This article is about coin terminology. For banknote terminology, see Glossary of notaphily.
This glossary of numismatics is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to numismatics and coin collecting, as well as sub-fields and related disciplines, with concise explanations for the beginner or professional.
Numismatics (ancient Greek: νομισματική, meaning "monetary") is the scientific study of money and its history in all its varied forms. While numismatists are often characterized as studying coins, the discipline also includes the study of other types of money, such as banknotes, stock certificates, medals, medallions, and tokens (also referred to as exonumia).
Sub-fields and related fields of numismatics include:
Exonumia, the study of coin-like objects such as token coins and medals, and other items used in place of legal currency or for commemoration.
The filing down of a blank to the correct weight before striking, shown by file marks. File marks are often still visible on the surface of a coin even after being struck.
alliance coinage
Coins minted by two or more state governments in cooperation. Examples include the Euro coins.
A homogeneous mixture of two or more chemical elements, where the resulting compound has metallic properties. Common coin alloys include cupro-nickel (copper and nickel) and bronze (copper and tin).
altered date
A false date put on a coin to defraud collectors, usually to make it appear more valuable. Such alterations are often easily spotted with the aid of a magnifying glass.
anepigraphic coin
A coin without an epigraph or inscription. Many ancient coins used only a simple picture of an animal to show value or weight.
The process of repeatedly heating and cooling metal in order to relieve stresses. This is often done with coin blanks to make the metal less brittle before striking.
A test to ascertain the weight and purity of a coin.
attribution
An identifier of a coin, such as date, mint, denomination, or variety.
Bedit
bag mark
Also called a contact mark.
A surface mark, or nick, on a coin, usually from contact with other coins in a mint bag.[1] More often seen on large gold or silver coins.
banker's mark
A small countermark applied to a coin by a bank or a trader indicating that they consider the coin to be genuine and of legal weight. These are found on ancient and medieval coins as well as on silver coins which circulated in China and Japan, where they are referred to as chop-marks.
A low-grade alloy of gold or silver with a high percentage of another metal, usually copper.[1] Billon is often produced in response to a sudden debasing of circulating silver coinage due to hyperinflation.
A coin with one type of metal in the center with an outer ring of a different metal. Examples are the 1 and 2 Euro coins and the Canadian "toonie" two-dollar coin.
Originally referring to metal wasted in coin production, now means coins struck when the previous coin remains stuck to a die, creating an incuse impression in the next struck coin (primarily found in ancient coins).
Precious metals in the form of coins whose market value is determined by metallic content rather than scarcity.
bullion value
The current market value of the raw precious metal content of a coin. For example, the bullion value for Canadian silver coins minted between 1920 and 1966 is 12 times the face value when silver is $20.00 per troy ounce.
Coins produced by pouring metal into a mold. Used for the first Ancient Roman bronze "As" coins and Chinese "cash" coins, but rarely used today. Modern counterfeit coins are often cast.
centum
One one-hundredth of the basic monetary unit of a currency system. Originally a Latin term, there are many variations in modern languages, including the English cent and Romance languages centavos, centimos, centesimos or centimes. Each of these units is valued at one one-hundredth of its corresponding base unit, such as the dollar, euro, peso, etc.
certified coin
A coin that has been graded and authenticated by one of numerous independent grading services.[1] See also encapsulated coin.
Tokens generally issued initially by Scottish parishes (die stamped one-side only to show the parish) and later in the United States and Canada. They were square or oblong, made of lead, iron or brass and measured 1/4" to 1".[4]
circulated
A term used to indicate a coin that has wear.
clad coinage
Issues of coins using cladding with a center core and an outer layer of differing metals or alloys bonded together. The current U.S. Quarter, dime, and half dollar are made of cupronickel-clad copper.
clipping coins
Describes the removal of, usually, precious metal from the edge of a coin using shears or a similar tool for fraudulent purposes. The removed metal could be accumulated as bullion and sold or used to make counterfeit coins.
The term used to describe the positions of the obverse (front) and reverse (back) designs relative to each other. A medal alignment describes a coin struck so that when the obverse side is facing upright, and the coin is turned on its vertical axis, the reverse side is also facing upright. A coin alignment describes a coin struck so that when the obverse side is facing upright, the coin must be flipped top-to-bottom to see the reverse side facing upright. Generally, Canadian coins are struck with medal alignment and U.S. coins are struck with coin alignment.
collar
The outer ring of the die chamber that holds the blank in place while the obverse and reverse are being stamped.
contact marks
Minor abrasions on uncirculated coinage created by contact with other coins.[1] Also called bag marks.
countermark
Also counterstamp.
