Owner Comments:

Not long after the first 2008 silver eagles came out, it was reported that the coins had been “re-hubbed.” A hub is used to make dies, which in turn strike coins. Re-hubbing, therefore, meant that a new design template was being used to create all the dies that struck these coins. While the major design elements of the coin had not changed, subtle alterations had been made to the lettering and elsewhere. This change was consistent across the entire silver eagle production of 2008, including bullion, Proof, and Uncirculated versions of the coin. In the course of producing modern coinage, these types of subtle changes occur over time. Technical aspects of minting, including attempts to prolong die-life and improve the clarity with which the design renders on the coin, find their way into the design process. According to the U.S. Mint, the changes seen on the 2008 silver eagles were made because of the adoption of digital engraving in the production of silver eagle dies. This was a more efficient and cost-effective method of production. To accommodate this new process, a handful of modest changes were made to the coin. The most noticeable change occurred on the style of a single letter. In 2008, the U had a spur or foot on its right side, while on all previous issues the spur was absent—the old U was a simple bowl shape. Even though it affected just a single, small letter, this change was the tell-tale diagnostic that allowed the reverse hub of 2008 to be distinguished instantaneously from that used in previous years. In mid-April 2008, only a couple of weeks after the first 2008-W silver eagles were sold, collector John Nanney of Georgia noticed that a small number of coins had the old reverse style of 2007. This immediately ignited a search among collectors, and interest in this curious variety began to grow. When the variety was confirmed by the grading services, the search became a frenzy, and a number of collectors placed additional orders for coins from the Mint. Numerous inquiries were directed to the U.S. Mint. The Mint responded quickly, acknowledging that during three production shifts for the 2008 coins, dies originally crafted for 2007-W silver eagle production were used inadvertently. Approximately 47,000 silver eagles had been struck with the reverse style of 2007. This type of variety is called transitional because it is a hybrid that combines the styles of coins used in two consecutive years. The 2008-W Reverse of 2007 silver eagle is the only significant die-variety in the entire silver eagle series, and it is collected by enthusiasts as a required coin in the complete set. The coins were crafted from designs by A.A. Weinman and John Mercanti. Weinman, who is responsible for the obverse design, originally created this composition for the Liberty Walking half dollar first released in 1916. It shows Liberty striding amidst the rising sun, and the design was long considered to be the most attractive ever used on a U.S. silver coin. The reverse heraldic eagle composition was designed and engraved by Mercanti.

Garrett, Jeff; Schechter, Scott; Bressett, Kenneth; Bowers, Q. David (2011-03-04). 100 Greatest US Modern Coins (Kindle Locations 1251-1254). Whitman Publishing. Kindle Edition.