Mint: April 2009

Mintage figures for Jan-April 2009 are out:
(http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/coin_production/index.cfm?action=production_figures&allCoinsYear=2009#starthere)

1 cent = 864.4 Million
5 cents = 79.2 M
10 cents = 146.0 M
25 cents = 257.12 M
50 cents = 3.4 M
1 dollar = 206.36 M (including 19.18 M Native American dollars)

Subtracting out the Jan-March data gives the mintages just in April:
1 cent = 229.6 M
5 cents = 9.84 M
10 cents = 26.0 M
25 cents = 46.12 M
50 cents = none
1 dollar = 47.04 M (including 11.2 M Native American dollars)
Average value per coin = $0.178

These numbers are much larger than those from March, but they are still sparse compared to pre-recession monthly totals.

Note the high numbers of Native American dollars, 58% of the dollar coins produced this month. This more than doubles the number of 2009 Natives. If you were speculating on the Philly Sacagawea mintages to remain under one million, scrap those plans now.

The real big story this month is the Mint's announcement on April 23 that they are temporarily suspending the production of nickels and dimes for the indefinite future, citing lack of demand by commerce as the reason. Here's the whole story:
(http://www.coinnews.net/2009/04/29/us-mint-halts-2009-nickels-and-dimes-production/)

The last time the Mint halted all production lines for at least one denomination was in 1931. It's time for a history lesson.

Sometime into 1931, the Mint stopped producing nickels and dimes, and did not resume until 1934. Cent production for each year during 1931-1933 was less than 12% of the 1930 mintage. Quarters were not struck in 1931 or 1933*. No half dollars were minted in 1930 through 1932, and 1933 levels were scant. Silver dollars ceased altogether from 1929-1933.

Prior to the Great Depression, the only other notable Mint stoppage in the 20th century was after World War I. The production levels in 1921 were unusually light for all denomenations. In 1922, only a handful of cents and silver dollars were produced. Mintages were restored to pre-war levels in 1923.

It is yet another scary parallel between the Panic of 2008 and the Great Depression of 1929. Hold on to your hats, citizens!

*The Washington quarter made its debut in 1932. It was intended as a one-shot commemorative series, but the design proved popular enough that it entered general production in 1934.