| About Good
|
The grade AG-3. The
grade for a coin that is just below good. On an About Good coin, only the
main features of it are present. Date, mintmark, peripheral lettering, or
other features sometimes are partially worn away. |
| About
Uncirculated |
Alternate term for
Almost Uncirculated. |
| Abrasions
|
Areas of a coin
where another coin or a foreign object has displaced metal in an abraded
fashion. |
| Adjustment marks
|
Scratches which
appear mostly on pre-1807 silver and gold coinage. These scratches are
actually file marks, made at the mint in order to reduce the weight of a
coin so that its metal value wouldn’t exceed its face value. As a rule,
adjustment marks do not reduce the value of a coin nearly as much as a
series of equally visible scratches, which were not "mint-applied".
|
| AG
|
Acronym for About
Good. |
| Album friction
|
A less severe
instance of album slide marks. Album friction shows as slight rubbing on the
high points. |
| Album slide marks
|
Lines (often
parallel) imparted to the surface of a coin by the plastic "slide" of an
album, mostly found on proof coins. |
| Alloy
|
A combination of two
or more metals. |
| Almost
Uncirculated |
The grades AU50, 53,
55, and 58. These coins often look Uncirculated at first glance, but closer
inspection will reveal slight friction or rub. |
| Altered surfaces
|
Cleaning or other
impairment that renders a coin less desirable to collectors. |
| Alteration
|
A coin that has a
date, mintmark, or other feature that has been altered, added, or removed,
usually to simulate a rarer issue. |
| American
Numismatic Association |
The world’s largest
organization of coin collectors and dealers. It is a non-profit
organization, chartered by an Act of Congress in 1912. Membership is highly
recommended. If you are not a member, you should be! Write to them at: 818
N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80901. |
| ANA
|
Acronym for the
"American Numismatic Association." |
| ANACS certificate
|
A uniquely numbered
opinion of authenticity and/or grade from the ANA Certification Service.
|
| ANACS – (American
Numismatic Association Certification Service) |
ANACS originated by
offering authentication, and later provided grading services. The grading
service and acronym were sold by the ANA and now operate under this name as
a third-party grading service. |
| ANE
|
Acronym for American
Numismatic Information Exchange. NGC and PCGS certified coins
trade sight-unseen through this electronic network system. |
| Ancients
|
Term for coins of
the world struck circa 600 B.C. to circa 450 A.D. |
| Annealing
|
The heating (and
cooling) of a die or planchet to soften the metal before preparation of the
die or striking of the coin. |
| Anvil die
|
The lower,
stationary die. The reverse is usually the anvil die, although on some
issues with striking problems, the obverse was employed as the lower die.
Because of the physics of minting, the fixed lower-die impression is
slightly better struck than the upper-die impression.
Also see: Hammer die |
| Arrows
|
Design element
usually found in the left (viewer’s right) claw of the eagle seen on many US
coins. |
| Arrows and rays
|
Term referring to
1853 quarters and half dollars. The rays were removed in 1854 because of
striking difficulties created by the busy design. |
| Arrows at date
|
Term referring to
the arrows to the left and right of the date. These were added to the dies
to indicate a weight increase or decrease. |
| Artificial toning
|
Color
which is added to the
surface of a coin by heat and/or chemicals. |
| Ask
|
The lowest current
asking price of a particular coin issue and grade offered for sale. Also
see: Bid |
| Attributes
|
The elements that
make up a coin’s grade. The primary attributes include marks (hairlines for
Proofs), luster, strike, and eye appeal. |
| AU
|
Acronym for About
(Almost) Uncirculated. |
| Auction
|
An offering of coins
or other items for sale where the buyer must bid against other potential
buyers with no set price. This is in contrast with ordering from a catalog,
price list, or advertisement at an advertised price. |
| Authentication
|
The process of
determining genuineness. |
| Bag
|
A generic term for
the cloth sacks used to transport and store coins. These came into use in
the mid-nineteenth century and replaced wooden kegs. Also refers to the
quantity of coins of a particular denomination found in a bag (such as 5000
cents or 1000 silver dollars). |
| Bag marks
|
Abrasions which
occur on coins that were shipped in mint bags. Most often this term applies
to silver dollars, although virtually any coin can have bag marks. Bag marks
in no way mean that a coin is not mint state. In fact, even a coin graded
Mint State-67 or higher could have some bag marks. |
| Bag toning
|
Coloring acquired
from the bag while a coin was stored. Cloth coin bags contained sulfur and
other metal-reactive chemicals. When stored in bags for extended periods,
coins in close proximity to the cloth often acquire beautiful red, yellow,
blue and other vibrant colors. Sometimes the weave of the cloth is visible
in the toning. Some coins have crescent-shaped toning because another coin
was covering part of the surface, thus preventing toning. Bag toning is seen
most often on Morgan silver dollars. |
| Barber coinage
|
Common name for the
Charles Barber designed Liberty Head dimes, quarters, and half dollars
struck during the 1890s and early 1900s. |
| Basal state
|
The condition of a
coin that is identifiable only as to date, mintmark (if present), and type;
one-year-type coins may not have a date visible. |
| Basal value
|
The value base on
which Dr. William H. Sheldon's 70-point grade/price system started. The
lowest-grade price was one dollar ($1) for the 1794 large cent - upon which
he based his system. |
| Baseball cap coin
|
Slang for a Pan-Pac
commemorative gold dollar coin. The figure on this coin wears a cap similar
to a baseball cap. |
| Basining
|
The process of
polishing a die to create a mirrored surface or to remove clash marks or
other damage from a die. |
| Beaded border
|
Small round devices
around the edge of a coin, often seen on early U.S. coins. |
| BG Gold
|
Term sometimes
applied to California fractional gold coins as documented in the Breen-Gillio
reference work California Pioneer Fraction Gold. |
| Bid
|
The highest price
offered to buy a particular coin issue and grade either on a trading
network, pricing newsletter, or other medium.
Also see: Ask |
| Blank
|
A flat disk of
unstruck metal destined to be made into a coin.
Also see: Planchet |
| Blended
|
A term applied to an
element of a coin (date, design, lettering, etc.) that is worn into another
element or the surrounding field. |
| Bluebook
|
A blue-cover,
wholesale pricing book for United States coins. |
| Bluesheet
|
Synonym for the
Certified Coin Dealer Newsletter. |
| BN
|
Short for Brown;
refers to copper coins. |
| Body bag
|
Slang term for a
coin returned from a grading service in a plastic sleeve within a flip. The
coin referred to is deemed a "no-grade" and is not graded or encapsulated.
Coins are no-grades for a number of reasons, including questionable
authenticity, polishing, cleaning, and/or repair. |
| Bourse
|
The Paris stock
exchange. This term has come to be synonymous with coin show. |
| Bourse floor
|
The physical area
where a coin show takes place. |
| Braided Hair
|
Style of hair on
half cents and large cents from 1840 on. The hair is pulled back into a
tight bun drawn with a braided hair cord. |
| Branch mint
|
One of the various
subsidiary government facilities that struck, or still strikes, coins.
|
| Breast feathers
|
The central feathers
of eagle designs, particularly Morgan dollars. Fully struck coins typically
command a premium and the breast feathers are usually the highest point of
the reverse. |
| Breen
|
The late Walter
Breen. |
| Breen Book
|
Slang for Walter
Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. It
was published in 1988. |
| Breen letter
|
A written or typed
document by Walter Breen rendering his opinion on a particular numismatic
item. Prior to 3rd party certification, this was a common method
collectors and dealers used to authenticate a unique item. |
| Breen-Gillio
|
Numbering system
base on the book California Pioneer Fraction Gold by Walter
Breen and Ron Gillio. |
| Brilliant
|
Untoned. With no
tarnish or oxidation, and with original cartwheel (frosty) or prooflike
lustre. Copper coins are considered brilliant if they have full original
red. |
| Brilliant Proof
|
A particular type of
proof coin that has a full mirror surface in the fields. |
| Brilliant
Uncirculated |
A generic term for
any coin that has not been in circulation. |
| Bronze
|
An alloy of copper
and tin; special types also contain other elements. |
| Brown
|
The term applied to
a copper coin that no longer has the red color of copper. It is abbreviated
as BN when used as part of a grade or description. |
| BU
|
Acronym for
Brilliant Uncirculated. |
| BU rolls
|
Wrapped coins
(usually in paper) in specific quantities for each denomination. Cents are
quantity 50, nickels quantity 40, dimes quantity 50, quarters quantity 40,
half-dollars and dollars 20, etc. |
| Buckled die
|
A warped or
distorted die. Can be caused by excess clashing. Often produces coins which
are slightly bent. |
| Buffalo nickel
|
Slang for the Indian
Head nickel, struck from 1913 to 1938. The animal depicted is an American
Bison. |
| Bulged die
|
A die with a small
indentation, formed from clashing. Results in "bulged" coins. |
| Bullet toning
|
See target toning.
|
| Bullion
|
Ingots, coins, or
other issues that trade for their intrinsic metal value. Only precious
metals (silver, gold, platinum, and palladium) are included as bullion.
