Dictionary of COIN COLLECTING TERMINOLOGY - Definitions and lingos that coin collectors use -Lynn Coins


 

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COIN
COLLECTING
ARTICLES

1 - " What is a Troy Ounce? "    (click here to read the article)

3 - " What is a Proof coin? "  (click here to read the article) 

4 - " The Secret Stash of Silver Dollars: True story about the Lavere Redfield hoard "  (click here to read the article) 

5 - " What is so great about Platinum? "  (click here to read the article)    

6 - " Investing in Gold and Precious metals "(click here to read the article)   

7 - " Phishing - how to protect yourself from email scams " (click here to read the article)   

8 - " Louisianna Purchase 2004 nickels - Peace Medal and

        Keel Boat design  (click here to read about them)

9 - " What is PCGS - the Professional Coin Grading Service? "  (click here to read about it)

10- " What is NGC - Numismatic Guaranty Corporation "  (click here to read about it)

11- " When does Deflation Occur? " (click here to read 2 part article) 

12- " The Elliott Wave Theory - movement of the markets "  (click here to read the article)

13 - " More about the Elliott Wave Theory"  (click here to read the article)

14 - " The Coming Economic Crash - by Robert Precter "  (click here to read the article)

15 - " Postage Stamp Currency - 1862 civil war article "  (click here to read the article)

16 - "Continental Currency of the United States" - Revolutionary war paper money inflation and devaluation - 1863 civil war article  (click here to read) 

17 - "American Gold Eagles and Silver Eagle (Uncirculated) Coins Mintages and Sales Figures"  (Click here to visit the page)

18. - " American Gold Eagles and US Silver Eagle Proof Coins Mintages and Sales Figures"  (Click here to visit the page)

19. - " Susan B. Anthony coin and Sacagewea golden US dollar coin mintages and production numbers"  (Click here to view the page)

20.- "Chinese PANDA Bear gold coin mintages and production numbers"   (Click here to view the page)

21. - " United States Proof coin and Mint SET production figures and mintages"   (Click here to view the information)

22. - " US 50 State Statehood Quarter production figures and coin mintage Tables"   (Click here to view the table) 

23. - " All about the Chinese New Year - What Chinese Lunar (Zodiac) Animal Year was it When You Were Born?"    (Click here to read about it)

24.  - " Kangaroo nugget Australia gold coin mintages and information."  (Click here to read)

25. -  " Kookaburra Australian Silver coins mintages and specifications."   (Click here to read.)

26. -  " Chinese year of the Animal - Australia Lunar Series Silver coins facts and mintages."  (click here to read)


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Coin Collecting and Investment Articles:

(Articles about Coins, metals and investments):

 

Silver coin value guide - FREE !

What's a proof coin?

Money History

Metals as Investments

What's a Troy Ounce

The Redfield Dollars

Lunar series coins and the Chinese calendar

All about Platinum

Bullion Vault Gold

Protection from Phishing

2004-2005 nickels

Elliott Wave Theory

The Fed is Lousy

Financial Manias

Books, reports, websites

 

Coin Questions & Answers

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Dictionary of COIN COLLECTING  
WORDS and their MEANINGS

A Glossary of Coin Collector Words, Definitions, and Abbreviations

Every hobby has its own terminology. Coin collecting is no different.

Below is a glossary dictionary of coin collecting terms and their meanings. 

Click on a letter if you want to jump to that letter:
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


A

about good

- one of the lowest grades in most grading standard books. Typically an about good coin is a very worn coin with some outline of the design and a readable date. Falls below below the grade of good.

About Uncirculated

- Same as "Almost Uncirculated".  (See "almost uncirculated".)  Sometimes abbreviated as "AU".

abrasion

- marks or small scratches on the surface of a coin where another coin or object has slid across or bumped the coin. Can also be caused by the coin sliding in a holder or coin drawer. Not as deep or noticeable as bag marks. Just a touch of wear, usually found on the high parts of a coin or in the open fields (background).

accumulation

- A group of coins, sometimes not of any certain type or date. Also can be a "hoard".

Ag

- elemental abbreviation for SILVER

AG

- Same as "About good".

album friction or slide markings

- see friction.

alloy

- a mixture of two or more metals melted into one compound.

Almost Uncirculated

- A coin or paper money note that is very close to being uncirculated. Upon first glance it may appear uncirculated. When inspected closely it will have a slight amount of wear or friction. Same as "About Uncirculated". Sometimes abbreviated as "AU".

alteration

- see altered date.

altered date

- a coin with the date manipulated or altered after the coin was produced. Often done deceivingly to make a coin appear to be rarer or more valuable. For example, someone might alter the date of a 1944-D cent, by filing off the "4" to make it look like a "1".  Thus it would look like a scarce 1914-D cent.

American Eagle

Silver, gold, and platinum gold coins released by the US government starting in Oct. 1986. Front depict Liberty walking and reverse side bears an American Eagle and nest design. Produced in both Uncirculated and Proof conditions.

