Weekly Market Overview for Week of Monday - December 29, 2025

The final week of 2025 brought pronounced volatility to the precious metals markets, with gold and silver swinging sharply from record highs before stabilizing as the new year began. 

Despite these dramatic moves, both metals closed 2025 with their strongest annual gains since 1979. 

Gold settled near the low $4,300s after a flash selloff, while silver rebounded into the low to mid $70s, capping an exceptional year. 

The rare coin market demonstrated remarkable resilience, with certified and original U.S. coins maintaining strong demand and showing limited sensitivity to bullion swings. 

Looking ahead, collectors and investors should prepare for continued price swings, with macro factors and physical supply dynamics likely to drive opportunities and risks in early 2026.

Daily Market Breakdown

Monday, December 29 

The week began with high drama in the metals markets. 

On Monday, December 29, gold and silver experienced sharp declines from their record intraday highs, driven by a combination of profit-taking, a rebound in the U.S. dollar, and a pivotal sentiment shift after an extended run of higher closes. 

Spot gold tumbled to around $4,330 per ounce, a 4.5% retreat from its record near $4,550, before closing at $4,528.32. Before closing at $81.94, silver fell almost 10% to approximately $71.66 after briefly touching the $83 level. 

The selloff in precious metals was further amplified by margin hikes on COMEX futures, which exhausted leverage and set the stage for a swift correction. 

Despite this turbulence, the rare coin market stood out for its resilience, with top-tier numismatics such as the 1943 Copper Lincoln penny and the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle outperforming even gold’s remarkable annual returns. 

The U.S. Mint’s end to penny production also fueled collector interest in classic rarities, reinforcing the need for authentication and third-party grading to maximize value in volatile times.

Tuesday, December 30 

Tuesday, December 30, saw a modest recovery as gold rebounded to the $4,338-$4,369 range before closing at $4,345.72 and silver surged by as much as 5.6% to over $76 per ounce, recouping a portion of the previous day’s losses before closing at $72.56. 

The rebound was fueled by safe-haven buying as geopolitical tensions in South America escalated and by technical oversold conditions that attracted bargain hunters. 

Silver’s annual return soared to 144%, underscoring its role as both an industrial and monetary asset. 

Meanwhile, platinum and palladium saw mixed action, with platinum up over 3% and palladium flat to slightly lower. 

The rare coin market’s strength persisted, with continued enthusiasm for high-grade U.S. rarities. 

Regulatory developments came into focus as China’s new export restrictions on critical minerals, including silver, heightened supply concerns and pointed to potentially elevated physical premiums in Asia as 2026 began.

Wednesday, December 31 

As the year closed on December 31, gold fixed just below $4,310 in London trading, down from its recent peak but still up more than 65% for 2025. The U.S. gold price closed at $4,339.65 for the year.

Silver settled at $75.24 after a turbulent session that erased up to 16% from its intraday highs, yet the metal finished the year with a historic 144% annual gain, 10 times the S&P 500’s performance. 

The rare coin market maintained its momentum, especially for high-end, certified pieces, as year-end liquidity remained thin but dealer willingness to transact stayed strong. 

Macro forces, including a weakening U.S. dollar and expectations of further Federal Reserve easing, continued to support hard asset sentiment, even as new local tax policies on precious metals emerged (notably in Washington state) that may impact future trading costs.

Thursday, January 1 

With the arrival of 2026, gold and silver prices regained some ground. Gold rallied toward $4,375 in early January trading, while silver’s leadership role was reinforced by market sentiment and ongoing supply deficits. 

Analysts highlighted that while both markets appeared to have topped temporarily, the underlying structural bull case for silver remained intact, with some forecasters targeting a move toward $100 per ounce if support near $60 held. 

The rare coin market entered the new year with anticipation for the U.S. Mint’s 2026 semiquincentennial designs, which are expected to draw additional collector interest and further support the category. 

Market sentiment remained bullish, with a focus on dip-buying opportunities as January liquidity normalized and broader commodity strength, including AI-driven equity gains, lent additional support to the precious metals complex.

Friday, January 2 Through the Weekend

On Friday, gold closed at $4,321.48 and on Sunday, gold closed at $4,328.63, with silver at $72.81, both paring back earlier gains but holding well above key support levels. 

The gold-to-silver ratio declined to 59.57, reflecting silver’s ongoing outperformance. Despite a 4% weekly decline for gold and nearly 9% for silver, the broader trend remained positive, with institutional and retail interest expected to sustain momentum. 

In the rare coin space, silver coins with heavy wear, natural toning, or visible flaws attracted record prices, demonstrating that eye appeal and originality continue to command premiums. 

Key Market Takeaways

As the first U.S. trading sessions of 2026 unfolded, both gold and silver posted modest gains, with silver up 3% and market surveys predicting gold could exceed $5,500 per ounce later in the year. 

The week concluded with a consensus that while near-term volatility may persist, the combination of macroeconomic tailwinds and numismatic innovation positions the rare coin and precious metals markets for ongoing opportunity.

Thinking About Selling Your Rare Coin Collection?

Thinking about selling your rare coin collection?

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Our expert team provides fair, competitive offers based on current market conditions. 

Whether you have individual rare coins, complete collections, or precious metals, we make the selling process simple and transparent. 

Contact Coinfully today for a confidential consultation and free online coin appraisal.