Copper could also technically be considered as bullion. |
| Bullion coin
|
A legal tender coin
that trades at a slight premium to its value as plain metal. |
| Burn mark
|
See counting machine
mark. |
| Burnishing
|
A process in which
the surfaces of a coin or a planchet are shined through rubbing or
polishing. This term has both a positive and a negative context: In a
positive sense, Proof planchets are burnished before they are struck. The
procedure was done originally by rubbing wet sand across the surfaces to
impart a mirror-like finish. In a negative sense, the surfaces on repaired
or altered coins may be burnished by mechanical or chemical methods. For
example, a high-speed drill with a wire brush attachment is used to achieve
this effect. |
| Burnishing lines
|
Lines resulting from
burnishing. Typically seen on open-collar Proofs and almost never observed
on close-collar Proofs. |
| Burnt
|
Slang term for a
coin that has been over-dipped. On such a coin, the surfaces are dull and
lackluster. |
| Business strike
|
A coin which was
struck for use in general circulation, as opposed to a proof coin produced
strictly for collector purposes.
Also see: Regular strike, Commercial strike |
| Bust
|
The head and
shoulders of the emblematic Liberty seen on many US issues.
Also see: Capped Bust, Draped Bust |
| Bust dollar
|
Slang term for
silver dollars struck from 1795 through 1803. |
| Buyer's Premium
|
A "Buyer's Premium"
is charged in addition to the successful bid according to the rate defined
in our terms and conditions. |
| C
|
Mintmark indicating
coins struck at the Charlotte, North Carolina branch Mint. |
| C-Mint
|
Term applied to the
gold coins struck at the Charlotte, North Carolina branch Mint. This Mint
only struck gold coins from its opening in late 1837 until it was seized by
the Confederacy. (Coins struck in late 1837 were actually dated 1838.)
|
| Cabinet friction
|
Slight friction seen
on coins (usually the obverse) that were stored in wooden cabinets used by
early collectors. To compound the problem, a soft cloth was often used to
wipe dust away, causing light hairlines. |
| CAM
|
Abbreviation for
Cameo. |
| Cameo
|
A proof, or
prooflike coin with exceptional contrast between the fields and the devices.
On a cameo coin, the fields are mirrorlike, while the devices give a frosty
appearance. |
| Canadian
|
Term for coins and
other numismatic items of Canada. (as in, "Got any Canadian?") |
| Canadian silver
|
Slang term for the
silver coins of Canada. |
| Cap Bust
|
Alternate term for
Capped Bust |
| Capped Bust
|
A term describing
any of the various representations of the head of Miss Liberty depicted on
certain early 1807-1839 U.S. coins by a bust with a floppy cap. The design
is attributed to John Reich. |
| Capped die
|
An error in which a
coin gets jammed in the coining press and remains for successive strikes.
Eventually a "cap" is formed on either the upper or lower die. These are
sometimes spectacular, with the cap often many times taller than a normal
coin. |
| Carbon spot
|
A dark discoloration
on the surface of a coin. It is possible that this discoloration is caused
by a planchet imperfection prior to striking, or it may be caused by
improper storage of the coin. Regardless of the cause, carbon spots are
often difficult, if not impossible, to remove without leaving pits in the
coin’s surface. If they are large enough, they may significantly lower the
grade and value of a coin.
Also, see Copper spot. |
| Carson City
|
The United States
branch Mint located in Carson City, Nevada that struck coins from 1870
through 1885 and later from 1889 through 1893. |
| Cartwheel
|
An effect caused by
the natural lustre on most mint state, and on some proof coins. When the
coin is tilted back and forth, beams of light seem to circle the central
devices of the coin. Also a slang term for Silver Dollar. |
| Cast blanks
|
Planchets that are
molded, rather than cut from strips of metal. |
| Cast counterfeit
|
A replica of a
genuine coin created by making molds of the obverse and reverse, then
casting base metal in the molds. A seam is usually visible on the edge
unless it has been ground down. |
| Castaing machine
|
A machine invented
by French engineer Jean Castaing that added the edge lettering and devices
to early U.S. coins before they were struck. Castaing machines were used
until the introduction of close collar dies, which applied the edge device
during the striking process. |
| CC
|
Mintmark used to
indicate coins struck at the Carson City, Nevada branch Mint. |
| CCDN
|
Acronym for
Certified Coin Dealer Newsletter. Address: PO Box 11099, Torrance, CA
|
| CCE
|
Acronym for
Certified Coin Exchange |
| CDN
|
Acronym for Coin
Dealer Newsletter |
| Census
|
A compilation of the
known specimens of a particular numismatic item. |
| Cent
|
A denomination
valued at one-hundredth of a dollar, struck by the U.S. Mint. |
| Certified Coin
Dealer Newsletter |
A weekly newsletter
that reports the trading ranges of nearly all U.S. coins. |
| Certified Coin
Exchange |
The bid/ask
real-time coin trading and quotation system owned by the American
Teleprocessing Company. |
| Chain Cent
|
The popular name for
the Flowing Hair Chain cent of 1793, the first coins struck in the newly
occupied Mint building. |
| Chapman Proof
|
1921 Morgan dollar
Proofs supposedly struck for coin dealer Henry Chapman, having cameo devices
and deeply mirrored surfaces like most Morgan dollar Proofs.
Also see: Zerbe Proof |
| Charlotte
|
The United States
branch Mint located in Charlotte, North Carolina that only struck gold coins
from 1838 until its seizure by the Confederacy in 1861. It never reopened as
a mint after the Civil War, although it did serve as an official assay
office from 1867 until 1913. |
| Chasing
|
A method used by
forgers to create a mintmark on a coin. Chasing involves heating the
surfaces and moving the metal to form a mintmark. |
| Choice
|
An adjective which
the A.N.A. applies to coins of MS-65 or Proof-65 grade. Many dealers apply
the term to the MS/Proof-63 coins, and call MS/Proof-65 coins "Gem".
|
| Choice Unc
|
Abbreviation for
Choice Uncirculated. |
| Choice
Uncirculated |
An Uncirculated coin
in grade MS-63 or MS-64. |
| Circulated
|
A term applied to a
coin that has wear, ranging from slight rubbing to heavy wear. |
| Circulation
|
A term applied to
coins that have been spent in commerce. |
| Circulation
strike |
A coin meant for
commerce. An alternate term for Business Strike or Regular Strike.
|
| Clad
|
A term used to
describe any of the modern "sandwich" coins that have layers of both copper
and nickel. |
| Clad bag
|
Usually applied to a
$1,000 bag of 40% silver half-dollars although it also could apply to any
bag of "sandwich" coins. |
| Clash marks
|
The images of the
dies seen on coins struck from clashed dies. |
| Clashed dies
|
Extraneous design
detail often appears on a die as a result of two dies coming together
without a planchet between them during the minting process. Coins struck
from such dies are said to be struck from clashed dies, or to have die
clashes or clash marks. |
| Classic Era
|
Term for the period
from 1792 through 1964 when silver and gold coins of the United States were
issued for circulation. (Gold coins were only minted until 1933.)
|
| Classic Head
|
An image of Miss
Liberty that depicts the style of a Roman or Greek athlete wearing a ribbon
around the hair. |
| Cleaned
|
When a coin has been
cleaned with baking soda or other mild abrasives, it may have a slightly
washed out appearance. If the lustre or color of a coin appears even the
slightest bit unnatural as a result of past cleaning, the coin is usually
described as "cleaned" when catalogued for sale. |
| Clip
|
Slang term for a
coin struck from a clipped planchet. |
| Clipped
|
Term for an
irregularly cut planchet. A clip can be straight or curved, depending upon
where it was cut. |
| Clogged die
|
A die that has a
contaminant lodged in the recessed areas. Coins struck from a clogged die
will have diminished or even missing detail. |
| Close collar
|
An edge device
sometimes called a collar die that surrounds the lower die. The close collar
imparts reeding (see Reeded edge) or a smooth, plain edge. |
| Closed collar
|
Alternate term for
close collar |
| Cohen variety
|
A die variety for
half cents, denoted as C-1, C-2a, etc. Also see: Die Variety |
| Coin
|
Metal formed into a
disk of standardized weight and stamped with a standard design to enable it
to circulate as money authorized by a government body. |
| Coin collection
|
A grouping of coins
assembled for fun or profit. |
| Coin collector
|
An individual who
accumulates coins in a methodical manner. |
| Coin Dealer
Newsletter |
A weekly newsletter
that reports the wholesale trading ranges of nearly all U.S. coins.
|
| Coin friction
|
Term applied to the
area resulting when coins rub together in rolls or bags and small amounts of
metal are displaced.