American Numismatic Association

- the most popular nonprofit educational coin collectors organization in America. Encourages the study of numismatics; collecting of money. Often called the A.N.A.

A.N.A.

- abbreviation for the "American Numismatic Association."

ANACS

- American Numismatic Association Certification Service.  This grading and certification service certifies coins as genuine, grades, and encapsulates them.  One of the original grading services.  Has now changed ownership and is no longer under the direction of the American Numismatic Association (ANA).

anvil die

- bottom die. A coin is struck using two dies. One for the obverse (front) of the coin and another for the reverse (back). The anvil die is the one on the bottom, which is usually the reverse. The term comes from when the die was placed on an anvil with the coin blank (planchet) on top. The hammer die (top die) was placed on top of the coin and struck with a hammer. See "hammer die" and "die".

annealing

- the process of heating coin blanks (planchets) in a furnace to soften the metal prior to striking coins out of them.

ask price

- The price a dealer or trader is asking for a coin. Often used to indicate the "wholesale" asking price between dealers or on a coin trading network.

assay

- to determine the purity of the metal by scientific means.

Au

- elemental abbreviation for GOLD

AU

- See "About Uncirculated" or "Almost Uncirculated".

B

BU     -  see Brilliant Uncirculated
 
bag mark

- Mark(s) on a coin that occurred during the production process. The term comes from when coins bump into each other when placed in bags at the mint. Larger size coins typically exhibit more bag marks than smaller ones. A coin can still be uncirculated even if it has obvious bag marks.

bar

- usually an "ingot" shaped as a rectangle. Can be gold, silver, or any precious metal. Gold and silver bars vary in size from 1 gram up to thousands of ounces.

bid

- the price a dealer (or dealers) are offering to pay for a coin. Sometimes used to indicate a standing offer at that price from a coin dealer or on a trading network. Also, see "site unseen".

bit

- slang used to indicate one eighth of a dollar. In early days of this countries history the Spanish Milled Dollar (pillar dollar or 8 reales) circulated. Due to a shortage of smaller coins these silver dollars were often cut into pieces shaped like slices of pizza. A small piece equal to one eighth of the dollar was called a "piece of eight" or a "bit". The nursery rime "two bits, four bits, 6 bits, a dollar" comes from this time in history." Example, two bits = two eighths or a quarter.

blank

- a blank piece of metal on which a coin design can be stamped. Also called a planchlet. Usually already cut into the shape of a coin - but without any design.

bourse

- see "show".

brilliant uncirculated

- a descriptive term used to indicate an uncirculated coin that still retains a lot of the brilliant luster, sparkle, or brilliance. Better brilliance than a typical uncirculated coin.  Not a heavily toned coin. BU is used to abbreviate brilliant uncirculated.

buffing

- a polishing of a coin sometimes with an abrasive that leaves a finish that attempts to counterfeit mint luster. A buffed coin often is worth less than one that has not been cleaned. See whizzed.

bullion

-term used when referring to items made of precious metal. Particularly silver, gold, and platinum. Often produced in the form of ingots, bars, rounds, and coins. Bullion value of a coin would be the "value of the metal" the coin contains.

bullion coin

- coins made of precious metal and traded at current bullion prices, or at a small premium over bullion.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing  (BEP)

- United States government agency that produces paper money for the U.S. and some other countries.

business strike

- a coin produced for general use and circulation. Non-business strikes would be coins such as proofs, and special uncirculated coins or sets not intended to circulate.

bust

- portrait on a coin, usually the head or head and shoulders.

 

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C

cameo

- a coin (usually a proof) that has a mirror like background to the surface of the coin and a design that is frosted looking.  Special treatment of the dies (that strike the coins) make this cameo frosted effect.  Modern day proof coins are struck from specially treated dies to give this frosted (cameo) appearance.  On older proof coins the first produced by a die might have a cameo appearance.  Later as the dies starts to wear (or break in) the coins produced will have less and less of the cameo frosting.   Most proof US coins prior to the mid 1960's will have a mirror like surface over the whole coin.  One with a frosted cameo design will bring a premium, sometimes a substantial one.  Even today, some coins sell for more if the cameo effect is more pronounced than the typical coin.                                                                                                   

cast coin

- a coin that was made by pouring melted metal into a mold or cast. Not made by striking a die against a coin blank, like most coins. Casting was a common process used to try to counterfeit coins.

certified

- A coin determined to be genuine by a coin grading or authentication service. Sometimes graded as well. Often a certified coin is accompanied by a photograph certificate or is sealed in a plastic slab. See "slabbed"

chop marks

- oriental marks or characters stamped into previously made coins. Often found on silver trade dollars and other precious metal coins. When coins were used for trading purposes a oriental assayer would test a piece of the coin for purity. If it met his approval he would stamp his mark into the coin indicating to others it was pure and accurate weight. Today some collectors specialize in "Chop marked" coins. However, for many coins the chop marks may hurt the value.

