The US Mint’s American Eagle silver coins sales are set to rise to a record above 4 million ounces in November, as a European debt crisis and economic uncertainty prompted individual investors to bet on silver and gold.

Total sales of the popular 1-oz. silver coin rose to 4.2 million coins in November, the highest monthly sales since their introduction in 1986. Year-to-date sales of the 99.9-percent pure silver coins totaled 33 million, an all-time high, surpassing the 29 million sold all of last year, as silver has soared 70 percent in 2010.