Also, see Roll friction. |
| Coin show
|
An exchange composed
of coin dealers displaying their items for sale and trade. |
| Coin World
|
A leading weekly
numismatic publication established in 1960. |
| Coinage
|
The issuance of
metallic money of a particular country. |
| Commem
|
Synonym for
"commemorative." |
| Commemorative
|
Coins issued to
honor some person (D. Boone), place (Mount Rushmore), or event (Special
Olympics) and, in many instances, to raise funds for activities related to
the theme. Sometimes called NCLT (non-circulating legal tender)
commemoratives. |
| Commercial grade
|
A synonym for Market
Grade. |
| Commercial strike
|
A synonym for
regular strike or business strike. |
| Common
|
A numismatic issue
that is readily available. Since this is a relative term, no firm number can
be used as an exact cut-off point between common and scarce. |
| Common date
|
A particular issue
within a series that is readily available. No exact number can be used to
determine which coins are common dates as this is relative to the mintage of
the series. |
| Complete set
|
A term for all
possible coins within a series, all types (see Type), or all coins from a
particular branch Mint. For example, a complete gold type set would include
examples of all types from 1795 until 1933. |
| Condition
|
The state of
preservation of a particular numismatic item. |
| Condition Census
|
A listing of the
finest known examples of a particular issue. There is no fixed number of
coins in a Condition Census. |
| Condition rarity
|
A term to indicate a
common coin that is rare when found in high grades. |
| Consensus grading
|
The process of
evaluating the condition of a coin by using multiple graders. |
| Contact marks
|
Marks on a coin that
are caused by contact with another coin or a foreign object. These are
generally small, compared to other types of marks such as gouges.
Also, see Bag mark. |
| Contemporary
counterfeit |
A coin, usually base
metal, struck from crude dies and made to pass for legal tender at the time
of creation. Sometimes such counterfeits are collected along with the
genuine coins, particularly in the case of American Colonial issues.
|
| Continental
dollars |
"Dollars" struck in
pewter (scarce), brass (rare), copper (extremely rare) and silver (extremely
rare) that are dated 1776, but likely struck sometime later. Certain
Benjamin Franklin sketches inspired the design. |
| Copper spot
|
A spot or stain seen
on gold coinage, indicating an area of copper concentration that has
oxidized. Copper spots or stains can range from tiny dots to large blotches.
|
| Copper-nickel
|
The alloy (copper
88%, nickel 12%) used for small cents from 1856 through mid-1864.
|
| Copper-Nickel
Cent |
Cents issued from
1856 through 1864 in the copper-nickel alloy. These were called white cents
during the period because of their pale color compared to the earlier red
cents. |
| Coppers
|
Slang for
pre-Federal copper, half cents, and large cents, minted through 1857.
|
| Copy
|
Any reproduction,
fraudulent or otherwise, of a coin. |
| Copy dies
|
Dies made at a later
date, usually showing slight differences from the originals. Also used to
denote counterfeit dies copied directly from a genuine coin. |
| Coronet Head
|
Alternate name for
Braided Hair design by Christian Gobrecht. This is sometimes also called the
Liberty Head design. |
| Corrosion
|
Damage which occurs
on the surface of some coins, generally due to improper storage. Corrosion
is caused when a chemical reaction, such as rust, actually eats into the
metal. |
| Cost
|
The price paid for a
numismatic item. |
| Counterfeit
|
Literally, a coin
that is not genuine. The term is applied to cast and struck counterfeits as
well as issues with altered dates or added mintmarks. |
| Counting machine
mark |
A dense patch of
lines caused by the rubber wheel of a counting machine. Caused when the
wheel spacing was insufficient for the selected coin. |
| Cud
|
An area of a coin
struck by a die that has a complete break across part of its surface. A cud
may be either retained, where the faulty piece of the die is still in place,
or full, where the piece of the die has fallen away. |
| Cupro-nickel
|
Any alloy of copper
and nickel. |
| D
|
Mintmark used to
identify coins struck at the Dahlonega, Georgia branch Mint from 1838
through 1861 or the Denver, Colorado Mint from 1906 forward. |
| D-Mint
|
Term used for the
coinage of the branch Mints in Dahlonega, Georgia, or Denver, Colorado.
|
| Dahlonega
|
The branch Mint
located in Dahlonega, Georgia that struck gold coins from 1838 until 1861
when it was seized by the Confederacy. |
| Date
|
The numerals on a
coin representing the year in which it was struck. Restrikes (see Restrike)
are made in years subsequent to the one that appears on them. |
| DCAM
|
Abbreviation for
Deep Cameo. |
| Dealer
|
Someone who’s
occupation is buying, selling, and trading numismatic material. |
| Deep Cameo
|
Term applied to
coins, usually Proofs and prooflike coins that have deeply frosted devices
and lettering that contrast with the mirror fields. |
| Deep mirror
prooflike |
Any coin that has
deeply reflective mirror-like fields. While a general term, it is especially
applicable for Morgan dollars. |
| Denomination
|
The value assigned
by a government to a specific coin. |
| Denticles
|
The tooth-like
projections which make up the inner rim on some coins. They were
discontinued on most U.S. coins in the early twentieth century. |
| Dentils
|
Alternative term for
denticles. |
| Design
|
The motif of a coin
or other numismatic item. Barber coins and Washington quarters are examples
of designs. |
| Design type
|
A specific motif
placed upon coinage, which may be used for several denominations and
subtypes. |
| Designer
|
The individual
responsible for creating a particular motif used on a numismatic series.
|
| Device
|
Any specific design
element. Often refers to the principal design element. |
| Device punch
|
A steel rod with a
raised device on the end used to punch the element into a working die. This
technique was used before hubbed dies were used as a standard. |
| Die
|
A steel rod that is
engraved, punched, or hubbed with the date, lettering, devices, and other
emblems used to strike a coin. |
| Die alignment
|
Term to indicate the
relative position of the obverse and reverse dies. |
| Die break
|
An area of a coin
that is the result of a broken die. |
| Die cracks
|
Raised lines, which
appear on a coin as a result of that coin having been struck by a cracked
die. |
| Die line
|
Raised lines, which
appear on a coin as a result of polish lines on the die.
Also see: Die striations, Polished die |
| Die rust
|
Pitting or roughness
appearing on a coin as a result of that coin having been struck by a rusted
die. |
| Die state
|
A readily identified
point in the life of a coinage die. Dies go through a lifecycle – clashing,
being polished, cracking, breaking, etc. These are called die states. Some
die varieties have gone through barely distinguishable die states, while
others display multiple distinctive ones. |
| Die striations
|
Raised lines on
coins that were struck with polished dies. |
| Die trial
|
The test striking of
a particular die in a different metal. |
| Die variety
|
A coin which has
already been attributed by date, denomination, mintmark, and major variety
(such as Morgan Dollar, 1879-S, Reverse of ’78) can often still be
identified by die variety. Research has been done in many series assigning
numbers to the various combinations of dies known to have struck coins of
each of the various years and mintmarks. |
| Die wear
|
The loss of detail
on a coin due to wear on the die used to strike it (rather than wear on the
coin itself). |
| Dime
|
The denomination,
one tenth of a dollar, issued since 1796 by the United States. |
| Ding
|
Slang for a small-
to medium-sized mark on a coin.
