It's probably safe to say what you're experiencing is pareidolia in that the supposed "S" and "8" are nothing more than artifacts caused by the stain/gunk. This isn't a bad thing, is something that impacts every one of us (think Jesus, Muhammad, or Jerry Garcia hanging out in the clouds, or visiting you on the morning toast), is part of the human condition, and is perfectly normal. Realizing, understanding, and accepting this, along with familiarizing oneself with the minting process, can be very helpful to those searching for errors/varieties though. That said, one of the beautiful things about collecting is that there are no rules, and as long as one knows the facts behind their coins (or collectibles in general), they can make their collection into whatever it is they want it to be. Please feel free to post any others you'd like to share, and welcome to the forum.