circulation

- coins used in commerce to purchase items by the populace are in circulation. A circulated coin is one that has been used one time or often more. Coins that have any kind of wear from handling, etc are also considered circulated.

clad

- Clad coinage is a term used to describe coins that have a core of one type of metal and an outer layer of another metal or metals. US dimes, quarters, and half dollars since 1965 have been clad. Clad differs from a plated coin in that the clad blank (or planchlet) is treated to seal the layers of metal together.

clad coin

- Coins that have a core (center layer) and outer layer made of different metals. Starting in 1965 all circulating US dimes, quarters, and halves have been clad. (See silver clad)

coin

- object usually made of flat metal, small and round. Issued by a government as money. Usually, accepted by community as having value.

coin show

- see "show".

coin silver

- in the United States coin silver usually refers to the purity of silver used in circulating coins prior to 1965.  At that time dimes and larger silver coins were minted of 90% silver and 10% copper.  In other parts of the world the term "coin silver" may refer to the purity of their silver coins.

 

Coin World

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collar

- when a coin is struck the collar on the printing press surrounds the rim of the coin preventing the metal from flowing outside of the collar.

colonials

- coins produced by the colony states prior to the time the United States government was formed. Most were made of copper and in small denominations.

commem

- nickname for commemorative.  See "commemorative".

commemorative

- a special coin or medal issued to honor an outstanding person, place, or event. Often one time or short lived production. Many times commemorative coins are not produced for general circulation.

condition

- The physical state of a coin. Usually indicating the amount of wear. (See grading standards)

contact mark

- a mark or marks on a coin that happened from coming in contact with another coin or object. Usually contact marks are small. Often this term is used to indicate marks on a coin that are not as obvious as bag marks. However, sometimes it is used to mean the same thing. See "abrasions", "bag mark", or "gouges".

copper nickel

- A metal alloy of 88% copper and 12% nickel. This alloy was used for US Flying Eagle and Indian cents from 1856 to the middle of 1864. The alloy caused these small cents to have a pale copper color. Back then people called these cents "white cents" because of their pale color. A few other countries have used some copper nickel alloys of various percentages in their coin production. "Cupro-nickel" is a similar term. See "cupro nickel".

coppers

- nick name for older copper coins, particularly the large cents, and half cents.

copy

- refers to a reproduction of a coin or paper note. Some copies may be illegal. Current government regulations require reproductions of US coins and paper money to be much larger or smaller than the original. For copies of tokens and non-US-government coins the "hobby protection act" requires that the item contains the word "copy" or "reproduction" in a readable visible place. Advice: Don't get caught making a copy of something without finding out exactly what is legal.

corrosion

- chemical reaction on the surface of a coin. Corrosion can result from a coin coming in contact with other things (chemicals) including chemicals in the air. This can come about because of things coming in contact with the coin years earlier. Corrosion damages a coins surface and is usually worse in copper, nickel, zinc, and silver coins. Some experts think that toning on the surface of a coin may help slow down this harmful process. Also see "toning".

counterfeit

- a coin or piece of currency that is fake or reproduced in order to make people think it is genuine.

cud

- cattle ranchers have one definition for cud. Coin collectors have a different one. When a coin is struck by a broken die the place where the die is broken or missing will often show up as extra metal on the surface of a coin. This extra piece of metal or "cud" can be from a piece of the die being missing or a still intact, but moved.

 
cull

- a coin that is below grade compared to other coins around it.  Sometimes used to mean a slick or very worn coin.  "To cull it out" - means to remove from others because of its defects or low grade.

 
copro-nickel  (copper-nickel, or coppro-nickel)

- a mixture of copper, nickel, and possibly other metals. Today this term is most often used to refer to the current coins made by fusing layers of copper and nickel or combination alloy mixtures, resulting in a "sandwich" type of coin. The current US dimes and Quarters are examples. Technically the copper nickel cents, three cent nickels, and regular nickels are cupro-nickel. See "copper nickel".

currency

- any kind of coins or paper money that is used as a medium of exchange.

D

D mint mark

- mintmark used to designate that the coin was struck at the US mint in "Denver Colorado". Back between 1838 and the civil war the "D" mint mark was used by the US mint in Dahlonega Georgia.