Also see: Rim ding |
| Dipped
|
A coin which has
been cleaned in a soap solution, the most popular of which is called
Jewel Luster, is said to have been dipped. The term "dipped" is not
necessary in, say, a catalog description of a coin, unless the dipping has
caused noticeable dulling of lustre, or an otherwise unnatural appearance
(typically on copper coins). The practice of dipping coins is not advisable,
except by bonafide experts, and then only on rare occasions. |
| Dipping solution
|
Any of the
commercial cleaners or "dips"on the market, usually acid-based. |
| Disme
|
The original
spelling of dime. It is thought to have been have been pronounced to rhyme
with ream (the s being silent). This spelling was used in Mint documents
until the 1830s and was officially changed by the Coinage Act of 1837.
|
| DMPL
|
Abbreviation for
Deep Mirror Prooflike. An exceptionally deep mirror-like prooflike coin with
little, if any, cartwheel lustre. Also see: DPL |
| Doctored
|
Typically considered
a derogatory term. A doctored coin has been enhanced by chemical or other
means. |
| Dollar
|
A denomination
consisting of one hundred cents authorized by the Mint Act of 1792. This is
the anglicized spelling of the European Thaler and was used because of the
worldwide acceptance of the Thaler and the Spanish Milled dollar (or
piece-of-eight). |
| Double Eagle
|
Literally two
eagles, or twenty dollars. A twenty-dollar U.S. gold coin issued from 1850
through 1932. |
| Double(d) die
|
A die that has been
struck more than one time by a hub in misaligned positions, resulting in
doubling of design elements. If shifting occurs in the alignment between a
hub and a die, the die will have some of its features doubled. This doubling
is then imparted to every coin it strikes. The coins struck from such dies
are called doubled-die errors. The 1955 Doubled Die Lincoln cent is one such
error. |
| Double-struck
|
A condition that
results when a coin is not ejected from a die and is struck a second time
(hence double-struck). Triple-struck coins and other multiple strikings also
are known. Proofs are usually intentionally double-struck in order to
sharpen their details; this is sometimes visible under magnification.
|
| Draped Bust
|
The design of Miss
Liberty with a drape across her bust. This is attributed to Mint engraver
Robert Scot, who presumably copied the design after a portrait by Gilbert
Stuart. |
| Drift mark
|
An area on a coin,
often rather long, that appears streaky or discolored. This is the result of
impurities or foreign matter in the dies. |
| Dull
|
Term for a
numismatic item that lacks luster. Dulling may be the result of natural or
artificial conditions. |
| EAC
|
Abbreviation for
Early American Coppers |
| Eagle
|
A gold coin with a
face value of ten dollars. Along with the dollar, the eagle was the basis of
the U.S. currency system from 1792 through 1971. |
| Early American
Coppers (Club) |
A club dedicated to
advancing the study of pre-1857 United States copper coinage including
Colonials. |
| ED
|
Acronym for
environmental damage. |
| Edge
|
The third side of a
coin. It may be reeded, ornamented, or plain. |
| Edge device
|
Letters or emblems
on the edge of a coin. Examples would be the stars and lettering on the edge
of Saint-Gaudens double eagles. |
| EF
|
Acronym for
Extremely Fine |
| Electrotype
|
A duplicate coin
created by the electrolytic method, where metal is deposited into a mold
made from the original. The obverse and reverse metal shells are then filled
with metal and fused together. The edges are then sometimes filed smooth to
obscure the seam. |
| Elements
|
The various devices
and emblems seen on coins. |
| Eliasberg
|
Short for Louis E.
Eliasberg, Sr., who was the only collector ever to assemble a complete
collection of United States coins. |
| Emission sequence
|
The order in which
die states are struck. Also, the die use sequence for a particular issue.
|
| Engraver
|
The person
responsible for the design and/or punches used to craft a coin. |
| Envelope toning
|
Coloration that
results from storage in small manila "coin envelopes". Most paper envelopes
contain reactive chemicals. |
| Environmental
damage |
Corrosion-effect
seen on a coin that has been exposed to the elements. The damage may range
from minor dulling to severe pitting. |
| Eroded die
|
Synonym for a worn
die. |
| Error
|
A numismatic item
that unintentionally varies from the norm. Overdates and
overmintmarks are not considered errors since they were done
intentionally. Other die-cutting "mistakes" are considered errors. Double
dies, planchet clips, and off-metal strikings are also considered errors.
|
| Essai
|
Term for trial or
pattern strikings. The anglicized version is essay and literally means a
test or trial. |
| Expert
|
A specialist in a
particular numismatic area. (i.e. A gold expert, a Morgan Dollar expert, a
CC-Mint expert, etc.) |
| Extra Fine
|
Alternate term for
Extremely Fine. |
| Extremely Fine
|
Term for the grades
EF40 and EF45. |
| Extremely High
Relief |
The 1907 double
eagle issue designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The coin had so much depth
that multiple punches from a powerful press were required to fully bring up
the detail. Because of this difficulty, the design was lowered, resulting in
the High Relief. This too was lowered to create the Standing Liberty double
eagle, or Saint. |
| Eye appeal
|
The aesthetic effect
a coin has on its viewer. Although quite subjective, like any form of art,
that which constitutes eye appeal is generally agreed upon by most
experienced numismatists. |
| F
|
Abbreviation for
Fine |
| Fair
|
The grade FR-2.
|
| Fake
|
A counterfeit or
altered coin. |
| Fantasy piece
|
A term applied to
coins struck at the whim of Mint officials. Examples include the various
1865 Motto and 1866 No Motto coins. |
| Fasces
|
Term referring to
the motif on the reverse of Mercury dimes. The design consists of a bundle
of rods banded (wrapped) around an ax with a protruding blade. The
designation "full bands" refers to fasces on which there is complete
separation in the central bands across the rods. |
| Fat head
|
Term for the Small
Size Capped Bust quarters and half eagles. |
| FB
|
Acronym for Full
Bands. |
| FBL
|
Acronym for Full
Bell Lines. |
| FH
|
Acronym for Full
Head. |
| Fiat currency
|
Coins or paper money
that do not have metal value or are not backed by metal value. |
| Field
|
The flat (or
slightly curved) portion of a coin where there is no design. |
| Fine
|
Term for the grades
F-12 and F-15. |
| Finest known
|
The best-known
condition example of a particular numismatic item. |
| First shot
|
Term for the
opportunity to buy a numismatic item before it is offered to others.
|
| First strike
|
A coin struck early
in the life of a die. First strikes can be characterized by striated or
mirror-like fields if the die was polished. First strikes are almost always
fully or well struck, with crisp detail. |
| Five
|
Term for a
five-dollar gold coin or half eagle. |
| Five Indian
|
Term for the Indian
Head half eagles struck from 1908 to 1929. |
| Five Lib
|
Term for the Liberty
Head half eagles struck from 1839 until 1908. |
| Fixed price list
|
A listing of items
for sale at established prices. |
| Flat edge
|
Term referring to
the particular specimens of High Reliefs that do not have a wire edge.
Also see: Wire edge |
| Flat luster
|
A subdued type of
gray or dull luster often seen on coins struck from worn dies. |
| Flip rub
|
Discoloration, often
only slight, on the highest points of a coin caused by contact with a flip.
(clear, flexible coin holder) |
| Flow lines
|
Lines, sometimes
visible, resulting from the metal flowing outward from the center of a
planchet as it is struck. Cartwheel lustre is the result of light reflecting
from flow lines. |
| Flowing Hair
|
The design of Miss
Liberty with long, flowing hair that is attributed to Mint engraver Robert
Scot. |
| Flying Eagle
|
Term for Flying
Eagle Cent. |
| Flying Eagle Cent
|
The small cent,
struck in 88% copper and 12% nickel, that replaced the large cent.
|
| Focal area
|
The area of a coin
to which a viewer's eye is drawn. Liberty’s cheek is the focal point of the
Morgan Dollar. |
| Foreign
|
A numismatic item
not from the United States. |
| Four-dollar gold
piece |
An experimental
issue, also known as a stella, struck in 1879-1880 as a pattern coin.
|
| FPL
|
Acronym for Fixed
Price List. |
| FR
|
Acronym for Fair.
|
| Franklin
|
Synonym for Franklin
half-dollar. |
| Franklin
half-dollar |
The half-dollar
struck from 1948 until 1963 designed by John Sinnock. The coin featured Ben
Franklin on the obverse and the Liberty Bell on the reverse. |
| Friction
|
A disturbance which
appears either on the high-points of a coin or in the fields, as a result of
that coin rubbing against other objects. A coin is said to have friction
when only the lustre is disturbed, and no actual wear of the metal is
visible to the naked eye. |
| Frost
|
An effect seen on
the raised parts of a coin whereby the metal appears crystallized.
|
| Frosted devices
|
Raised elements on
coins struck with treated dies to impart a crystallized appearance.