Partial or complete over-stamping of a coin or token in order to change its value or issuing authority, or to display an advertisement, political slogan or symbol, etc. Stamping may consist of a number (value), symbol (authority), letters (advertisement or slogan), or any combination of the above.
crown
A large coin often struck in precious metal. Modern crowns are usually not highly circulated due to being too large and/or too heavy. The United States' last crown-sized coin minted for circulation was the Eisenhower Dollar, last struck in 1978.
cud
A defect in which a coin has raised metal near its edge. It is caused by a chipped die.[1]
Dedit
debase
To lower the silver/gold value of the coin by altering its purity, but with the same face value as the pure coin. This often happens during periods of high inflation.
denticles
Small, tooth-like projecting points on the inside edge of a coin.
A metal piece engraved with the design used for stamping a coin.
die clash
Caused when a coin planchet fails to be placed between two dies during the minting process, causing the dies to smash together. The design of one or both may impress into the opposite die, causing a "shadow" of the design to appear on subsequent coins minted with the damaged dies. The impact of the two dies may also result in die cracks or defects.
die crack
A fine raised line on a coin that was caused by a crack in the die.[1]
die defect
An imperfection of various sorts caused by a damaged die. May refer to a crack or clash or a chip out of the die, etc. A defect from a chipped die is called a cud.[1]
die marriage
The combination of a particular obverse and reverse set of dies. If one die is replaced, a new die marriage is created.
die state
A variation in the appearance of a coin struck by a single die, resulting from wear or alteration of the die. For example, the presence or absence of die cracks may signal a specific die state.
die variety
A minor variation in a die, including repunched mintmarks, doubling or deliberate minor changes to the die design.
A coin issued in the United States worth $0.10 (ten cents). While the term dime is American in origin, Canadians often use the term as well.
dipping
The chemical cleaning of a coin with a diluted acid. This "cleanliness" is a result of the surface of the coin being dissolved by the acid. Dipped coins almost always have a lower numismatic value than when they were in their former "dirty" state, hence most numismatists do not recommend dipping or any other method of cleaning coins as doing so will likely reduce the coin's value.
A coin where a die is struck, bounced, and then struck again slightly offset from first strike (common on ancient and medieval coins where hubs were not used), resulting in a coin with a "doubled" image.
An error that occurs in the production of a coin,[1] for example, due to an engraving or die-cutting error. Coin errors are often unique, although engraving errors can appear on all of the coins produced until the error is corrected resulting in error varieties.
The value that is written on a coin. For example, an American one-cent coin has a face value of 1 cent. A collectable coin or bullion coin is usually worth many times its face value.
unofficial coin or paper note (not legal tender) made to honor a person or event, for advertising purposes, for humor, for artistic purposes, or to show how it might have looked had it been actually issued.
field
The background area of a coin not used for a design or inscription.[1]
filler
A coin that is very worn and/or damaged, but may still be included in a collection if it is a key coin.[1]
Purity of precious metal content expressed in terms of one thousand parts, e.g. 90% pure is expressed as .900 fine.[1] The purest gold bullion coin is .99999 fine.
A coin of exceptionally high quality, where quality is determined not just by wear of the coin in circulation but also by the wear and artistic quality of the dies from which it was minted. These factors are crucial for ancient coinage where variability was higher than in modern mints. See also grade.
flip strike
An error caused by the coin flipping over after being struck, and then struck a second time, resulting in each face of the coin showing a "ghost" of the opposite face.
Gedit
gem
A coin of exceptionally high quality or good condition, such as Gem Uncirculated or Gem Proof.
The condition of a coin or the amount of wear that a coin has received. Common grade terms used in North America, from worst to best, are Poor (Po), Fair (Fr), About Good (AG), Good (G), Very Good (VG), Fine (F), Very Fine (VF), Extra/Extremely Fine (EF or XF), Almost Uncirculated (AU), Uncirculated (UNC), and Brilliant Uncirculated (BU). Grading criteria may also include color, strength of strike, and "eye appeal".
A coin that has been struck by hand, using dies and a hammer.[6]
high relief
A coin with the raised design high above the field. Coins struck in high relief often have problems with details not coming up sharp enough and dies having a shorter than usual lifespan. If the design is higher than the rim, the coin may not be stackable, and the highest points of the design will wear away very quickly.
