Lear Capital founder Kevin DeMeritt has announced the Los Angeles-based precious metals company will release a series of new Mount Rushmore Presidential coins, beginning in mid-October.

The series will include four designs, depicted on both 1.5-ounce silver and 0.25-ounce gold coins, that feature the four former U.S. presidents who are represented on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota.

The coins will be produced in limited quantities - 300,000 silver and 30,000 gold versions of each design will be created.

Honoring Historical Leaders 

The first coin in the series to be released will celebrate U.S. President George Washington's birth. Washington, born in 1732, was elected by the Electoral College as the country's first president in 1789 and served as commander in chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, which resulted in America's initial 13 colonies gaining independence from Great Britain.

The second coin will feature Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the U.S. and its third president, from 1801 to 1809. He was also the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. 

Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the U.S., who was in office from 1901 to 1909, will be pictured on the third coin. The fourth coin design will feature Abraham Lincoln, the country's 16th president, who led the U.S. through the Civil War and subsequently issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in Confederate states, in 1863.

Sculptor Gutzon Borglum chose to depict those four presidents on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial because he believed they represented the most important events in the United States' history, according to the National Park Service. 

Between 1927 and 1941, 60-foot images of their faces were carved into the mountain's granite surface using dynamite, chisels, and other tools. Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln were chosen to represent the birth, growth, development, and preservation of the country, respectively, according to the South Dakota Department of Tourism.

Collectible Items That Also Serve as a Source of Precious Metals

Lear Capital's Mount Rushmore series offers Americans a chance to purchase coins that will only be produced in extremely limited amounts - and possess assets made of gold and silver, two components that should bring very high demand to the issues. 

Gold prices began rapidly escalating in the 1970s, following several decades of moderate gains, as this National Mining Association chart illustrates. After a 67% gain in 1973 and a 58% increase in 1974, the precious metal's value more than doubled from 1979 to 1980, reaching $615 per troy ounce - and by 2010, had risen to $1,224.53 an ounce.  Today gold stands at $1,965 per ounce.  

Gold coins have also experienced value increases, even as the economy faltered. From 1981 to 1989, despite the U.S. being at the tail end of a recession and undergoing a stock market crash, the CU 3000 Rare Coin index, compiled by the Professional Coin Grading Service, skyrocketed 660%.

A $1,000 investment in a collection of mint state gold coins in 1970 would be worth more than $105,000 now, whereas the Dow Jones Industrial Average index return for the same duration would total roughly $18,300, according to Lear Capital data.

"Gold has outperformed the stock market since 2000," Kevin DeMeritt says. "It's a great diversification opportunity for a portion of your portfolio."

The precious metal has also increased in value recently. Just last year, the annual investment on a global scale in precious metal coins and bars rose 10%, according to the World Gold Council, and central bank demand for the precious metal grew, eventually reaching its highest level since 1950 in 2022.

If interest rates remain high in the U.S. and central banks' interest in gold continues to escalate through next year, the demand for the precious metal from both institutional and individual investors could climb significantly, says Kevin DeMeritt.

"When investors are worried about the economy, usually you get more people turning to gold, which can drive up its price," he says. "We're starting to see that more and more."

Why Investors May Express an Interest in Silver Coins

With a number of growing electronic and other uses for silver, the demand for it has increased globally in recent years - potentially making silver coins another appealing option, according to Kevin DeMeritt.

Silver is currently a key component in panels used in solar photovoltaic power production, now the top source of green electricity, because of its favorable electrical and thermal conductivity properties. 

Solar power use is forecast to grow, potentially driving the demand for silver up further. The U.S., which essentially tripled its solar photovoltaic capacity between 2017 and the end of 2022, is expected to add another 63 gigawatts by the end of next year, according to a recent Deloitte report - increasing the country's solar abilities by 84%.

"Silver has become a highly in-demand asset, yet the available supply hasn't vastly increased," Kevin DeMeritt says. "Numerous investors view silver as a hedge against inflation because it has tended to increase in price during periods of high inflation. Silver is also needed for industrial and clean energy processes, which could help drive its price."

As a result, silver coins that are produced with a limited mintage could offer a double play in regard to potential appreciation, according to Kevin DeMeritt.

"You get the price of silver moving up - [and] you can get the premium on that coin moving up because there's just not enough of the coins out there," he says.

Lear Capital offers a wide selection of silver and gold coins, which are available for purchase online. You can buy items ranging from American Eagle Silver Proof coins - a special version of the Silver American Eagle coin produced in specific quantities during a given year - and Platinum Canadian Maple Leaf coins, regarded as one of the highest quality and most intricate gold coins in the world, to exclusive varieties such as Lear Capital's Gold Snowy Owl coin, which has a 99.99% gold composition and is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint.

For more information on Lear Capital's current coin selection and upcoming series of exclusive Mount Rushmore-themed coins, visit the company's website in October - or call 1-800-576-9355 to speak to a Lear Capital representative.