DCAM

- see "Deep Cameo"

DMPL

- Deep Mirror Proof Like - Often used to describe uncirculated silver dollars or older coins that are not proofs, but exhibit the mirror like proof qualities.

damaged

- A damaged coin would be one that has had something happen to it to cause a defect. Examples would be: holes, bent, major nicks, corrosion, scratches, mutilation. Usually makes the coin worth much les than one without any defects.

deep cameo

- description of the appearance of a proof coin.  A coin with a cameo design will have a somewhat frosted appearance to the raised features of the design with a polished or mirror like background (field).  Deep cameo means this frosted cameo effect is very obvious.  Often, a proof with this attribute will be of higher quality and is often rarer, particularly in older proof coins.  

denomination

- different values of money. For example US coins currently have 6 different denominations: cent, nickel, dime, quarter, half dollar and dollar.

denticles

- small tooth like raised areas around the edge of a coin. Particularly on older coins. Often found all around the front (obverse) and back (reverse) of the coin, right next to the edge.

die

- an engraved metal stamp used for stamping out the design of a coin. The die is hardened so that when it strikes the blank piece of metal an impression will be left with the coin's design, value, and wording. See "anvil die" and "hammer die"

die clash

- damage to a coin die that occurs when the top and bottom dies collide without a coin in the press. The dies will may hit each other with such force that they damage each other leaving a trace of the impression on one or both dies. Resulting coins produced may exhibit "clash marks". Clash marks will show some of the reverse design on the obverse side of the coin, some of the obverse design on the reverse, or both.

die defect

- damage or defect of a coin die. The coins produced by that die will exhibit the same defects.

double die

- a coin that shows numbers or letters doubled. Caused by the coin die having been made with a doubled design on parts of it. Example: 1955 double die Lincoln cent.

double eagle

- used to describe a twenty dollar gold piece, the likes of those made between 1850 and 1932. Called a double eagle because the gold content was twice that of an "eagle" $10 gold piece. Double Eagle gold pieces contain "almost" an ounce of gold.

E

e-gold

E-gold was gold circulated electronically.....  The e-gold company has been dissolved.  

To convert your "paper money" into electronic gold or silver you might want to try Bullion Vault for online purchases and storage of precious metals. 

 
eagle

- nick name for the old gold $10 coins made up until 1932. These older gold coins contained "almost" 1/2 ounce of gold and featured an eagle design on the back. Note: the "eagle" gold coin is different than the new AMERICAN EAGLE gold bullion coin. See "American Eagle".

edge lettering

- letters or designs made on the side edge of a coin. Most modern day coins have plain or reeded edges. Example of edge lettering is the old Capped Bust Half dollar coins. Sometimes called edge device.

engraver

- an artist who creates a coin's design as a model or sculpture. In earlier days the engraver would actually cut out the design onto the die.

edge

- the side of the coin. Currently US dimes and quarters have a "reeded" edge, which is an edge with small lines on it. Some coins will have lettering, ornamental designs, or plain edges.

error

- a coin that has some type of production defect on it. Modern production procedures attempt to keep error coins from being released.

F

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face value

- the exchange value for which a coin is made to be spent or exchanged. Example: A US quarter's face value is 25 cents. Yet if it is silver or a rare date the collector value may be more. Face Value is Not its collector or precious metal value.

fair

- A very heavily worn coin. Date may only be partially visible. One of the lowest grades of a coin, F-2.

filler

- a coin used to "fill in" the place in a collection until a better grade coin can be found or purchased to take its place. Often a low grade or damaged coin may be used as a filler until a nice one can be found.

field

- the background surface of a coin not used for the design or inscription

fine

- one day I told my wife she looked "fine". She got upset. To me I was saying she looked "nice". To her I was saying she looked "just Okay". The same can be said about this coin grading term. Fine is a medium grade coin. It corresponds to F-12 and F-15 of the current grading standards. A Fine coin will have some detail present in the recessed areas. However, it is not sharp and there is a lot of details still missing. You may be pleased to locate a fine grade coin, particularly when the coin is scarce or rare. However, a fine coin when common is not as great a treasure. A bit of advice - If your wife asks you how she looks, tell her she looks like a GEM! :-) See "GEM" BU.

 
first strike

-has two different meanings:

1.) - Refers to the first coins minted when a coin die begins minting coins.  Sometimes these first strikes will show minor details or have a frosted surface that is not as noticeable after the die has minted a large number of coins.

2.) - a grading service term used by PCGS, NGC, and other grading services.  It indicates the coin was in one of the first groups of coins shipped by the US mint. PCGS and NGC will seal the coin in their "First Strike" plastic slab holder with the words " First Strike" inside the PCGS holder.

friction

- A frontiersman might rub two sticks together and the result is a fire. The rubbing of a coin can result in a wear on its surface. Typically, friction causes various degrees of noticeable wear and results in lowering the desire (and value) of a coin. Friction can be caused by a coin sliding in a holder, coin drawer, or even by a good intending collector who tries to "clean" the coin.

frosted proof

- a proof coin that has a mirror like surface in the background with a frosted (or dull) surface on the design. Proofs prior to 1937 and again beginning in the 1970's have frosted designs. Sometimes occurs in other years although not as often. Some frosted proof coins will bring a premium price.