|
| FS
|
Acronym for Full
Steps. |
| Fugio cents
|
1787 one-cent coins
that are considered by some to be the first regular issue U. S. coin. Since
they were authorized by the Continental Congress, this would seem to be a
logical assumption. However, Congress did not pass the Mint Act until 1792,
so an argument for the half dismes (half-dimes) of 1792 as the first regular
issue is also valid. |
| Full Bands
|
Abbreviated as FB,
this term is applied to Mercury (Winged Liberty Head) dimes when the central
band is fully separated. |
| Full Bell Lines
|
Abbreviated as FBL,
this term is applied to Franklin half-dollars when the lower sets of bell
lines are complete. |
| Full Head
|
Abbreviated as FH,
this term is applied to Standing Liberty quarters when the helmet of the
head has full detail. |
| Full Steps
|
Term applied to a
Jefferson five-cent piece when 5½ or 6 steps of Monticello are present.
|
| Full strike
|
A numismatic item
that has full detail. The metal flows into all areas of the die.
|
| FUN Show
|
The annual
convention sponsored by the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) held in early
January. Considered by most dealers to be the best coin show of the year!
|
| Galvano
|
The large metal
relief turned in a portrait lathe to become a steel hub. |
| Garrett
|
Term relating to the
Garrett family. There were two main collectors, Thomas H. Garrett and John
W. Garrett, who formed this extensive collection from the late 1800s through
the early 1900s. It was later given to Johns Hopkins University and sold in
five auction sales. |
| Gem
|
An adjective that
the A.N.A. applies to coins which grade Mint State or Proof-67. Most
dealers, however, apply the adjective to any coin which they grade
MS/Proof-65. |
| Gem BU
|
Synonym for Gem
Brilliant Uncirculated. |
| Gem Unc
|
Synonym for Gem
Uncirculated. |
| Gem Uncirculated
|
See Gem.
|
| Gobrecht
|
Synonym for "Gobrecht
dollar."
|
| Gobrecht dollar
|
Silver dollars dated
1836, 1838, and 1839 struck in those years and later restruck. These are
named for their designer, Christian Gobrecht, Chief Engraver from 1840 to
1844. |
| Gold commem
|
Synonym for gold
commemorative. |
| Gold
commemorative |
Any of the eleven
gold coins struck from 1903 until 1926 to honor a person, place, or event.
Also, any of the modern United States commemorative gold issues sometimes
referred to as modern gold commems. |
| Gold dollar
|
Small coins of
one-dollar denomination struck from 1849 until 1889. |
| Good
|
The grades G-4 and
G-6. |
| Grade
|
The numerical or
adjectival condition of a coin. |
| Grader
|
A person who
evaluates the condition of coins. |
| Grading
|
The process of
numerically quantifying the condition of a coin. |
| Greysheet
|
A synonym for the
Coin Dealer Newsletter. |
| Hair
|
The area of a coin
that represents hair and may be an important aspect of the grade.
|
| Hairlines
|
Thin, shallow
scratches on the surface of a coin, usually caused by improper cleaning, or
mishandling. Hairlines are found on virtually all proof coins, and are
considered the most important single factor in grading high quality proof
coins. They sometimes appear on business strikes as well. Hairlines tend to
show up more often on proof-like business strikes. |
| Half
|
Synonym for
half-dollar. |
| Half cent
|
The lowest-value
coin denomination ever issued by the U. S., representing 1/200th of a
dollar. Half cents were struck from 1793 until 1857. |
| Half disme
|
The original
spelling of half dime. The first United States regular issue was the 1792
half disme supposedly struck in John Harper’s basement using the newly
acquired Mint presses. |
| Half Dollar
|
The denomination
first struck in 1794 that is still issued today. |
| Half Eagle
|
Literally, half the
value of an Eagle. The Eagle was defined by the Mint Act of 1792 as equal to
ten silver dollars. |
| Hammer die
|
The upper die that
is non-stationary. While usually the obverse, on some issues with striking
problems, the reverse was employed as the hammer die.
Also see: Anvil die |
| Haze
|
A cloudy film seen
on business-strike coins and Proofs. It may occur naturally or be added.
|
| Heraldic Eagle
|
Also called the
large eagle, this emblem of Liberty got its name because of its resemblance
to the eagles of heraldry. |
| High end
|
A term applied to
any coin at the upper end of a particular grade.
Also see: Premium quality |
| High Relief
|
A coin with deep
concave fields, due to its design. High relief coins required extra pressure
to be fully struck, and were difficult to stack. Therefore, the few coins
struck in high relief by the U.S. Mint (such as the 1921 Peace dollar and
the 1907 Roman Numerals double eagle) were each made for only one year.
|
| Hoard
|
A group of coins
held for either numismatic or monetary reasons. |
| Hoard coin
|
A coin that exists,
or existed, in a quantity held by an individual, organization, etc. Examples
include Stone Mountain half dollars still held by the Daughters of the
Confederacy. |
| Hoarder
|
An individual who
amasses a great quantity of a numismatic item. |
| Hobo nickel
|
An Indian Head
(Buffalo) nickel which has been engraved with the portrait of a hobo or
other character, often by a hobo. These are popular with some collectors and
some are so distinctive that they have been attributed to particular
"hoboes." |
| Holder toning
|
Any toning acquired
by a coin as a result of storage in a holder. |
| Hub
|
Minting term for the
steel device that is used to produce a die. |
| Impaired Proof
|
A Proof coin that
grades lower than PR-60.
Also see: Mishandled Proof |
| Incomplete strike
|
A coin that is
missing design detail because of a problem during the striking process. An
incomplete strike may be due to insufficient striking pressure or improperly
spaced dies. |
| Incuse design
|
The intaglio design
used on Indian Head quarter eagles and half eagles. The devices on these
coins were recessed to try and deter counterfeiting and improve durability.
|
| Independent Coin
Grading Company (ICG) |
ICG is a grading
service located in Englewood, CO. |
| Indian cent
|
Synonym for an
Indian Head cent. |
| Indian Head cent
|
Cents struck from
1859 until 1909 designed by James Longacre. |
| Indian Head eagle
|
The Saint-Gaudens
designed ten-dollar gold coin struck from 1907 until 1933. |
| Indian penny
|
Synonym for Indian
Head cent. |
| Intrinsic value
|
The value of the
metal(s) contained in a numismatic item. The United States issues contained
their intrinsic value in metal until 1933 for gold coins and 1964 for silver
coins. Modern U.S. coins are termed fiat currency (see Fiat
currency). |
| Iridescencent
|
Probably the most
desirable form of toning on a silver or nickel coin. Iridescent toning
covers virtually all of the coin’s surface, while still permitting all of
the coin’s natural lustre to shine through with its full intensity.
|
| Jefferson nickel
|
The five-cent coin
struck beginning in 1938 through to this day. Felix Schlag was the designer.
|
| Knife edge
|
Synonym for wire
edge. |
| Lamination
|
A form of planchet
flaw caused by imperfections in the metal, whereby a thin strip of the metal
separates itself from the coin. |
| Large cent
|
A large copper U.S.
coin - issued from 1793 until 1857 - valued at one-hundredth of a dollar. It
was later replaced by a much smaller cent made from a copper-nickel alloy.
|
| Large date
|
Term referring to
the size of the digits of the date on a coin. The use of this term implies
that a medium or small date exists for the coin or series. |
| Large Eagle
|
Synonym for Heraldic
Eagle. |
| Large letters
|
Term referring to
the size of the lettering of the date on a coin. The use of this term
implies that medium or small letters exist for the coin or series.
|
| Large Motto
|
Synonym for the 1864
two-cent coin with large lettering for the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST". Congress
mandated this inscription for all coinage and it has been used on nearly
every coin since that time.
