Modern Sovereign Prices versus mintages

[Auric1253]

What I don't understand is that the prices for modern sovereigns seem to have no relation to published mintages.

In my Coin Yearbook for 2018, the mintages for 2013 (BU Bullion) and 2016 (BU bullion) are 2,695 and 1,500 respectively. (Both figures being substantially lower than the proof mintages for the same years). So by any measure these BU bullion sovereigns are really quite rare.

However, these low mintages are not reflected in the price asked by dealers and on EBAY. Do collectors not realise that these are scarce coins, or are the published mintages suspect?

Another puzzle over pricing is the very high price asked  by a well known postal supplier of sovereigns for a 1968 sovereign (mintage in excess of 4 million). Is this year really difficult to find?

[Oldun]

Queen getting on a bit mate and many are pumping the early head design. That is all....in my opinion, it is a total scam...err....sharp practice....err business....you get the point.

[Oldun]

Or to put it another way

 

 

[KDave]

1500 bullion sovereigns for 2016? The year gold went a bit silly, I doubt it is that low. 

[Goldhooked]

According to this Royal Mint response to a 2016 FOI request, there were 261581 sovereigns minted in 2013.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/gold_sovereign_and_silver_britan

Scroll down to the response from 'FOI, Royal Mint' and click the link for the 'Sovereign mintage figures'