I recently discovered via my new Redbook that the 2015-P American Silver Eagle retails for $480 in original government packaging. It just so happens that I have 2 ASE’s from 2015 (pictures below). I read online that only proofs have the mint mark, but I don’t want to give up on this pot of silver (lol), so is there any other way to tell? Thank you! ( Also, these coins were given to me. I have no receipt or record of what exactly was purchased. They were from my great-grandfather, but he passed away recently, so can’t ask him)
Maybe this will help. So sorry for your loss. 2015 American Silver Eagle : A Collector's Guide | CoinWeek
I will assume if they only made them in Philly and no where else, there is no mint mark. I didn't realize they made them at West Point as well. This is what AI says online: Standard bullion 2015 Silver Eagle do not have a mint mark on the coin itself. Whether struck in Philadelphia or West Point, the coin's physical design looks identical. In 2015, a limited batch of 79,640 Silver Eagles were struck at the Philadelphia Mint. Because the coin itself doesn't feature a "P", the only way these Philadelphia-minted coins can be certified is if they are submitted to a grading service in their original, unopened U.S. Mint Monster Box with specific tracking and label documentation. Once a tube is opened, the coin becomes indistinguishable from other standard bullion Silver Eagles.
That also happened in 2011 when they were making coins for the 5 coin anniversary set. I think San Francisco was involved.
Michael K explained it. Its very easy to conflate ASEs. There are bullion examples sold in bulk by the millions every year that can be basically identical to the limited mintage, uncirculated versions sold by the mint. Some ASEs got P mint marks and some do not. I've seen dealers at shows using the hype of limited mintage uncirculated versions to sell what were clearly the bullion versions. The bullion versions are usually slightly over melt. Also gov mint is a private seller trying to associate themselves with the US mint. That is not original mint packaging.
Yeah I tried to get my two sets graded with the 25th anniversary pedigree and they could only do it for the S and the reverse proof. The burnished, proof and regular 2011 came back with standard labels.
You had to send the coins to the TPG in the original US Mint shipping package. There are ways to distinguish the S mint from the W mint 2011 ASE's. But, the purists refuse to recognize the approach. The descriptions of the coins and the process were rewritten so many times that it became very difficult to really understand what happened. I can't remember all the details but I knew what I had.
