[January 26, 2006] DJ Austrian 'Gold Jet' May Set Japan Gold Coin Sales Flying Tweet (Comtex Business Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)By Jim Hawe Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES TOKYO, Jan 26, 2006 (Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex) --A rather unusual plane touched down at Narita Airport earlier this month, carrying with it the potential to lift Japanese gold coin sales out of a three-year slump. The Austrian Mint has teamed up with Austrian Airlines AG (AUA.VI) to cover the fuselage of one of its Airbus A340-300 jets with a motif based on its popular Vienna Philharmonic gold coin. The mint is betting this 'gold jet' will stir up some interest in its gold coins as it shuttles passengers between Tokyo and Vienna. The "Harmony" coin, as it is commonly known, has been the best-selling gold coin in Japan, commanding a market share of more than 50% for the past four years. Miko Ikeda-Takano, manger of the Austrian Mint's Japan Office, is hoping the new jet will help the Harmony coin hold onto its top spot. When asked about the mint's Japan sales target for 2006, Ikeda-Takano said, "If possible, we would like to sell 100,000 ounces, but it all depends on the market situation and gold price." The Austrian Mint sold a record 136,485 ounces of gold in the form of its Harmony coins in Japan in 2002, but the number of coins sold here has fallen ever since, with only 73,454 ounces being sold in 2005. However, the mint has pointed out that the recent drop in the number of gold coins sold is to be expected, with the spot gold price last year rising to its highest level in 25 years. Since gold coins can be easily bought in small quantities, they are seen as a key gauge of interest in bullion among individual investors. But recent trends may suggest that the yellow metal is getting too pricey for small investors in Japan. So the mint and its primary sales agent in Japan, Tanaka Kikinzoku, will try to arrest this trend by offering buyers of Harmony gold coins a music CD commemorating the 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart, along with a model of the gold jet. However, investors here are more likely to buy gold to preserve the value of their assets and as a golden nest egg for their retirement. "Gold will continue to have strong appeal, and we expect sales of gold coins to remain solid, despite the higher gold prices, as the range of buyers expands," said an official with Tanaka Kikinzoku. Gold was quoted at $561.40 Thursday in Asia, down from $563.35 oz overnight in New York, and Tanaka Kikinzoku was selling one-ounce Philharmonic gold coins for Y74,734. -By Jim Hawe, Dow Jones Newswires; 813-5255-2950; [email protected] -Edited by George Bernard (END) Dow Jones Newswires 01-26-06 0118ET [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]