 
Gem BU

- A beauty of a coin ! Means GEM quality Brilliant Uncirculated coin. Indicates that this uncirculated coin shows mint brilliance and is extremely attractive for the type of coin. Some might say it sparkles like a "GEM".

gouges

- heavy marks on a coin where the metal was gouged out from coming in contact with something. Typically worse than "contact marks" or "bag marks".

grade

- a rating or clarification that indicates how much wear a circulated coin has. Grades can also indicate the degree of perfection for uncirculated coins. Two popular grading guides are Photograde and the ANA Grading Guide. Both use a scale system from 1 to 70 measuring coins from About Good -3 to Mint State Uncirculated- 70.

grading standards

- a set of criteria indicating how much wear a coin shows.

gram

- metric weight often used to weigh precious metals.  About 31.10 grams are in a troy ounce.

H

hairlines

- very light lines or scratches on the surface of a coin. Sometimes caused by light cleaning or polishing.

hammer die

- top die. The hammer die is the top die that is placed on top of the coin blank and struck. Years ago this was done with a hammer. See "anvil die" and "die".

head

- the obverse or front of most coins. Usually with a portrait of someone but not always.

 

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 I

incuse

- the part of a coin's design that is pressed into the surface. Opposite of relief. Example: the $2 1/2 and $5 Indian US gold coins are of incuse design. Rather than the design being raised up off of the surface of the coin, it is pressed into the metal. See "reeded edge" and "lettered edge"

ingot

- see "bars"

inscription

- the words stamped (written) on a coin

intrinsic value

- the value of the precious metal that a coin is made of. Often called "bullion value"

investment grade

- a higher grade coin that is thought to be better than the typical coin for investment purposes.  Sometimes a MS-65 grade coin or better condition.

 

J

junk silver

- "silver" coins of circulated quality. Often used to describe bags or common US silver coins that were pulled out of circulation when silver was disappearing. Does not mean the coins are damaged. Junk silver rolls or bags normally do not contain scarce dates, low mintages, or high quality coins.

K

key date - key coin

- a scarce date that is often hard to find to complete a collection. Usually more difficult to find, of lower mintage, or more expensive.

 May be the most difficult coin to find when completing a series.

L

laureate

- a head designed with a laurel wreath on it.

legal tender

- coins, paper money, or other currency issued by a government and used as money. The legal tender value of a coin is the redemption value placed on it by the government. It may be different than the intrinsic value (bullion value) or collector value.

legend

- the main lettering on a coin. For example, the phrase "United States of America".

lettered edge

- The edge of a coin that has lettering on the outside of it. Usually it is raised, but sometimes incused. Most coins today have a plain edge or "reeded" edge. Having something inscribed or a design on the edge of a coin was prevalent when coins were made of precious metal. Supposedly, it made it easier to detect when a coin had some of its precious metal shaved off the edge. You'll find many older US gold and silver coins will have either lettered or reeded edges. Today's dime and quarter are examples of a reeded edge. See reeded edge.

luster - or mint luster

- A frosty appearance (or shine) that is on the surface of an uncirculated or mint condition coin.  Coins with very slight wear may still exhibit some luster.

 

M

matte proof

- matte proof coins are special proofs that have a grainy "sandblasted" look on the surface. Matte proof coins were sometimes made in the early part of the 1900's. Normal proof coins have a mirror like brilliant surface.

medal

- an object made of metal that resembles a coin. Often medals are made or given to recognize a person, place, or occasion. Medals have no stated value and are not intended to circulate as money. Sometimes a medal may have intrinsic value (bullion value).

medium of exchange

- something accepted by people as having a certain value that is used to exchange or trade. Often coins and paper money are used as mediums of exchange, but it can be anything.

mercury dime

- nick name for the US 10 cent pieces made between 1916 and 1945. Although originally called the Winged Liberty Head dime the name "mercury" dime caught on with the public when it was compared to the Roman god "mercury".

milled edge

- the raised rim around the outside of a coins design, visible on both front and back.  

mint

- place where coins are produced (manufactured). The U.S. Mint produces most coins for the U.S. government in Philadelphia and Denver. Mint facilities in San Francisco and West Point are used to produce some of the Proof and commemorative coins.

mint error

- see "error"

mint luster

- a frosty, satiny, unique shine found on uncirculated coins. See "luster".

mint mark

- a small letter on a coin that identifies which of the U.S. Mints the coin was produced at.  Some countries use a symbol to indicate a mint mark.  Not all coins will have mint marks.  For example, most modern US coins with no mint mark were produced at the Philadephia United States mint.

mint set

- a complete set of coins produced by a particular mint (normally contains one of each denomination). (click here for examples.)

 Mint sets are special coin sets that usually contain "uncirculated" non-proof coins.  Beginning in 1999 the mint sets also contain both P and D mint marked State Quarters.  Click here for US Mint Set production numbers. 

mint state

- un-circulated

mintage

- the number of coins produced (the quantity made for that country, date, mintmark, and type of coin)

motto

- a saying, phrase, or principle sometimes found on a coin. Example: "In God We Trust".  Also "E Pluribus Unum"-meaning: "Out of many, are one".

milled edge

- coin production process that produces the raised rim on the outside edge of the face and reverse of the coin.

