U.S. GOLD EAGLE SALES PROJECTED AT 3.1 MLN OUNCES American Eagle gold bullion coin sales are projected at 3.1 mln troy ounces in their first year on the market, well above the target of 2.2 mln, Donna Pope, director of the U.S. Mint, told journalists. World sales, which began on October 20, 1986, reached 2.193 mln ounces in less than six months of sales. This made it world market leader with a share of 37 pct in 1986, Pope said. Pope said that in volume terms, nearly half of all gold Eagle sales were within North America, roughly 40 pct were in Europe and about eight pct in Asia. She said despite introduction of several new gold bullion coins on the market recently, the Mint is aiming to preserve the Eagle's strong market share with extensive publicity. The Mint uses mainly newly mined U.S. Gold for the coins, as long as this is available at market prices. The remaining gold is taken either from U.S. Treasury stocks, or from the open market, Pope said. Gold analysts said the Eagle is facing competition here from the Canadian Maple Leaf, and also to a lesser extent from the South African Krugerrand. Some estimated the Maple Leaf's West German market share at 60 pct. The figures may be distorted, as many German investors buy gold bullion in Switzerland or Luxembourg to escape the 14 pct value-added tax imposed here. Including the tax, the one-ounce coins traded today at 906 marks, they said. Competition may also come from new gold coins, including Belgium's ECU, which began sales today. Britain and Australia also have plans to mint gold bullion coins, the analysts said.