Premiering as the debut strike of the America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coin™ Program was the 2010 Hot Springs National Park Silver Bullion Coin. Shown on the reverse of the coin is a design emblematic of Hot Springs National Park found in the state of Arkansas. Each of these strikes is composed of five ounces of .999 fine silver and features a massive diameter of three inches.
Those specifications make the America the Beautiful Silver Coins the largest bullion products of the United States Mint. As with all U.S. Mint bullion coins, the Hot Springs strikes were not originally sold directly to the public. Instead, the Mint’s network of Authorized Purchasers bought them in bulk for an amount equal to the spot price of the coins, plus $9.75 per strike premium to cover minting and distribution costs.
The network then resold them to the public for an additional small premium above the current spot price of the silver they contained. That additional premium was not to exceed 10% above what the network obtained the coins for in the first place, plus a small shipping and handling charge.
2010 Hot Springs Silver Coin Values
Since each Hot Springs Bullion Coin contains five ounces of .999 fine silver, their melt value is approximately equal to the current spot price of five ounces of the precious metal on the open market. For example, if the current market price of silver was $20 an ounce, these coins would have an intrinsic melt value of approximately $100 — 5 ounces times $20 an ounce equals $100.
The strikes also typically have a numismatic value associated with them. This is the price a collector would be willing to pay to obtain the coin and is generally higher than the melt value of the strike.
Additionally, grading services will slab the bullion coins, making the upper grades even more valuable to coin collectors. As such, the prices of these highly graded coins will be substantially higher than the ungraded examples purchased solely as a means to hold five ounces of bullion silver.
Hot Springs Silver Bullion Coin Information
The US Mint issued a total of 33,000 Hot Springs Silver Coins through its network of authorized purchasers. The network was first allowed to place their initial orders with the Mint for the strikes on December 10, 2010. By the end of that month, the purchasers had ordered the entire mintage from the Mint. This quick sell-out was repeated with the other four 2010 America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins as well and established a precedence with which following year’s strikes would have to compete with (See current year silver coins sales figures for the most recent information on sales levels for recent releases).
As with all of the America the Beautiful Coins (including the quarter dollars), the obverse of the Hot Springs Silver Bullion Coin contains a portrait of George Washington, the first President of the United States. The image was designed by John Flanagan and was first featured on the 1932 circulating quarter dollar.
The reverse showcases an image of the Hot Springs National Park headquarters building with a thermal fountain in front of it. The design was completed by Don Everhart and sculpted by Joseph Menna.
Hot Springs Silver Coin Specifications
| Face Value: | $.25 |
| Composition: | 999 Fine Silver |
| Mintage Cap: | 33,000 |
| Diameter: | 3 Inches |
| Weight | 5 Ounces |
| Edge: | Incused Lettering |
| Minting Facility: | Philadelphia (no mintmark present) |
| Obverse Design: | Portrait of George Washington |
| Obverse Designer: | John Flanagan |
| Reverse Design: | Hot Springs National Park headquarters building and fountain |
| Reverse Designer: | Don Everhart / Joseph Menna |