(Australia) A Spanish eight-real coin with a hole in the centre, stamped with New South Wales 1813 on the obverse and five shilling on the reverse.
hub
A positive-image punch that impresses a coin's design onto a die.[1]
Iedit
incuse
Part of the coin's design that has been impressed below the surface (intaglio).[1] Not as popular as the "relief" method due to the difficulty of striking clearly and the shorter lifespan of dies.
A unit measurement of the purity of gold. Usually marked K or k; 24K is pure gold, 18K is .750 fine. Not to be confused with the similar term carat, which is used with precious stones. Both terms originally referred to the seed of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua or Siliqua Graeca). A Roman coin called the solidus weighed 24 "carats" or "siliquae", 1/6 of a scruple, which eventually became the standard of purity in Western Europe.
key coin
A rarer or higher valued coin within a series.[1] As an example, 1923 and 1925 are key coins in the Canadian small cent series.
A style of coin portraiture started in ancient Rome whose coins often showed the Emperor's head crowned with a laurel wreath. The American Barber coins from 1892 to 1915 and the first portrait of Queen Elizabeth II used in Great Britain from 1953 to 1967 are modern examples.
The appearance of a coin's ability to reflect light; brilliance. Percentage of the original mint luster is one of the factors in determining grades of "Mint State" coins (e.g. MS-60, MS-65).
An annual gift made on Maundy Thursday of a set of pure silver coins made by the Royal Mint and distributed personally by the monarch to the poor of Canterbury. The number of sets distributed reflects the age of the monarch at the time.[7]
A method of striking coins in which both the obverse and reverse dies are aligned in the same direction. Most Canadian coins are struck this way. Contrast coin alignment.
A small letter or other symbol inscribed on a coin, indicating at which mint the coin was struck. Examples are "S" for San Francisco on U.S. coins, or "A" for Paris on French coins.
mint roll
Newly minted coins wrapped in rolls of a certain quantity, by the mint or issuing authority.
mint set
A set of uncirculated coins packaged and sold by a mint.[1]
Another term for uncirculated or fleur de coin, usually used in North America. Conditions range from MS-60 to MS-70.
mis-strike
An off-centre striking of a coin.
monster box
A large plastic shipping box for silver bullion coins, holding 500 coins. U.S. Silver Eagles are shipped in green monster boxes while Canadian Maple Leafs are shipped in red monster boxes.
A coin struck from two dies never intended to be used together.[1]
Nedit
NCLT
Non-circulating legal tender. These coins are issued in "limited editions" for collectors and are typically sold for far more than their face value. While these coins are technically legal tender, their bullion value usually far exceeds their face value.
A coin minted from official dies that is not a regular issue, and intended to evaluate new alloys or designs. Patterns can be divided in three categories.
1. A coin which represents a new design, motto, or denomination, proposed but not adopted, at least for the same year. Most of the unadopted designs fit into this modality.
2. Die trials: A coin made with the regular issue dies, in metals other than the proper. Usually minted to verify details of a new coin, value or design.
3. Experimental pieces: A very similar process to "die trials", but with subtle differences. A coin minted with a die, official or not, to try a new metal, alloy, or shape.
Coins specially struck for collectors using polished dies and planchets.[1] The resulting coins usually have a mirror field and raised areas are frosted in appearance.
proof set
A set of proof coins packaged and sold by the mint.[1]
punch mark
A coin struck from "punching" the coin with symbols or a seal, e.g. five punch marked coins of ancient India. Punch marks generally represent animals, tree, hills, and human figures. These coins were issued by royal authority and generally marked with banker's punches on the reverse.
The back or "tails" side of a coin. The opposite of obverse.[1]
reverse proof
A proof coin that has its fields frosted and the design and lettering with a mirror finish. Standard proof coins have the fields mirrored and the design and lettering frosted.
The difference between the face value of a money and the cost to produce and distribute it. When a government issues new coinage, it earns the seigniorage in profit (or loss if negative).
silver dollar
A one-dollar coin minted in the United States until 1935, and in Canada until 1967. Dollar coins made after those dates are also sometimes called "silver dollars", although they are actually made of nickel or other metal. Dollar coins struck in Canada since 1987 are more commonly referred to as loonies because of the loon design on the reverse.
An alloy of iron, carbon and another element, usually chromium, that is resistant to rusting. Coins struck on stainless steel are very durable and maintain their shiny appearance, but the hardness of the metal requires that the coins have a low relief in order to prolong die life.
A proposed United States gold coin worth $100 (one hundred dollars). Only one pattern "half union" is known to exist. Platinum $100 coins are not technically "unions".