MS69

 "MS" means "mint state".  Current coin grading formulas assign numbers (in this example 69) to indicate the quality of the coin.  The quality numbers run from 1 to 70, with a 70 being a rare absolutely prefect coin.  Read this article for more information -  What is the difference between a proof and uncirculated coin?

mule

- an error coin struck from two dies that were not intended to be used together.

mylar

- a clear trademark polyester material used to store coins

 

N

NGC

- see Numismatic Guarantee Corporation.

nickel

- nick name for the US five cent piece. Although only 25% of the five cent piece is made of the metal nickel it gives the appearance that it is solid nickel. The nick name "nickel" came about due to its appearance of being made of the metal nickel. It is actually made of a mixture of copper(75%) and nickel(25%).

Numismatic Guarantee Corporation

- NGC is an independent third party coin grading and certification service.

numismatics

- the hobby of coin collecting.

numismatist

- a coin collector. Often used to indicate someone who is a serious coin hobbyist or one who studies an area of coin collecting.

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O

oddity

- when something unusual happens to a coin it is sometimes called an oddity. Can be an "error" that was made at the mint, or something that was done to a coin after the minting of the coin.

obsolete

- a coin design or series that is no longer being produced.

obverse

- the front side of a coin.  Sometimes called the face or heads. Usually the obverse side of a coin has the main design, date and sometimes mintmark. The back of the coin is called the reverse.  In the 1800's obverse and reverse meant the opposite of what they mean today.

off center

- describes the way a coin was struck by the printing dies. If the coin was not placed properly and the dies strike it off center then parts of the design will be missing from the coin. Sometimes an off-center coin will have part of the blank planchet showing.

original roll

- a group of coins that were wrapped in paper wrappers at the time of their production. In early days coins were shipped to banks in cloth bags or kegs. Sometimes later they were shipped in rolls. Silver coins stored in rolls will often have toning on and near the edges but not in the center. Some coins stored in rolls will have fewer marks than those stored or transported in bags or kegs. The number of coins in a roll may vary by denomination and time of issuance. Typically there are 50 cents in a roll, 40 nickels, 50 dimes, 40 quarters, 20 halves, 20 silver and Eisenhower dollars, and sometimes 25 SBA or Sacajewea dollars.

overdate  - or over date

- date (year) on a coin that shows traces of another date underneath. Occurs when one date is stamped over another by a mint engraver on the coin die.  The coins produced by that die may show traces of the original date.

over graded

- a coin presented to be a higher grade than it really is.  

over strike - or overstrike

- a error coin.  Instead of being struck on a blank planchet it was accidentally struck on a previously struck coin.

P

PCGS

- see Professional Coin Grading Service.

patina

- a surface coloration caused by oxidation over a long period of time.  Often found on ancient bronze (copper) coins and often will have a brown or greenish appearance.

pattern

- a coin that was struck as an experiment or as a trial piece. Usually, a new design or made of experimental metal alloys. Some U.S. pattern coins from recent years are illegal to own because they are still considered government property. However, older patterns were sometimes given to dignitaries, friends, etc and are legally available to buy or sell in the numismatic market place.

pedigree

- the historical record of previous coin owners.  Often mentioned when referring to extremely rare coins or collections.

planchet

- a blank round piece of metal from which the coin is struck or stamped. 

Sometimes called a planchlet, blank, or flan.
pop

-abbreviation for "population".  Used in reference to the population, or number, of coins graded or certified for a specific date or mintmark.  Example, "the PCGS pop for MS69 2003 silver eagles is 3,500".

precious metal

- metals of value. Typically gold, silver, platinum. However, can include palladium and rhodium.

Professional Coin Grading Service

- PCGS is an independent third party coin grading and authentication service.

proof

- a coin produced from special polished dies and/or planchets. Often each proof coin is struck twice/or more, which gives the coin a very sharp degree of detail and mirror like surface. Proof coins are usually made for numismatic purposes, presentations, or souvenirs. Proofs are usually not made to circulate in commerce. Mishandling a proof coin can lower its value and grade. Proofs are sold by the mint during their year of production at a premium to cover their special manufacturing costs. Sometimes sold only in sets.

Grading services will often use the attribute "PR" or "PF" to indicate a proof coin.  Example, PR-65. 

 

Proof or Uncirculated ?  - What's the difference?

 
proof set

- a group of the different denominations of proof coins made for one year. Sometimes packaged as a set by the mint. Example: One of each proof: cent, nickel, dime, quarter, and half.  (click here for examples.)

 

Q

quarter eagle

- a United States old $ 2.50 gold coin.  See "eagle" coin.

R

raw

- means the coin has not been slabbed, certified, or encapsulated by a grading service.