Also see: Small Motto |
| Large size
|
A term referring to
the particular diameter of a coin in a series. The use of this term implies
that there is a small size with the same motif. |
| LD
|
Acronym for large
date. |
| Legend
|
Any phrase that
appears on a coin. For example "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA". |
| Lettered edge
|
A coin edge that
displays an inscription or other design elements, rather than being plain or
reeded (see Reeded Edge). |
| Lettering
|
The alphabet
characters used in creating legends, mottos, and other inscriptions on a
coin. |
| Lib
|
Term for Liberty
Head. (i.e. a $10 Lib, a $20 Lib). |
| Liberty
|
A symbolic figure
used in many U.S. coin designs. |
| Liberty Cap
|
The head of Miss
Liberty, with a cap on a pole by her head. This design was used on certain
U.S. half cents and large cents. |
| Liberty Head
|
The design used on
most U.S. gold coins from 1838 until 1908. Morgan dollars and Barber coinage
are also sometimes referred to as Liberty Head coins. |
| Liberty Seated
|
The motif featuring
Miss Liberty seated on a rock first used on the Gobrecht dollars of
1836-1839. This design was used on nearly all regular issue silver coinage
from 1837 through 1891. |
| Lincoln
|
Synonym for a
Lincoln Head cent. |
| Lincoln cent
|
Cent designed by
Victor D. Brenner that was first issued in 1909 and continues through today,
although the reverse design was changed to the Memorial Reverse in 1959.
|
| Lincoln penny
|
Synonym for Lincoln
Head cent. |
| Lint mark
|
A characteristic
that occurs mostly on proof coins as a result of a piece of lint on the die
or planchet during the striking process. This lint creates an incused
scratch-like mark on the coin. Lint marks are distinguishable from hairlines
by their evenness of depth and lack of raised ridges on their borders. They
are also identifiable by their interesting thread-like shapes. Since a lint
mark is mint-caused, it has a much smaller effect on the grade and value of
a coin than a hairline of equal size and prominence. |
| LL
|
Acronym for large
letters. |
| Long Beach
|
Synonym for the Long
Beach Coin and Stamp Exhibition held in Long Beach, California, America’s
largest commercial coin show. This show is held three times a year, usually
in February, June, and October. |
| Lot
|
A unique number
assigned by an auction house to an item or items sold in a particular sale.
|
| Loupe
|
A magnifying glass
used to examine coins. |
| Luster
|
Synonym for lustre.
|
| Lustre
|
The brightness of a
coin that results from the way in which it reflects light. Many different
types of lustre exist, and one of the trickiest parts of the grading process
is determining whether the lustre of a coin is artificial (see whizzed),
natural as made, or diminished through wear, friction, cleaning, or other
factors. |
| Lustrous
|
A term used to
describe a coin that still has its original mint bloom. |
| Major variety
|
A coin that is
widely recognized as having a major difference from other coins of the same
date, design, type, and mint.
Also see: Minor variety |
| Market grade
|
The grade at which
most reputable dealers and auction houses would offer an uncertified coin.
|
| Marks
|
Imperfections
acquired after a coin is struck. |
| Master die
|
The main die
produced from the master hub. Also see: Master die, Working hub, and Working
die |
| Master hub
|
The original hub
created by the portrait lathe. Master dies are created from this hub.
|
| Matte Proof
|
A certain type of
proof minted in the U.S. mostly from 1908 to 1916. Gold and silver matte
proofs have a dull, granular (i.e. sandblasted) finish without any
mirror-like qualities. Copper and nickel matte proofs are really more like
Roman finish proofs. Also see: Roman Finish |
| MD
|
Acronym for medium
date. |
| Medal press
|
A high-pressure
coining press acquired by the U.S. Mint, in the 1850s. It was used to strike
medals, and other issues. |
| Medium date
|
Term referring to
the size of the digits of the date on a coin. The use of this term implies
that a large or small date exists for the coin or series. |
| Medium letters
|
Term referring to
the size of the lettering on a coin. The use of this term implies that large
or small letters exist for that coin or series. |
| Melt
|
Term for the
intrinsic metal value of a coin. |
| Mercury dime
|
Common name for the
Winged Liberty Head dime issued from 1916 through 1945. (Also "Merc").
|
| Metal stress
lines |
Radial lines,
sometimes visible, caused by metal flowing outward from the center of the
planchet during the minting process.
Also see: Flow lines |
| Milling mark
|
A series of two or
more small nicks on a coin which result from contact with the reeded edge of
another coin, usually in a mint bag. Milling marks are generally more
detrimental to the grade than normal bagmarks, because of their severity of
depth and greater visual impact. Also see: Reeding Mark. |
| Minor variety
|
A coin that has a
minor difference from other coins of the same design, type, date, and mint.
Also see: Major variety |
| Mint
|
A facility where
coins are crafted. |
| Mint bloom
|
Original lustre that
is still visible on a coin.
Also see: Lustre |
| Mint error
|
Also see: Error |
| Mint set
|
A group of
Uncirculated coins from a particular year, usually comprising coins from
each Mint. |
| Mint set toning
|
Term referring to
toning acquired by coins after years of storage in their original cardboard
holders. |
| Mint State
|
Describes a coin
that has never been in circulation. Thus, the coin has no wear. A mint state
coin may still be weakly struck, and therefore lack the detail of even a
lower grade coin. All mint state coins have some imperfections if you study
them hard enough. The term "Mint State" may also correctly be applied to
coins that were struck as proofs. |
| Mintage
|
The number of coins
of a particular date struck at a given mint during a specific year.
|
| Mintmark
|
Letter(s) stamped
into a coin to denote the mint at which it was struck. |
| Mis-struck
|
Term applied to
"error coins" with striking irregularities. |
| Mishandled Proof
|
A proof coin that
somehow escaped into circulation or was otherwise significantly abused.
|
| ML
|
Acronym for medium
letters. |
| Morgan
|
Synonym for Morgan
dollar.
|
| Morgan dollar
|
Term for the Liberty
Head silver dollar struck from 1878 through 1904 and once again in 1921.
George Morgan was only an assistant engraver, but his design for the dollar
was selected over William Barber’s. |
| Mottled toning
|
Splotchy, uneven
toning. |
| Motto
|
An inscription on a
coin. The most popular being IN GOD WE TRUST, which first appeared on the
1864 two-cent piece and is now is required on all U.S. coinage. |
| MS
|
Acronym for Mint
State. |
| Multiple-struck
|
Also see: Double-struck |
| Mutilated
|
A coin that has been
damaged to the point where it no longer can be graded. |
| New
|
Term for a coin that
never has been in circulation. |
| New Orleans
|
The branch Mint
established in 1838 in New Orleans, Louisiana. It struck coins for the
United States until its seizure in 1861 by the Confederacy. (Some 1861-O
half-dollars were struck after the seizure.) It reopened in 1879 and struck
coins until 1909 (actually closed in 1910). Now this facility is a museum.
|
| NGC
|
Acronym for
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation, located in Sarasota, FL. A
leading coin grading service. |
| NGC Census Report
|
Quarterly
publication issued by NGC listing the number of coins graded and their
grade. |
| Nickel
|
Popular term for a
five-cent piece. |
| No Arrows
|
Term applied to
coins without arrows by their dates during years when other coins had arrows
by the date. (i.e. the 1853 Arrows half dime and the 1853 No Arrows half
dime.) |
| No Motto
|
Coins struck without
the motto, "IN GOD WE TRUST". |
| No Stars
|
Term referring to
the Gobrecht-designed Liberty Seated coins without stars. |
| No "CENTS" nickel
|
Liberty Head nickels
struck in 1883 without a denomination. The lack of a denomination was very
confusing to the public and led to the "racketeer" nickel scandal.
Also see: Racketeer nickel |
| No-grade
|
Term applied to a
coin returned from a third-party grading service that was not encapsulated.
This can be due to questionable authenticity, cleaning, damage, or other
reasons. |
| Numerical grading
|
The Sheldon 1-70
scale employed by NGC, PCGS, and other third-party grading services.
|
| Numismatic
Guaranty Corporation |
A leading
third-party grading service based in Sarasota, Florida. |
| Numismatic News
|
A leading weekly
coin newspaper established in 1952. |
| Numismatics
|
The science of
money. Coins, currency, tokens, inscribed bars, and all related items are
numismatic. |
| Numismatist
|
One who studies or
collects money. |
| O
|
Mintmark used to
signify coins struck at the New Orleans, Louisiana branch Mint. |
| O-Mint
|
Term used for the
coinage of the branch Mint in New Orleans, Louisiana. |
| Obverse
|
The front (heads
side) of a coin. |
| Oct
|
Synonym for
octagonal – the Pan-Pac octagonal commemorative fifty-dollar coin.
|
| Off center
|
A coin struck on a
blank that was not properly centered over the anvil, or lower, die.
|
| Open collar
|
A device used to
position a planchet over the lower die. It was employed specifically for
striking early U.S. coins whose edges had already been stamped with reeding
or lettering. |
| Orange-peel
surfaces |
Dimpled fields seen
on many Proof gold coins, and some Mint State gold dollars and $3 gold
coins. |
| Original
|
Referring to any
aspect of a coin that retains its original state. Original toning means
natural, not retoned or cleaned. Original lustre means undisturbed lustre
that hasn’t been enhanced through artificial methods. |
| Original roll
|
A roll of coins, all
the same date, denomination, and mintmark, and usually of the same die
variety, which seem to have been acquired by the same original owner,
probably from the same original mint bag. Generally, all the coins in an
original roll will have similar toning and lustre. |
| Original toning
|
Referring to a coin
that has never been cleaned or dipped. Original toning ranges from a very
mild yellow to extremely dark blues, grays, browns, and finally black.
|
| Over -mintmark
|
A coin struck with a
die on which one mintmark is engraved over a different mintmark. In rare
instances, branch mints returned dies that already had mintmarks punched
into them; on occasion, these were later sent to different branch mints and
the new mint altered the die to add its mintmark over the old one. Examples
include the 1944 D/S Lincoln Cent, and the 1949 D/S Jefferson Nickel.
|
| Over dipped
|
A coin whose lustre
has been dulled from too many baths in a dipping solution. |
| Overdate
|
A coin struck from a
die with a date that has one year punched over a different year.
|
| P-Mint
|
Synonym for the U.S.