Fine details of a coin's design which set it apart from the normal issue. Varieties arise as a result of intended (die variety) or unintended (mint-made error) alterations to the basic coin design that occur during the die production stage.
Yedit
year set
A set of coins for any specific year containing one of each denomination of that year.[1]
A grey, inexpensive metal, usually alloyed with copper to make brass coins, but also used in pure form for emergency coinage when the usual coinage metal is not available due to war or other serious crisis. Much of the coinage struck in Nazi-occupied Europe was tin-plated zinc.
^ abcdDavid Sear. Greek Imperial Coins and Their Values. Spink Books, 1982. ISBN9781912667352 p. xxxv.
^ abAllen G. Berman. Warman's Coins And Paper Money: Identification and Price Guide. Penguin, 2008. ISBN9781440219153
^Tenney, Mary McWhorter (1936), Communion Tokens: Their History and Use, With a Treatise on the Relation of the Sacrament to the Vitality and Revivals of the Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, pp. 11–16
^ abcJonathan Edwards. Catalogue of the Greek and Roman Coins in the Numismatic Collection of Yale College, Volume 2. Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor, 1880. p. 228.
2005 Blackbook Price Guide to United States Paper MoneyISBN1-4000-4839-7
(archived 19 February 2007)
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Coins & Coin Collecting by Dr. James Mackay, ISBN0-681-45952-2.
December 15, 2023
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This article is about coin terminology For banknote terminology see Glossary of notaphily This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Glossary of numismatics news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message This glossary of numismatics is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to numismatics and coin collecting as well as sub fields and related disciplines with concise explanations for the beginner or professional Numismatics ancient Greek nomismatikh meaning monetary is the scientific study of money and its history in all its varied forms While numismatists are often characterized as studying coins the discipline also includes the study of other types of money such as banknotes stock certificates medals medallions and tokens also referred to as exonumia Sub fields and related fields of numismatics include Exonumia the study of coin like objects such as token coins and medals and other items used in place of legal currency or for commemoration Notaphily the study of paper money or banknotes Philately the study of postage stamps Scripophily the study and collection of stocks and bonds Contents A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z References External linksA editadjustment The filing down of a blank to the correct weight before striking shown by file marks File marks are often still visible on the surface of a coin even after being struck alliance coinage Coins minted by two or more state governments in cooperation Examples include the Euro coins alloy A homogeneous mixture of two or more chemical elements where the resulting compound has metallic properties Common coin alloys include cupro nickel copper and nickel and bronze copper and tin altered date A false date put on a coin to defraud collectors usually to make it appear more valuable Such alterations are often easily spotted with the aid of a magnifying glass anepigraphic coin A coin without an epigraph or inscription Many ancient coins used only a simple picture of an animal to show value or weight annealing The process of repeatedly heating and cooling metal in order to relieve stresses This is often done with coin blanks to make the metal less brittle before striking assay A test to ascertain the weight and purity of a coin attribution An identifier of a coin such as date mint denomination or variety B editbag mark Also called a contact mark A surface mark or nick on a coin usually from contact with other coins in a mint bag 1 More often seen on large gold or silver coins banker s mark A small countermark applied to a coin by a bank or a trader indicating that they consider the coin to be genuine and of legal weight These are found on ancient and medieval coins as well as on silver coins which circulated in China and Japan where they are referred to as chop marks base metal Any non precious metal or alloy that does not contain gold or silver Common base metals used in coinage include nickel and copper beading A raised dot border along the rim of a coin billon A low grade alloy of gold or silver with a high percentage of another metal usually copper 1 Billon is often produced in response to a sudden debasing of circulating silver coinage due to hyperinflation bi metallic coin A coin with one type of metal in the center with an outer ring of a different metal Examples are the 1 and 2 Euro coins and the Canadian toonie two dollar coin blank Also called a planchet or flan 1 A prepared disk of metal on which the design for a coin will be stamped 1 2 The un struck or flat side of a uniface coin or medal brass A copper based alloy with zinc brockage Originally referring to metal wasted in coin production now means coins struck when the previous coin remains stuck to a die creating an incuse impression in the next struck coin primarily found in ancient coins bronze Also abbreviated AE 2 or AE 3 A copper based alloy with tin bullion Precious metals platinum gold and silver in the form of bars ingots or plate or in any context where weight is considered as a valuation bullion coin Precious metals in the form of coins