US Mint releases American Buffalo Pure Gold Coins
Read the article from the US Mint website.
This may or may not say something about the mint and it’s future plans. I see it like this; the mint released the American Eagle in Bullion form but not the collector quality proof coins, and has not released the Buffalo gold in bullion form but released it in the collector proof form in 2009.
All economics and politics aside with regard to gold reserves and Government deficits, this seems to be a sign of what the Treasury department sees as an excellent product line. They may want to build international popularity with the two most popular designs, St. Gaudens Striding Liberty and Fraser’s American Buffalo. Particularly with the Buffalo, since the St. Gaudens Eagle is widely considered a classic and timeless design.
I see a great product mix with very little dilution, a big problem in the early nineties and the last few years with high mintage figures or too many products available to collectors. I like the idea of having some choice, and love it even more when it includes the two most popular designs in American numismatic history.
Then again, the production of the Buffalo proof gold could be due to the pent up demand for collector bullion. But why only the Buffalo and not the Eagles?
