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What an authorized purchaser is (US Mint bullion)
The Mint does not sell bullion Eagles one at a time to the public. It sells them in large lots to a short list of authorized purchasers. Shops buy from that chain, not from the Mint catalog.
An authorized purchaser is a firm the United States Mint allows to buy bullion American Eagles and Buffalos in large amounts.
You and I are not on that list. A coin shop is usually not on that list either. The shop buys from a distributor who bought from an authorized purchaser, or from another dealer.
Why this exists
Bullion coins are meant to go out in volume at a published premium over the metal. The Mint does not want to run a mail-order shop for every one-ounce sale. Proofs and catalog coins are the retail products. US Mint vs local shop. 2026 Eagles.
What it means for the price you see
The official purchaser premium is a wholesale add-on. By the time a coin is in a case, there is also freight, the shop’s cash, and the spread. That is why “the Mint premium is $3” is not the same sentence as “the shop will sell it to me at spot plus $3.”
More on the coin and money library.
Extra pad history for authorized purchasers
An authorized purchaser is a firm the United States Mint allows to buy bullion American Eagles and Buffalos in large amounts. You and I are not on that list. A coin shop is usually not on that list either. The shop buys from a distributor who bought from an authorized purchaser, or from another dealer. Bullion coins are meant to go out in volume at a published premium over the metal. The Mint does not want to run a mail-order shop for every one-ounce sale.
Proofs and catalog coins are the retail products. US Mint vs local shop. 2026 Eagles. The official purchaser premium is a wholesale add-on. By the time a coin is in a case, there is also freight, the shop’s cash, and the spread. “The Mint premium is this” is not the same sentence as “the shop will sell it to me at spot plus that.”
What that means on the pad
When you buy an Eagle here, you are on the secondary market. When you sell one, you are on our bid. Why buy and sell differ. Government vs generic. Allocation weeks happen. Spreads widen when everyone wants the same coin.
We cannot order you a truck from West Point. We can sell you last year’s ounce without a subscription. Keep receipts. Do not expect Mint-issue packaging to set a future bid. Proof vs bullion.
People also ask
Can I become an authorized purchaser? Not as a walk-in with three coins. It is a wholesale relationship.
Does the shop get Mint pricing? Usually a distributor’s pricing, then their own spread.
Why can’t I buy bullion Eagles on the Mint site? That channel is for authorized purchasers.
Is a sold-out Mint page the shop’s problem? No. Aftermarket is a different store.