Gold Prices Fall but Gold Bullion Coins Rise, Silver Plunges

U.S. gold prices lost 1.2% Tuesday after a modest 0.7% increase on the previous day. Gold prices were pressured by a stronger U.S. dollar as concerns over global growth drove investors to the greenback and away from stocks and commodities.

"There will be some sort of slowdown coming out of China and the Asian economies," Bloomberg quoted Tim Price, who helps oversee more than $1.5 billion of assets at PFP Group LLP in London. "It can definitely take the heat out of the commodities markets."

On the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, April gold prices lost $20.30, or 1.2%, to $1,647.00 an ounce, trading between $1,641.20 an ounce and $1,664.90 an ounce.

In other major precious metals futures, May silver prices ended down $1.12, or 3.4%, to $31.83 an ounce, June palladium prices declined $10.55, or 1.5%, to $697.05 an ounce and April platinum prices ended down $30.40, or 1.8%, to $1,654.30 an ounce.

United States Mint Bullion Coin Sales

1/10 oz. and 1 oz. American Eagle Gold bullion coins climbed for a second straight day, and they were the only United States Mint bullion products to advance Tuesday.

In other sales, the American Eagle Silver bullion coin managed a sizable increase of 215,000 on Monday. The American Buffalo Gold bullion coin has had silent sales since Thursday.

For the most recent bullion coin sales totals, check out the daily, monthly and 2012 sales columns below.

 

Notes: Figures above are in coins, not ounces sold. The United States Mint last updated sales of its 5 oz. America the Beautiful Silver Coins on Monday, March 12, 2012. All other bullion sales have an “as of date” of Tuesday, March 20, 2012, as published on the U.S. Mint website.

In a United States Mint news item of the day, debut 2012 Buffalo Gold Proof sales are available. Check out the link to see how the new collector coin performed during its opening days. 

London Bullion Prices

London bullion prices also declined Tuesday, but less severely than precious metals futures in New York. The following grid offers this week’s London PM Fix daily prices and gains or losses over the most recent two-days.

 

Refer to this site’s home page for always updated bullion prices and news.