How do I know my ASE came from West Point if there is no Mint Mark?
To the untrained- and even the trained eye, coins without a mint mark will be indistinguishable. A bit of context about where and when American Silver bullion was minted helps shed a little light on which mint struck which coin.
Coins without a mint mark were struck in Philadelphia, generally speaking. Bullion coins like the American Silver Eagle are an exception to that rule. Regular ASE strikes do not bear a mint mark, so determining the issuing mint requires other methods, like finding the serial number on the Monster box they were shipped in.
Bullion Strikes
American Silver Eagles were initially produced at the Philadelphia Mint. They were struck at the San Francisco Mint from 1986-1998. In 1999 and 2000, they were produced at the Philadelphia and West Point Mints. Bullion strikes have no mint mark.
Proof American Silver Eagles
The West Point Mint has struck Proof Silver Eagles since 2001, and they bear a W mint mark. There were no Proof versions in 2009. In 2010, the West Point Mint began issuing Proof Silver Eagles once more.
Burnished American Silver Eagles
The Mint at West Point has produced burnished American Silver Eagles with a W mintmark since 2006.
Uncirculated American Silver Eagles
The United States Mint issued Uncirculated Silver Eagles from West Point with a W mint mark from 2006-2008 and again in 2011. These collectible American Silver Eagles are struck on specially burnished blanks, sometimes called “W Uncirculated” and “Burnished Uncirculated.”
