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.

Source: Numismaster

The U.S. Mint press relations office provided some interesting information about this variety and the minting of Silver Eagles in general. Here are some of the facts they provided:

• Approximately 47,000 2008-W Silver Eagles were released with the 2007 reverse type.
• The reason for the change in hub is that the Mint has upgraded from using hand-engraved hub creation methods, to digital engraving methods.
• The Mint believes that 15 dies with the 2007 Reverse type were involved.
• The variety was created during 3 production shifts, which is how the Mint arrived at its estimate of the number of coins involved.
• The U.S. Mint marketing materials depicted the 2007 reverse type.
• The Mint did not plan for the hub change to happen mid-year, and has confirmed it was unintentional that the 2007 Reverses were used for 2008.