Two reverse types have been discovered on uncirculated 2008-W American Eagle silver coins sold by the Mint directly to collectors, but Numismatic Guaranty Corp. says it is not yet known whether there are two types of reverses for the regular bullion coins sold through the Mint?s national authorized purchaser network.
One type is the same reverse as was used in 2007. The other type is one introduced this year.
?This is a significant hub variety,? says Rick Montgomery, NGC president. ?It has very clear diagnostics, and appears on one of the most widely collected of all U.S. coins.?
The most obvious identification diagnostic, NGC says, is the ?U? of UNITED on the coin?s reverse. On the Reverse of 2008, as the new type has been designated, the ?U? has a spur on the right side of the letter.
The Reverse of 2007 has a bowl-shaped ?U,? without spur or downstroke.
NGC says it is designating 2008-W silver Eagles with reverse style of 2007 as ?Reverse of 2007.? Coins of the newly modified style, or ?Reverse of 2008,? are encapsulated without designation.
NGC explains it will automatically assign the designation ?Reverse of 2007? when applicable during the course of grading, and there is no additional fee. Reverse of 2007 coins graded before the discovery can be submitted for Designation Review service ($10 per coin) to have the variety recognized on the certification label.
