US Mint Bait & Switch

So that's it?
We get no closure here?

I went through this with you a month or so ago I think? no mint mark on an ASE does NOT mean it's Philadelphia. Generically, it just means it's bullion. Bullion ASE have been minted in West Point mostly, but secondarily San Francisco and Philadelphia. By far West Point is the most common. But other than graded with an implied mint mark, there is no way to tell. You can't buy a raw bullion ASE and know where it was minted.

Whom are you huh-ing?

Right, the OP didn't. I am quoting "Errers an Varieties" mentioning the ASE be bought without a mint mark, which means it's bullion, but does not mean it's Philadelphia like many US circulating coins.
I am not replying to the OP.

Sorry for keeping you guys in suspense and no you don't scare me The weekend keeps me busy.

So thanks for the info and yes it does have the S mark on the obverse but the bigger question now is why?

Better yet why do I have what appears to be a W mark on the front?

No the mint mark is on the reverse. The obverse is the front, the reverse is the reverse.
The mint mark on ASEs has always been on the reverse side.

The obverse was slightly redesigned in 2021. It is supposed to be a closer representation to the original Weinman design.
The original Walking Liberty design didn't have this prominent AW initials, but the mint saw fit to add them and confused the whole hobby, it seems, given that the West Point mint makes the bulk of ASEs. But no, the mint mark again is always always on the reverse of an ASE.

There are several resources out there to get more background on the 2021 redesign. If you are intent on collecting them, I'd study up.

Here's a copy and paste of some further info. You might say "it's a lot to take in". Many people have been confused over these initials.

"For the obverse introduced with the Reverse of 2021 production, Mint medallic artists used original plaster models and tooling assets from the 1916 half dollar to refresh the design.

The 2021 silver coin returns some of the elements to their original positions, such as the folds of the flag and the sun's rays.

The font for the inscription matches that used on the 1916 coin. Weinman's artist initials are placed on the 2021 to the field below IN GOD WE TRUST. On the Walking Liberty half dollar series, Weinman's initials appear on the reverse in the field below the eagle's left wing."

Trying to make the coin - at least the obverse - look as close to the original as possible.