Atip'ing (Foi Request) The RCM Can Have Some Interesting Alpha On Sales Figures + Disposal Numbers

Check out the attached PDF. I was curious about how the Royal Canadian Mint controls the market for numiastic coins so I filed an ATIP, which is the federal version of a freedom of information request.

*** New Member Link removed by the Staff ***

Summary below:

97% = "Sold Out" Threshold The Mint internally considers a coin "sold out" once 97% of its mintage is sold — not 100%. This policy isn't publicly disclosed and obscures how many coins are actually melted.


Disposal Lists Reveal Thousands Scrapped Detailed internal records show specific SKUs and quantities of unsold coins sent for destruction in 2023-2024, including high-value products like $250 silver kilo coins and themed gold issues — none of which are listed in public Mint reports.

One-Year Destruction Lag The Mint follows a 12-month delay between end of sales and disposal. So 2024 coins haven't been scrapped yet — but are queued for 2025. This delay isn't publicly stated and masks current melt plans from the market.

Sub-40% Sell-Through on Multiple 2024 SKUs Internal sales data shows 2024-2025 coins like the Water Dragon (26% sold) and Amber Valley (27%) are far below the "sold out" line. This data isn't available on the RCM website or through retail channels.

Premium Products Often Fail to Sell High-value and "prestige" coins (e.g. $2,500 platinum issues) are also included in disposal lists — indicating that even flagship offerings often miss their sales targets and are melted quietly.