whose market value is determined by metallic content rather than scarcity bullion value The current market value of the raw precious metal content of a coin For example the bullion value for Canadian silver coins minted between 1920 and 1966 is 12 times the face value when silver is 20 00 per troy ounce business strike A coin intended for everyday use in commerce C editcameo A strong distinction in the surface appearance of foreground devices relative to the field Proof coins often exhibit this feature carat A unit measurement of the weight of precious stones See karat for the unit of measurement of the purity of gold cast coins Coins produced by pouring metal into a mold Used for the first Ancient Roman bronze As coins and Chinese cash coins but rarely used today Modern counterfeit coins are often cast centum One one hundredth of the basic monetary unit of a currency system Originally a Latin term there are many variations in modern languages including the English cent and Romance languages centavos centimos centesimos or centimes Each of these units is valued at one one hundredth of its corresponding base unit such as the dollar euro peso etc certified coin A coin that has been graded and authenticated by one of numerous independent grading services 1 See also encapsulated coin chop mark See banker s mark church tokens Also called Communion tokens Tokens generally issued initially by Scottish parishes die stamped one side only to show the parish and later in the United States and Canada They were square or oblong made of lead iron or brass and measured 1 4 to 1 4 circulated A term used to indicate a coin that has wear clad coinage Issues of coins using cladding with a center core and an outer layer of differing metals or alloys bonded together The current U S Quarter dime and half dollar are made of cupronickel clad copper clipping coins Describes the removal of usually precious metal from the edge of a coin using shears or a similar tool for fraudulent purposes The removed metal could be accumulated as bullion and sold or used to make counterfeit coins coin alignment The term used to describe the positions of the obverse front and reverse back designs relative to each other A medal alignment describes a coin struck so that when the obverse side is facing upright and the coin is turned on its vertical axis the reverse side is also facing upright A coin alignment describes a coin struck so that when the obverse side is facing upright the coin must be flipped top to bottom to see the reverse side facing upright Generally Canadian coins are struck with medal alignment and U S coins are struck with coin alignment collar The outer ring of the die chamber that holds the blank in place while the obverse and reverse are being stamped contact marks Minor abrasions on uncirculated coinage created by contact with other coins 1 Also called bag marks countermark Also counterstamp Partial or complete over stamping of a coin or token in order to change its value or issuing authority or to display an advertisement political slogan or symbol etc Stamping may consist of a number value symbol authority letters advertisement or slogan or any combination of the above crown A large coin often struck in precious metal Modern crowns are usually not highly circulated due to being too large and or too heavy The United States last crown sized coin minted for circulation was the Eisenhower Dollar last struck in 1978 cud A defect in which a coin has raised metal near its edge It is caused by a chipped die 1 D editdebase To lower the silver gold value of the coin by altering its purity but with the same face value as the pure coin This often happens during periods of high inflation denticles Small tooth like projecting points on the inside edge of a coin designer The artist or creator of a coin s design 1 device A pattern or emblem used in the design of a coin die A metal piece engraved with the design used for stamping a coin die clash Caused when a coin planchet fails to be placed between two dies during the minting process causing the dies to smash together The design of one or both may impress into the opposite die causing a shadow of the design to appear on subsequent coins minted with the damaged dies The impact of the two dies may also result in die cracks or defects die crack A fine raised line on a coin that was caused by a crack in the die 1 die defect An imperfection of various sorts caused by a damaged die May refer to a crack or clash or a chip out of the die etc A defect from a chipped die is called a cud 1 die marriage The combination of a particular obverse and reverse set of dies If one die is replaced a new die marriage is created die state A variation in the appearance of a coin struck by a single die resulting from wear or alteration of the die For example the presence or absence of die cracks may signal a specific die state die variety A minor variation in a die including repunched mintmarks doubling or deliberate minor changes to the die design dime A coin issued in the United States worth 0 10 ten cents While the term dime is American in origin Canadians often use the term as well dipping The chemical cleaning of a coin with a diluted acid This cleanliness is a result of the surface of the coin being dissolved by the acid Dipped coins almost always have a lower numismatic value than when they were in their former dirty state hence most numismatists do not recommend dipping or any other method of cleaning coins as doing so will likely reduce the coin s value Double Eagle U S A A gold coin struck in the United States from 1850 to 1933 worth 20 00 