Red Book

-The Official RED BOOK of US COINS. A price guide book on US coins and their values by R.S. Yeoman. Perhaps the most popular book for listing US coin retail values, grades, and mintages.

reeded edge

- The edge of a coin that has small reed like lines on it. Today's U.S.A. dimes and quarters are examples of reeded edge coins and have grooved-like reeding on the edges. See "lettered edge" and "incused edge".

relief

- the part of the design that is raised from the surface of the coin. Example: Washington's face on a Washington quarter. ( For opposite definition see "incuse".)

restrike

- a coin minted from original dies, however at a later date than originally intended. 

reverse

- the "back" of the coin. Opposite of obverse.

reverse cameo

- a coin where the background is frosted looking and the design has

a polished mirror like look to it.  Some Australia lunar "Year of the Horse"

and other lunar year animal gold /silver coins have this reverse cameo

appearance.  See "cameo".

riddler

- a machine that sorts out wrong size/defective blanks (planchlets)

rim

- the raised edge of a coin created by the upsetting mill. The idea being that if the edge on both sides of the coin is raised like the design it will help protect the coins design from wear.

roll

- a group of coins in the same denomination in a paper wrapper package by banks, dealers, or the US Mint. Sometimes a roll is put into a plastic coin tube. The number of coins in a roll depend on the denomination. For US Cents there are 50 in a roll, nickels- 40, dimes- 50, quarters- 40, halves- 20, dollars- 25.

rounds

- coin shaped silver pieces. Not official legal tender, however they may be accurate in bullion weight. Like silver bars only shaped like a coin.

 (Click here for examples.)

 

S

seigniorage

- the difference between the cost of minting a coin and what the mint gets for it.  Example, it may only cost 6 cents to manufacture a half dollar.  However, the mint gets 50 cents for it.  The result is 44 cents seigniorage.

series

- collection of coins of one denomination that contains all the dates and mint marks of that design. For example a Lincoln Cent Wheat back series would contain one of each date cent minted from 1909 to 1958, including each mint mark as well. Sometimes called a set.

set

- see "series"

show

- to display or show a group of coins. Coin shows (or bourses) occur often in many areas. There dealers may set up tables to display their inventory in an attempt to sell, buy, or trade coins with the public and / or other dealers.

silver Clad

- term referring to US Half Dollars made from 1965 to 1970. Made with an outer layer of 80% silver and 20% copper bonded to an inner core of 20.9% silver and .791% copper. Overall 40% silver.

silver eagle

- nickname given to one ounce United States "Silver" dollars made from 1986 to the present.  Design is of a walking liberty on the obverse (front) and and eagle on the reverse.  Hence the name "silver eagle".

sight unseen

- an offer to purchase a coin at a certain price without seeing the item. Although sight unseen bids are common, the coin will still have to meet the grading criteria from the bidder's perspective. Site unseen bids are most prevalent when any concern over the grade is resolved by a third party grading service, such as with slabbed coins.

slab or slabbed

- slang for a holder containing an encapsulated coin. Usually, the coin will graded, authenticated, and encapsulated in a sonically sealed holder, often by a 3rd party grading service. See PNG, NCG, ANACS, PCGS.

slab

- term used to identify a hard plastic encapsulation method that some coin grading services use to package/protect a coin. Usually a slabbed coin is graded and certified by the grading service as genuine. Often slabs are rectangular in shape and sealed to protect the coin from the elements.

slider

-a term meaning the coin simulates a higher grade than it really is. Often a slider has been cleaned, treated, or whizzed to give the appearance of being uncirculated. Worth less than the coin that has not been cleaned or treated.

strike

- a process of stamping a design into a coin planchet (blank). Usually metal dies with designs engraved in them are used. If the dies are struck weakly or just average it may effect the coin's value negatively vs. a well struck coin. Some U.S. mints were known for making weakly stuck coins during certain years. certain years

spotting or spot

- a mark or marks on a coin of a different color. Often looking like spots of something on the coin. Usually, it is a form of tarnish or staining. Spotting may have a negative effect on the value of a coin depending on how severe it is, etc. Most professionals will advise you not to try to clean a spot (or spotting) off of a coin, as it may create friction or surface damage that may hurt the coins value even more.

spot price

- the market value or precious metal value.  Daily spot prices reflect the value of gold, silver, platinum being traded in bullion form.  (For free spot precious metals prices click here.)

 

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T

tail

- the reverse or back side of a coin

third party grading

- third party grading services will grade and/or certify coins as genuine.  Often the coin will be encapsulated in a plastic holder (or slab) by the grading service to protect it.  Called "third party" grading when the service is independent of any dealer or collector's influence. They provide a grading opinion based on established criteria.  Examples may include PCGS, NGC, and ANACS.

three cent piece

- common term used for the US coin with the value of three cents. Two different metals were used for these coins back in the 1800's. Prior to 1865 the US made three cent pieces out of an alloy of mostly silver. Hence the name "three cent silver". The public complained because the 3 cent silvers were small and thin. By 1865 the US government changed the composition and design of the three cent coins. Three cent nickels were made of 75% copper and 25% nickel from 1865 to 1889. From the looks of the coin you would think it was made out of pure nickel. They were larger and thicker than the three cent silvers. Hence the name "three cent nickel".

