Owner Comments:
Mintage 216,501 with "W" mintmark
With a unique black core holder, the lustrous and smooth devices and fields pop off the coin with even greater contrast. In addition, with a fantastically sharp strike on the obverse and reverse, as well as no spots, hairlines, hits, scuff marks, abrasions or other defects, I can see why this American Silver Eagle graded perfectly at MS-70.
Numismatic News: In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Bullion Coinage Program in 2016, special edge lettering was used on bullion coins sold directly to the public. Ranked in the book "100 Greatest U.S. Modern Coins "(fourth edition).
Scott Schechter, coauthor of "100 Greatest US Modern Coins", wrote in his "Making Moderns" column in the March 10, 2014 issue of Coin World that the burnishing process "does not affect the appearance of the coin in any way." However, this is controversial as other articles report that the burnished coins lack the deep mirrored fields and cameo appearance of the devices of "unburnished" examples -- instead having a uniform satiny or matte finish. In the end, I'll just leave it up to the experts. In hand, typical of a Burnished coin, the surface does not refract light as well as regular bullion strikes do.