First Strike

First Strike is a label designation applied by a third-party grading service to coins submitted within a defined early window following the release of a new issue. It appears as extra text on the insert inside the slab, alongside the grade rather than as part of it.

The designation is about submission timing, not about the coin itself. It records that the coin reached the grading service within the stated window after release. It does not mean the coin was among the first pieces struck from a new die, and it says nothing about strike quality, die state, or eye appeal. A First Strike coin and an otherwise identical coin without the label carry the same grade if they grade the same.

Both major services use early-release style designations, with their own terminology and their own qualifying periods.

For a buyer, the practical point is to keep the designation separate from condition. When you compare two certified coins, the number on the label is what describes the coin. Label designations are a marketing and packaging distinction that some collectors value and others ignore.

A Texas Bullion Exchange specialist can explain what is on a particular label before you buy.