Mint Error 2008 West Point Mint (W) Silver American Eagle (SAE) Reverse of 2007 MS69 Burnished NGC Brown Label

As a third year issue of the Burnished Collector's series of Silver American Eagles there were an estimated 47,000 2008-W Burnished Silver Eagle coins produced with the 2007 reverse design by mistake. The most notable difference is the absence of a serif on the letter "U" in "UNITED" on the reverse. This was a mint error, not a deliberate variation.

Mint Error 2008 Burnished Silver Eagle Coins

Burnished silver eagle coins were started in 2007 as a new collector series variant of the BU silver eagle coin series. Minted exclusively at West Point mint, burnished versions bear the W mint mark and have a matte-like finish which is achieve by polishing the coin blanks before the are struck resulting in a less shiny appearance. Burnished coins are also much more limited in their mintage, adding to their collector appeal.

It was soon discovered there was a mint error upon the release of the 2008 Burnished Silver Eagle coins, also referred to as the first major variety of the Silver Eagle Series. The official error is denoted as "2008 Reverse of 2007" where the mint had slightly changed the font of the reverse which added a serif (or tail) to the "U" in UNITED along with a few other minor changes.