Mint located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. |
| Pan-Pac
|
Synonym for
Panama-Pacific Exhibition. |
| Pan-Pac slug
|
Synonym for the
round or octagonal 1915-dated Panama-Pacific fifty-dollar commemorative
coins. |
| Panama-Pacific
Exhibition |
A 1915 exhibition
held in San Francisco, California to celebrate the completion of the Panama
Canal. |
| Paper money
|
Synonym for
currency. |
| Patina
|
Synonym for toning.
|
| Pattern
|
A test striking of a
coin produced to trial a proposed design, composition, or size. Patterns
were often struck in metals other than the one proposed. |
| PCGS
|
Abbreviation for
Professional Coin Grading Service, a leading third party grading service located in
Newport Beach, CA. |
| PCGS Population
Report |
Monthly publication
by PCGS listing the number of coins graded and their grade. |
| Peace dollar
|
Synonym for the
silver dollar struck from 1921 to 1935. The Peace dollar was designed by
Anthony Francisci to commemorate the peace following World War I. 1921
featured another coin designated High Relief. In 1922, the relief was
lowered resulting in the Regular Relief type that was issued through 1935.
|
| Pedigree
|
The listing of a
coin’s current owner plus all known previous owners. |
| Penny
|
Synonym for a
one-cent U.S. coin. |
| Peripheral toning
|
Coloring – which may
be light, medium, or dark - around the edge of a coin. |
| Philadelphia
|
The primary U.S.
Mint located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was first established in
1792. |
| Pioneer gold
|
Privately issued
gold coins struck prior to 1861. The term is generally associated with the
private issues from California and the other post-1848 ore finds in Nevada,
Oregon, and Colorado. |
| PL
|
Abbreviation for
prooflike. |
| Plain edge
|
A smooth, flat edge
seen mainly on a small-denomination coinage.
Also see: Lettered edge, Reeded edge |
| Planchet
|
The blank metal
disk, which becomes a coin when struck under high pressure between two dies.
Also see: Blank |
| Planchet defect
|
Any defect of a coin
which was caused by the planchet being imperfect prior to the coin being
struck. Also see: Planchet flaw |
| Planchet flaw
|
An irregular hole in
a coin blank, sometimes the result of a lamination that has broken away.
|
| Planchet
striations |
Fine, incuse lines
found on some Proof coins believed to be caused by polishing of the blanks
prior to striking. Also see: Adjustment marks, Burnishing lines, Die
striations, Roller marks |
| Plated
|
A coin with a thin
layer of metal applied. For example, gold-plated copper strikings of certain
U.S. pattern coins. |
| Platinum
|
A precious metal
sometimes used for coinage. The only United States issues struck in platinum
are the pattern half dollars of 1814 and modern platinum Eagles.
|
| Plugged
|
Term used to
describe a coin that has had a hole filled, often so expertly that it can be
discerned only under magnification. |
| PNG
|
Acronym for
Professional Numismatists Guild. |
| PNG certificate
|
A document (in
duplicate: one for the coin owner and one kept on-file at PNG) completed by
a PNG dealer that provided a guarantee of authenticity prior to third-party
grading services. |
| PO
|
Abbreviation for
Poor. (Also P). |
| Polished die
|
A die that has been
basined to remove clash marks or other die injury. Dies used to strike Proof
coins were polished to impart mirrorlike surfaces.
Also see: Basining |
| Polyvinyl
chloride |
A somewhat active
chemical found in some types of plastic coin flips. Polyvinyl Chloride will
cause some coins to tone or turn green over time. |
| Poor
|
Synonym for the
grade PO-1 (or P1). |
| Pop Report
|
Synonym for a report
issued by NGC or PCGS, which summarizes the coins certified to date.
|
| PQ
|
Acronym for premium
quality. |
| PR
|
Abbreviation for
Proof. |
| Premium quality
|
A term which
describes the very finest coins that fall into any given grade, or that have
some claims to a higher grade. |
| Presentation
striking |
A coin, often a
Proof or an exceptionally sharp business strike, specially struck and given
to a dignitary or other person. |
| Press
|
Any coining machine.
|
| Price guide
|
A periodical listing
prices for numismatic items. The guide might differentiate between buy and
sell (Bid/Ask), as well as wholesale or retail prices. |
| Price list
|
Synonym for fixed
price list |
| Pristine
|
Term describing
coins in original, unimpaired condition. Pristine coins are typically graded
MS/PR-67 and higher. |
| Professional Coin
Grading Service |
A leading
third-party coin grading service located in Newport Beach, California.
|
| Professional
Numismatists Guild |
An organization of
Numismatic dealers founded in 1955. |
| Proof
|
The term Proof
denotes a method of manufacture, not a grade. Proof coins are made with
special care, exclusively for collectors or investors and not struck for
general circulation. Generally, proof coins are struck on specially selected
and polished planchets. They are struck using polished dies. Usually the
coins are made on a slower moving press, and/or are struck more than once.
Most proof coins are brilliant, with a mirrorlike surface. |
| Proof set
|
A coin set
containing Proof issues from a particular year. A few sets contain anomalies
such as the 1804 dollar and eagle in 1834 presentation Proof sets.
|
| Proof dies
|
Dies which are
prepared and used exclusively to produce proof coins. Often, the fields of
proof dies are highly polished to impart a mirrorlike finish, and the
recessed areas are left unfinished to create frosted devices. |
| Proof-only issue
|
A coin struck only
as a Proof, with no business-strike counterpart. |
| Prooflike
|
A coin that has
mirror-like surfaces. This term is particularly applicable to Morgan
dollars. |
| Provenance
|
Synonym for
pedigree. |
| Punch
|
A steel rod with a
device, a date, lettering, and other symbols on the end which was hammered
into a working die. |
| Put-together roll
|
An "original roll"
that has had the best coins removed and substituted with lesser quality
coins. Also see: Original roll |
| PVC
|
Acronym for
polyvinyl chloride. |
| PVC damage
|
A film, often green,
left on a coin after storage in flips that contain PVC. During the early
stage, this film may be clear and sticky. |
| PVC flip
|
Synonym for a coin
flip that contains PVC. |
| Quarter
|
A U.S. coin of the
quarter dollar denomination. |
| Quarter Eagle
|
Literally,
one-fourth of an eagle, equal to a two-and-one-half dollar gold coin. The
quarter eagle was first struck in 1796, struck sporadically thereafter, and
was discontinued in 1929. |
| Questionable
toning |
Suspicious color on
a coin that may not be natural. |
| Racketeer nickel
|
A gold-plated 1883
No "CENTS" Liberty Head five-cent coin ("V" nickel). Legend has it that a
deaf-mute gold-plated these unfamiliar coins and would use them as legal
tender. Sometimes, he was given change for a five-dollar gold piece since
the V on the reverse could be interpreted as either five cents or five
dollars! They have also been gold-plated since that time to sell to
collectors. |
| Rainbow toning
|
Toning which is
usually seen on silver dollars stored in bags. A full spectrum of colors are
represented, beginning with yellow, then green, to red, to blue, and
sometimes even black. |
| Rarity
|
The total number of
extant specimens of a particular numismatic item. Condition rarity describes
the number of specimens in a particular grade plus any in higher grades.
|
| Rarity scale
|
A numerical-rating
system used to quantify rarity. One example is the Universal Rarity Scale.
|
| Raw
|
Refers to any coin
that is not encapsulated by a grading service. |
| Rays
|
Term for the lines
that represent sun rays on a coin’s design. |
| RB
|
Abbreviation for red
and brown or Red-Brown. |
| RD
|
Abbreviation for
Red. |
| Real
|
A genuine coin.
Also see: Counterfeit alteration |
| Red
|
Describes a copper
coin that still retains 95 percent or more of its original color.
