Jan 17, 2013 Update: It is now being reported that the U.S. Mint has sold out of 2013 Silver Eagles.
If you are a silver investor trying to figure out whether you should buy 2012 or 2013 American Silver Eagles, PMBull has done a little research for you.
As noted last month, the U.S. Mint sold out of Silver Eagle coins in December and chose not to strike any additional coins for the year. This left authorized purchasers with no ability to replenish inventory until January 7th. As such, many dealers began to increase premiums on their 2012 dated Eagles and began taking pre-orders for the 2013 dated coins, with longer lead times on delivery. While 2012 coins are still available at many dealers, the premiums have risen, leaving investors with a dilemma. Pay more for the 2012 Eagles, or place an order for the lower priced 2013 bullion coins and wait for the extended delivery time?
PMBull lists pricing from two of the most competitive online Silver Eagle dealers in its physical silver bullion guide. Currently, JM Bullion offers both 2012 and 2013 dated Eagles. In late December until just the past few days, the 2012 Eagles were priced with a much higher premium, but the gap between the two appears to be narrowing. Meanwhile, GoldAndSilverOnline is offering 2012 Eagles at the time of this post, with an even lower price than JM Bullion, for smaller orders under 100 coins.
Don’t let a perceived shortage convince you that 2012 Eagles have a higher value. That perception is not likely to last as the coins enter the realm of prior year secondary market pricing. The spread in pricing between both years at JM Bullion is already dimininishing. Further, with record orders taking place for Eagles in the first month of this year, any shortage perception could very well extend to the 2013 coins!
The real advantage to a 2012 coin at this time is that you won’t have to wait an additional amount of time for delivery.
If you are going to sweat the nickels and dimes on your Eagle purchase, consider consulting our guide to buying physical silver bullion online for silver bars or rounds at a significantly lower premium than you will find on coins coming from the U.S. Mint. In the end, as a silver bullion investor, you are seeking the maximum amount of silver bullion for the lowest price, right?