twenty dollars nbsp Example of extreme doubling on the date of a coindouble strike A coin where a die is struck bounced and then struck again slightly offset from first strike common on ancient and medieval coins where hubs were not used resulting in a coin with a doubled image doubled die A die that received two misaligned impressions from a hub more commonly a coin struck by such a die 1 doubloon The popular name of a Spanish gold coin originally valued at 4 dollars The formal term was 2 escudos dump Australia The centre of the holey dollar with a value of fifteen pence E editEagle 1 U S A A gold coin minted in the United States from 1795 to 1933 worth 10 00 ten dollars 2 U S A A series of bullion coins minted in the United States from 1986 through the present edge The rim of a coin often containing a series of reeds lettering or other decoration 1 ecu A large French silver coin made during the end of the monarchy Also a proposed European currency unit effigy The image or likeness of a person usually depicted on the obverse of a coin or medal electrotype A reproduction made by electrodeposition frequently used in museum displays 1 electrum Also abbreviated EL 5 An artificial or naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver used in some of the world s first coinage elongated coin An oval medalet produced by a roller die using a coin token or medal as a planchet usually a cent encapsulated coin A coin that has been authenticated graded and enclosed in plastic by an independent service 1 engraver A person who cuts the image of a design onto a die 1 error An error that occurs in the production of a coin 1 for example due to an engraving or die cutting error Coin errors are often unique although engraving errors can appear on all of the coins produced until the error is corrected resulting in error varieties essai essay A trial strike also in currency a strike intended to test the design exergue Also abbreviated ex 5 A segment of a coin design separated by a line usually indicating the ground in the design in which a legend is placed inscribed F editface value The value that is written on a coin For example an American one cent coin has a face value of 1 cent A collectable coin or bullion coin is usually worth many times its face value fantasy issue unofficial coin or paper note not legal tender made to honor a person or event for advertising purposes for humor for artistic purposes or to show how it might have looked had it been actually issued field The background area of a coin not used for a design or inscription 1 filler A coin that is very worn and or damaged but may still be included in a collection if it is a key coin 1 fineness Purity of precious metal content expressed in terms of one thousand parts e g 90 pure is expressed as 900 fine 1 The purest gold bullion coin is 99999 fine flan See blank fleur de coin FDC A coin of exceptionally high quality where quality is determined not just by wear of the coin in circulation but also by the wear and artistic quality of the dies from which it was minted These factors are crucial for ancient coinage where variability was higher than in modern mints See also grade flip strike An error caused by the coin flipping over after being struck and then struck a second time resulting in each face of the coin showing a ghost of the opposite face G editgem A coin of exceptionally high quality or good condition such as Gem Uncirculated or Gem Proof grade The condition of a coin or the amount of wear that a coin has received Common grade terms used in North America from worst to best are Poor Po Fair Fr About Good AG Good G Very Good VG Fine F Very Fine VF Extra Extremely Fine EF or XF Almost Uncirculated AU Uncirculated UNC and Brilliant Uncirculated BU Grading criteria may also include color strength of strike and eye appeal H editHacksilver Fragments of cut and bent silver items that were used as bullion or as currency by weight in antiquity hammered A coin that has been struck by hand using dies and a hammer 6 high relief A coin with the raised design high above the field Coins struck in high relief often have problems with details not coming up sharp enough and dies having a shorter than usual lifespan If the design is higher than the rim the coin may not be stackable and the highest points of the design will wear away very quickly holey dollar Australia A Spanish eight real coin with a hole in the centre stamped with New South Wales 1813 on the obverse and five shilling on the reverse hub A positive image punch that impresses a coin s design onto a die 1 I editincuse Part of the coin s design that has been impressed below the surface intaglio 1 Not as popular as the relief method due to the difficulty of striking clearly and the shorter lifespan of dies ingot A bar of pure metal formed by pouring the molten metal into a mould It may be stamped with its weight and purity inscription Lettering or wording on a coin 1 intrinsic value The current market value of a coin based on its metallic content For a coin struck on precious metals this is the same as its bullion value 1 K editkarat A unit measurement of the purity of gold Usually marked K or k 24K is pure gold 18K is 750 fine Not to be confused with the similar term carat which is used with precious stones Both terms originally referred to the seed of the carob tree Ceratonia siliqua or Siliqua Graeca A Roman coin called the solidus weighed 24 carats or siliquae 1 6 of a scruple which eventually became the standard of purity in Western Europe key coin A rarer or higher valued coin within a series 1 As an example 1923 and 1925 are key coins