Royal Mint reports record 2026 silver and platinum coin sales
The Royal Mint’s 2026 silver and platinum bullion sales already exceed any previous full year, with first-time buyers making up 29% of Q3 customers.
The British Royal Mint reported record year-to-date sales of silver and platinum bullion coins for the first nine months of 2026, according to Kitco News. The Mint did not release exact sales volumes but highlighted notable increases: silver bullion product purchases on its website were up 295% year on year, with platinum bullion revenue rising 118%. Revenue from silver coin sales climbed 323% compared to the same period last year.
Most of the demand for silver and platinum came at the start of the year. Gold coin demand, however, picked up in the third quarter. The Mint stated that between July and September, revenue from gold coin sales rose 21% compared to the previous quarter, and was up 10% from the same time in 2025.
There has also been an increase in new customers purchasing physical precious metals. The Royal Mint said 29% of customers in the last quarter were first-time buyers, and the total number of new customers was up 13% from the previous three months. The Mint attributes some of this growth to ongoing inflation and volatility in bond yields, conditions which usually raise the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets like metals.
This brisk UK sales activity contrasts with much lower figures from the U.S. Mint. According to Kitco, U.S. Mint data shows it sold just 111,500 troy ounces of American Eagle gold bullion coins through September, which puts 2026 on track for its lowest gold bullion coin sales since 2000. Higher interest rates and yields in the U.S. may be discouraging investors from buying physical gold coins.
For those considering purchases of silver, platinum, or gold coins in the UK, these shifts suggest two important changes. First, a broader range of buyers, including more first-timers, is entering the market. Second, this increase in demand for physical coins continues even with higher spot prices and alternative yields available elsewhere. While the Royal Mint's figures are specific to its own direct-to-customer sales, they indicate real, physical precious metals are being bought and delivered, rather than only accounted for as paper holdings or exchange-traded products.
We think the key detail is that bullion coin demand reflects metal physically changing hands, not just accounting entries. These coins are produced, held in inventory, and delivered to individual buyers, with a significant portion purchased by first-time owners. The Mint’s figures only show its direct sales, so broader UK demand is still not measured here. But the reported growth points to real deliveries of metal, not just exposure through paper or financial products. The comparison with the U.S. Mint suggests that differences in local rates, policies, and market options shape physical demand, even when global spot prices are similar.
This article is general information, not investment advice. Facts from other publications are their reporting, linked above.