The NGC believes that this year there has been a transition by The United States Mint, from engraved hubs that are standard which are fashioned by the reduction of a hand engraved galvano, to laser engraved hubs.

In the transition process, infrequently called rehubbing, several design changes were made with a stress on the lettering on both sides of the coin.

There are skinnier, taller, letters on the Silver Eagle of 2008, which fill the fields a lot more than in previous years. On the reverse side of the coin, one of the differences that is very clear, from previous years, is found above the eagle in the stars.

Obviously, the 2008 issue wasn’t the only time we had seen changes in style. The most obvious change is the change from the glossy surface used early in the series to the matte finish used today. Even though the coins have similarities from year to year, it is great for collectors to know that they can predict small changes that can only be noticed by a consultant.

When investing in American Eagle Silver Coins, beware of countfeits. Authorized Collectibles Group / NGC VP Scott Schechter and PCGS President Don Willis made the statement that both authentication agencies have purchased fake coins and dies for investigation purposes and to take them off the market. There has been noted a surge in the amount of counterfeit coins received by both firms, even though they have been working for the removal of fake auction lists. NGC has begun to send out notices with returned counterfeits reminding submitters that selling reproductions or duplicates is illegal without the inclusion of the word “copy”, and similar notices will be sent to submitters by PCGS.

Recently, a large number of counterfeit coins have entered the U. S. from China. They are well known for producing fake designer wear, so I suppose it should be no surprise that they have turned their attention to the collectible coin market as well. In order to be able to tell a fake coin from a distance, becoming extremely knowledgeable about rare, valuable, and collectible coins is the best method.