token

- Something that looks like a coin, but is not legal tender issued by an official government. For example, parking tokens, video game machine tokens, and casino tokens. Some coin collectors shy away from collecting tokens. However, there are a few small groups of serious token collectors.

toning

- Shading of color on coins. Toning can be in many forms from dark or brown to various shade of other colors. It can cover the whole coin or more often part of the coin. Toning results when the surface of the coin comes in contact with the air and environment it is exposed to. Traces of material in the metals will also play a roll in toning. Some think toning makes a "protective" coating over the surface of a coin that helps the coin resist corrosion. Toning can be even be artificially done by exposing the coin to certain reactive substances. Some "naturally" occurring toned coins bring a premium in the collector market due to their unique beauty. Others may bring less than an un-toned coin when the toning is unattractive. Also see "corrosion".

trade dollar

- silver dollars minted for the express purpose of trading with other countries.  US trade dollars were minted in the late 1800's to improve trade with asian countries.  The silver content was slightly more than the silver dollars minted to circulate within the USA.  

troy ounce

- see web page http://lynncoins.com/troy_ounce.htm  for a detailed explanation.

truncate - or truncation

- the bottom (or truck) of a portrait on a coin.  Often refers to the neck area of a portrait where the design is sharply cut-off.

two bits

- see "bits"

two by two

- nickname for a typical holder for one coin. Measures 2 inches by 2 inches. Often made of cardboard with a clear mylar material in the center. Cardboard 2x2s are not the best way to store coins for the long term.

two cent piece

- a US coin with the value of two cents. Common term used for the copper Shield design two-cent coin made from 1864 to 1873.

type

- coins containing the same or a similar characteristic. In a type collection or set the dates may not matter. Rather the collector is interested in obtaining one of each representative design. For example a collector may want one of each "type" of coin in US circulation today. Such a type set would consist of a cent, nickel, dime, quarter, half, and dollar. A collector may decide to collect one representative of each type of coin by size. For example, a cent type set may include a Lincoln Memorial cent, wheat back cent, indian head cent, etc.

type set

- collection of coins of one denomination. For example, a Quarter type set would consist of one of each design of quarter that the mint has made. (Dates and mint marks usually are not of concern.)

 

U

unc or unk or UN

- abbreviation for uncirculated.

uncirculated

- a new condition coin that does not have any sign of wear. Marks on the coin that may come from the manufacturing process do not keep a coin from being un-circulated. (Example, bag marks.) Even the slightest amount of wear or cleaning will keep a coin from grading uncirculated.

unique

- a coin or other rarity where only one specimen is thought to exist.

upsetting mill

- machine used in coin production to raise the rim on both sides of a blank (planchet).

V

varieties

- minor differences in the design of a coin. Example, 1955 Lincoln cent has a "double die" variety.

vest pocket dealer

- old timer's term meaning a part time coin dealer. Someone who carries coins to sell/trade in their pockets.

 

W

waffled

- process where the mint destroys defective or worn coins by running them through a waffling machine.  This canceling process gives the former coin a waffle like appearance.  Coins cancelled in this manner are sold in bulk for scrap metal and often can not be distinguished as a US coin, except by their size.

walker

- nick name for the "Walking Liberty Half dollar".

walking liberty

- a half dollar with the Walking Liberty design. Made between 1916 and 1947. Thought by some to be one of the US most beautiful coin designs. The current "American Silver Eagles" have the same design on their obverse (front).

war nickel

- sometimes called "wartime" nickels. These Jefferson US five cent coins were made during part of World War II. At the time there was a concern that metal would be needed in the war effort. Therefore a new mixture of metals was used in the nickel. 35% silver, 9% manganese, and 56% copper. As of this writing they are worth more than five cents due to their silver content. These "silver war nickels", as some call them, will have a large mint mark above the memorial building on the reverse (back).

wheat cents - or wheaties

- USA Lincoln cents minted from 1909 to 1958.  Design on the reverse has a wheat "wreath", thereby earning the nickname wheats or wheaties.

white cents

- see "copper nickel.

Whitman

-Whitman Publishing company. Produces many collector's books, albums, and collecting supplies.

whizzed

- a whizzed coin has been buffed or polished to give it the appearance of the luster found on a mint coin. Often whizzing is done on a high grade coin to try to sell the coin at a higher grade than it really is. Sometimes done by using a fine brush attachment on a high speed drill. Whizzing a coin may hurt the value of it rather than help it because it actually causes wear to the surface of the coin. See buffing.

X

Y

year set

- coin collection consisting of one of each kind (size and style) of coin issued by a country for a given year. (Mint marks are usually not of concern when collecting year sets.)

Z


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We hope you have found this list of coin collecting terms helpful.

Please email us if you think of a coin collecting term and/or its meaning that should be added to this list. Email us at: jlynn@aeneas.net    Thank you!

 
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