in the Canadian small cent series L editlaureate Also abbreviated laur 2 A style of coin portraiture started in ancient Rome whose coins often showed the Emperor s head crowned with a laurel wreath The American Barber coins from 1892 to 1915 and the first portrait of Queen Elizabeth II used in Great Britain from 1953 to 1967 are modern examples legal tender Coins or currency which must be accepted in payment of debt legend The principal inscription on a coin 1 lettered edge The outside edge of a coin containing an inscription 1 low relief A coin with the raised design not very high above the field luster The appearance of a coin s ability to reflect light brilliance Percentage of the original mint luster is one of the factors in determining grades of Mint State coins e g MS 60 MS 65 M editmaster die An original die from which working hubs are made Maundy money An annual gift made on Maundy Thursday of a set of pure silver coins made by the Royal Mint and distributed personally by the monarch to the poor of Canterbury The number of sets distributed reflects the age of the monarch at the time 7 medal alignment A method of striking coins in which both the obverse and reverse dies are aligned in the same direction Most Canadian coins are struck this way Contrast coin alignment medal coin See NCLT milled coinage Machine struck coinage In contrast to hammered coinage and cast coinage milled edge Also called a reeded edge The edge of a coin with grooved lines around the perimeter mint An industrial facility which manufactures coins mint error A defective coin produced by a mint 1 mint luster The shiny frost on the surface of an uncirculated or mint state coin 1 mint mark A small letter or other symbol inscribed on a coin indicating at which mint the coin was struck Examples are S for San Francisco on U S coins or A for Paris on French coins mint roll Newly minted coins wrapped in rolls of a certain quantity by the mint or issuing authority mint set A set of uncirculated coins packaged and sold by a mint 1 Mint State MS Another term for uncirculated or fleur de coin usually used in North America Conditions range from MS 60 to MS 70 mis strike An off centre striking of a coin monster box A large plastic shipping box for silver bullion coins holding 500 coins U S Silver Eagles are shipped in green monster boxes while Canadian Maple Leafs are shipped in red monster boxes motto An inspirational phrase or wording 1 Examples include In God We Trust inscribed on U S currency or Liberte egalite fraternite inscribed on French currency mule A coin struck from two dies never intended to be used together 1 N editNCLT Non circulating legal tender These coins are issued in limited editions for collectors and are typically sold for far more than their face value While these coins are technically legal tender their bullion value usually far exceeds their face value Notgeld emergency money or necessity money refers to money issued by an institution in a time of economic or political crisis O editobverse Also abbreviated obv 2 The front or heads side of a coin 1 overdate A date shown made by superimposing numbers on a previously dated die 1 overgraded A coin in worse condition than stated 1 overstrike An impression with new dies on a previously struck coin 1 P edit nbsp Regular coin essai pattern and piedfortPattern A coin minted from official dies that is not a regular issue and intended to evaluate new alloys or designs Patterns can be divided in three categories 1 A coin which represents a new design motto or denomination proposed but not adopted at least for the same year Most of the unadopted designs fit into this modality 2 Die trials A coin made with the regular issue dies in metals other than the proper Usually minted to verify details of a new coin value or design 3 Experimental pieces A very similar process to die trials but with subtle differences A coin minted with a die official or not to try a new metal alloy or shape patina A surface film caused by oxidation usually green or brown mostly found on older silver copper or bronze coins pedigree The provenance or record of previous owners of a coin 1 piedfort A coin struck on a planchet that is thicker than normal typically twice as thick Piefort is a common misspelling planchet A blank prepared piece of metal on which the coin is struck 1 portrait The obverse front side image 8 post mint damage Damage or alternation to a coin that occurs after minting May be mistaken for a true error coin privy mark A small mark often hidden on a coin traditionally to indicate the mintmaster or moneyer proclamation coins Coins declared legal tender even though they are not issued by the sovereign but by another sovereign nbsp 2002 Lincoln cent obverse proof with cameoproof Coins specially struck for collectors using polished dies and planchets 1 The resulting coins usually have a mirror field and raised areas are frosted in appearance proof set A set of proof coins packaged and sold by the mint 1 punch mark A coin struck from punching the coin with symbols or a seal e g five punch marked coins of ancient India Punch marks generally represent animals tree hills and human figures These coins were issued by royal authority and generally marked with banker s punches on the reverse Q editQuarter U S A Canada A coin issued in the United States or Canada worth 0 25 twenty five cents Short for Quarter Dollar Quarter Eagle U S A A gold coin issued in the United States worth 2 50 two dollars and fifty cents 1 R editraw A coin that has not been encapsulated by any coin grading service 1 reeded edge See milled edge relief The part of