2008-P Martin Van Buren

Philadelphia struck 51,520,000 Van Buren dollars in 2008, the eighth design of the Presidential series and the fourth issue of the calendar year, released November 13 to close out the program's second annual cycle. Van Buren narrowly outpaced its Denver counterpart in mintage but still trailed the year's Jackson, Adams, and Monroe figures, reflecting Federal Reserve orders that had been cut back across all four 2008 designs after 2007 dollar surpluses piled up in bank vaults. Joel Iskowitz's portrait of the eighth president was sculpted by Phebe Hemphill, paired with Don Everhart's Statue of Liberty reverse and the standard incused edge inscription carrying the date, mintmark, and the two mottoes.

Philadelphia Van Burens generally show clean strikes on the obverse portrait, with the high points of Van Buren's hair and the lapel of his coat as the first areas to soften with die wear. Reverse strike on the torch flame is the most common weakness collectors flag. The 2008 Philadelphia P mintmark is struck on the edge rather than the obverse, a Presidential-series convention that puts coin orientation at issue: roughly half of any given roll will show the edge inscription reading right-side up relative to the obverse and half upside down, which is normal and not a variety. As with every 2008 issue, watch for honest tan or olive toning on coins out of original Mint sets a few years past issue; the manganese-brass alloy tones aggressively, and bright yellow surfaces years after striking suggest cleaning.

The 2008-P Van Buren is a common date through Mint State 67. Population reports thin at Mint State 68 in line with the rest of the Presidential series, where the alloy resists the contact-free surfaces that registry collectors chase. A Mint set example or a roll-fresh coin satisfies most type and date collectors; certified upper-end pieces appeal to set builders chasing the 2008 quartet specifically. For broader background see the Presidential Dollar series history.