still alive he would not be thrilled with the women’ quarters. Personally I wish… Read more »
Just as a footnote, Tom, since there really isn’t anything about honoring either black professional baseball players or women who have achieved great things that could in any way be considered the least bit “controversial” in this day and age, I’m not exactly sure how that would even apply here. Just sayin’.
Tom, re-reading your comment again I’m sorry to have misconstrued it. Speaking generally, I’d say it’s difficult to read into why any specific coin or series doesn’t sell- and I’d hate for anyone to ever draw prejudicial conclusions based strictly on which coins someone buys (or doesn’t buy). For instance, the 2022 NLB commemorative coin sales were not that great, with many #1 low mintages for gold, silver and clad across the entire US Mint’s modern commemorative series that began in 1982. By comparison, in total sales the 2022 NPH sales were 36% better than NLB, but in historic context… Read more »
I think it is time to collect chrome bumbers from classic 50s cars. More rare and not racist or sexist. I think my favorite coin is the Homer Simpson salute to alcohol. I’ve dabbled in other country coinage. Like the queen beast coin. The new britannia. The main mint coins like royal, Perth, Australia, Canada. Some have gimmicks like sand from the sphinx, or quartz from cave, or obsidian from the island. Or rare shapes. Haven’t seen the Ukraine coin, but I think they have more to worry about than making coins. Like selling a couple of the Abrams tanks… Read more »
That’s the first I’ve heard tRump is the new President of Ukraine. Breaking news!