the coin s design that is raised above the field opposite of incuse 1 re strike A coin struck from genuine dies at a date later than the original issue 1 Some of the 1804 U S Silver Dollars were re strikes repunched date A coin variety on which the puncheon with which the date is applied to the hub has been used a second time often to cover a first failed attempt reverse Also abbreviated 2 5 or rev 3 The back or tails side of a coin The opposite of obverse 1 reverse proof A proof coin that has its fields frosted and the design and lettering with a mirror finish Standard proof coins have the fields mirrored and the design and lettering frosted rim The raised portion of the design along the edge that protects the coin from wear 1 It also makes the coins stackable and easy to roll by machine round A round one ounce bullion piece generally issued privately S editseries A set of years in which a coin was minted with a specific design and denomination 1 scruple One Roman scruple is equal to 1 24 Roman uncia the modern nominal estimate of the weight of the Roman scruple is 1 125 grams seigniorage The difference between the face value of a money and the cost to produce and distribute it When a government issues new coinage it earns the seigniorage in profit or loss if negative silver dollar A one dollar coin minted in the United States until 1935 and in Canada until 1967 Dollar coins made after those dates are also sometimes called silver dollars although they are actually made of nickel or other metal Dollar coins struck in Canada since 1987 are more commonly referred to as loonies because of the loon design on the reverse slab The plastic case containing a coin that has been graded and encapsulated 1 Spanish dollar Also called a piece of eight A coin issued in Spain and its colonies from 1497 to 1864 equal to eight reales It was legal tender in the United States until 1857 spot price In numismatics quoted market value of one troy ounce of a precious metal in bullion form stainless steel An alloy of iron carbon and another element usually chromium that is resistant to rusting Coins struck on stainless steel are very durable and maintain their shiny appearance but the hardness of the metal requires that the coins have a low relief in order to prolong die life T edit nbsp A rare and historic Bechuanaland Border Police canteen tokentoken A privately issued piece that has redeemable value for goods or services but is not an official government coin 1 An example is a subway token tombac A brass alloy that was used to make Canadian 5 cent coins in 1942 and 1943 during which there was a shortage of the usual nickel due to World War II A shortage of copper forced a switch to chromium plated steel in 1944 trade dollar Silver dollar issued specifically for trade with a foreign country 1 truncation The sharply cut off bottom edge of a portrait or bust 1 The coin engraver s initials are often found on the truncation type A coin s basic distinguishing design 1 type set One of each coin of a particular design series or time period 1 U edituncirculated A coin that has never been used thus retaining all or most of its original luster 1 uniface A coin struck with the design on one side only union A proposed United States gold coin worth 100 one hundred dollars Only one pattern half union is known to exist Platinum 100 coins are not technically unions unique An item of which only one is known to exist 1 upset A coin struck on which the obverse and reverse are out of alignment V editvariety Fine details of a coin s design which set it apart from the normal issue Varieties arise as a result of intended die variety or unintended mint made error alterations to the basic coin design that occur during the die production stage Y edityear set A set of coins for any specific year containing one of each denomination of that year 1 Z editzinc A grey inexpensive metal usually alloyed with copper to make brass coins but also used in pure form for emergency coinage when the usual coinage metal is not available due to war or other serious crisis Much of the coinage struck in Nazi occupied Europe was tin plated zinc References edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb Yeoman Richard 2020 A Guide Book of United States Coins 2021 74th ed Pelham AL Whitman Publishing pp 451 53 ISBN 978 0794847968 a b c d David Sear Greek Imperial Coins and Their Values Spink Books 1982 ISBN 9781912667352 p xxxv a b Allen G Berman Warman s Coins And Paper Money Identification and Price Guide Penguin 2008 ISBN 9781440219153 Tenney Mary McWhorter 1936 Communion Tokens Their History and Use With a Treatise on the Relation of the Sacrament to the Vitality and Revivals of the Church Grand Rapids Michigan Zondervan Publishing House pp 11 16 a b c Jonathan Edwards Catalogue of the Greek and Roman Coins in the Numismatic Collection of Yale College Volume 2 Tuttle Morehouse amp Taylor 1880 p 228 Coin Numismatic Terminology www Gold Sovereign net 2013 08 13 Retrieved 2013 09 04 Maundy Money Coins the Royal Mint How to Describe Your Coins to Other Collectors Bibliography editCoin World Glossary 7 April 2007 Dictionary com A Guide Book of United States Coins by R S Yeoman ISBN 0 7948 1790 4 2005 Blackbook Price Guide to United States Paper Money ISBN 1 4000 4839 7 Numismatic Terms and Methods from the American Numismatic Society archived 19 February 2007 The Complete Illustrated Guide to Coins amp Coin Collecting by Dr James Mackay ISBN 0 681 45952 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Glossary of numismatics amp oldid 1186858222, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
