Jeff Garrett:The mintage for the 1908-S Double Eagle is tiny in comparison to other issues of the era. The coins must have entered circulation rather quickly, as no significant groups of the date have been discovered over the decades. Most of the coins encountered have been circulated. The date is extremely popular, probably due to the low mintage. Gems do exist for the date, as several superb coins are known. The metal quality for 1908-S Double Eagles must be somewhat different than others for the year. Many are seen with large splashes of copper staining. The colorations can be quite beautiful and does not seem to distract from the value of this popular date.