(Abbreviated as RD) |
| Red-Brown
|
Describes a copper
coin that has from 5 to 95 percent of its original mint color remaining
(Abbreviated as RB). |
| Redbook
|
Synonym for "A
Guide Book of U.S. Coins", the annual price guide that is often
considered the "bible" of printed numismatic retail price guides. First
issued in 1947. |
| Reeded edge
|
Grooved notches
found on the edge of some coins. |
| Reeding mark(s)
|
A mark or marks
caused when the reeded edge of one coin scuffs or scratches the surface of
another coin. Also see: Milling mark |
| Regular issue
|
A coin struck for
commerce. There may be Regular and/or Proof strikes, as well as die trials
of regular issues.
Also see: Business strike and Commercial strike. |
| Regular strike
|
Synonym for business
strike. A coin struck using conventional coin pressing methods. |
| Relief
|
The height of the
devices of a particular coin design. |
| Replica
|
A copy, or
reproduction. |
| Restrike
|
A coin struck later
than indicated by its date, often with different dies. |
| Retoned
|
A coin that has been
dipped or cleaned and then has regained color – either naturally or
artificially. |
| Reverse
|
The back or "tails"
side, of a coin. |
| Rim
|
The raised area
around the edges of the obverse and reverse of a coin. |
| Rim ding
|
Synonym for a rim
nick. |
| Rim nick
|
A mark or
indentation on the rim of a coin. |
| Ring test
|
A test that may
determine whether a coin was struck or is an electrotype or cast copy. The
coin is balanced on a finger and gently tapped with a metal object. Genuine
coins have a high-pitched ring or tone, while electrotypes and cast copies
have little or none. It should be noted that this test is not always an
accurate method for identifying electrotype or cast copy coins. |
| Rip
|
A slang term for a
coin which was purchased below the market wholesale price and is easily
resalable for a good profit. |
| Roll
|
A set number of
coins stored in a coin wrapper. Rolls were originally paper wrappers, and
today are typically plastic. |
| Roll friction
|
Minor displacement
of metal, mostly on the high points, seen on coins stored in rolls.
|
| Rolled edge
|
A synonym for rolled
rim. |
| Rolled Edge Ten
|
Common name for a
particular 1907 variety of the Indian Head eagle. |
| Roller marks
|
Parallel incuse
lines found on a coin after it is struck. It is believed that roller marks
are caused when the strips of metal are pulled through draw bars (set at a
precise distance apart to ensure the planchet blanks will be at the correct
thickness). |
| Roman finish
|
A scaly finish,
similar to that of Satin Proofs. This was an experimental Proof surface used
mostly on U.S. gold coins of 1909 and 1910. |
| Round
|
Synonym for a round
Pan-Pac commemorative fifty-dollar coin. |
| Rubbing
|
The barest trace of
wear on the high points of a coin. Just a step more severe than "friction"
on the scale of adjectives used to describe degrees of wear. Usually, a coin
with rubbing has virtually full mint lustre intact.
Also see: Friction |
| S VDB
|
Synonym for the
1909-S VDB Lincoln Head penny. |
| S-Mint
|
Term applied to
coins struck at the San Francisco, California branch Mint. |
| Saint
|
Synonym for the
Saint-Gaudens inspired double eagle gold coin. |
| Saint-Gaudens
|
Family name of
Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the preeminent sculptor of the late nineteenth and
early twentieth century. At the request of President Teddy Roosevelt, he
began a redesign of the eagle and double eagle coins in 1907 although he
died mid-production. |
| San Francisco
|
The United States
branch Mint located in San Francisco, California that struck coins from 1854
through 1955, and again from 1965 to today. |
| Satin finish
|
Also see: Roman
finish |
| Satin lustre
|
Fine, silky finish
seen mostly on copper and nickel business strike coins. Almost no
"cartwheel" effect is seen on coins with satin lustre. |
| Scratch
|
A mark on a coin
that is more severe than a hairline. |
| Screw press
|
The first type of
coining press used at the U.S. Mint. The screw press had a fixed lower die,
and an upper die attached to a threaded rod. By rotating a series of
weighted arms that were attached to the threaded rod, the screw mechanism
drove the upper die downward to strike the planchet. The screw press
invention is credited to Donato Bramante. |
| SD
|
Acronym for small
date. |
| Sea salvage coin
|
A coin retrieved
from the ocean, often recovered from a ship wreck. |
| Seated
|
Synonym for Liberty
Seated silver coins issued from 1837 through 1891. |
| Seated coinage
|
Synonym for Liberty
Seated coinage. |
| Second toning
|
Natural or
artificial toning that occurs after a coin is dipped or cleaned.
|
| Semi-common
|
A coin that is
considered neither common, nor scarce. |
| Semi-numismatic
|
Refers to a coin
that has a significant bullion value and some numismatic value. |
| Semi-prooflike
|
A coin that has
almost enough mirror-like reflectiveness to be called "prooflike".
|
| Series
|
A particular design
or motif used over a period of time. This can refer to a single
denomination, or in some cases, several denominations. |
| Set
|
A collection of
coins in a series. This could be a collection of types, or a collection from
a particular Mint. |
| Sheldon
|
The late Dr. William
H. Sheldon who wrote the seminal work on 1793 to 1814 large cents.
|
| Sheldon Book
|
The large cent book,
first published in 1949 as Early American Cents and reissued
in 1958 as Penny Whimsy by W. Sheldon, W. Breen and D.
Paschal. |
| Sheldon numbers
|
The reference
numbers (S-1, S-2, etc.) for 1793 to 1814 large cents as documented in the
books, Early American Cents and Penny Whimsy.
|
| Sheldon scale
|
A system of grading
which was originally introduced by the late Dr. William H. Sheldon, for the
purpose of grading large cents. The system was adapted to all coins in the
early 1970’s. The Sheldon Scale, as applied today, incorporates numerical
grades 1 through 70 to correspond with various descriptive grades as
follows:
Poor – 1
Fair – 2
Almost Good – 3
Good – 4, 6
Very Good – 8, 10
Fine – 12, 15
Very Fine – 20, 25, 30, 35
Extremely Fine – 40, 45
Almost Uncirculated – 50, 53, 55, 58
Mint State – 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70.
|
| Shield
|
A design used on
certain issues that has horizontal and vertical lines in a shield shape.
|
| Shield nickel
|
Synonym for the
Shield five-cent coin struck from 1866 until 1883. |
| Shiny spots
|
Areas on Matte,
Roman, and Satin Proof coins where the original dulled surface has been
disturbed. |
| Show
|
Synonym for a bourse
or coin show. |
| Sight seen
|
A term meaning that
the buyer of a particular numismatic item in a particular grade may view the
coin before buying it. |
| Sight unseen
|
A term meaning that
the buyer of a particular numismatic item in a particular grade offers to
pay a certain price without examining the item. |
| Silver
|
1 – A precious metal
2 – Referring to coins struck in silver (generally 90% silver and 10% copper
but there are a few exceptions). |
| Silver commem
|
Synonym for silver
commemorative coins. |
| Silver
commemoratives |
Coins struck at
various times from 1892 through 1954 and post-1982, to celebrate a person,
place, or event. |
| Silver dollar
|
Silver coin that
served as a cornerstone of U.S. currency from 1792 through 1935. Also see:
Dollar, Trade dollar |
| Silver nickel
|
Synonym for Wartime
nickel. |
| Silver-clad
|
A coin whose overall
metal makeup is 40% silver and 60% copper. Kennedy half dollars (struck from
1965 until 1970) are silver-clad halves. |
| Skirt lines
|
Lines representing
the folds of Liberty’s flowing gown on Walking Liberty half-dollars.
|
| SL
|
Acronym for small
letters. |
| Slab
|
The plastic holder
in which a grading service will encapsulate a coin which has been graded.
|
| Slabbing
|
The process of
encapsulating a coin in a sonically sealed holder. |
| Sleeper
|
A coin which is
undervalued or underpriced. |
| Slider
|
A coin which a less
scrupulous individual might sell at a higher grade than it really merits.
The term usually refers to a nearly mint-state coin which is, or could be
offered as a full mint-state. |
| Slug
|
Term for the
octagonal and round fifty-dollar gold coins struck during the California
gold rush. Legend has it that the term came about when criminals used the
two-and-one-half ounce coins wrapped in a cloth to bonk their victims on the
head. For an unrelated reason, 1915 Pan-Pac fifty-dollar commemorative
issues are also referred to as slugs. |
| Small cent
|
Cents of reduced
size that replaced the large cent as of 1857. |
| Small date
|
Term referring to
the size of the digits of the date on a coin. The use of this term implies
that a large or medium date exists for that coin or series. |
| Small Eagle
|
Referring to the
coin design with the plain eagle on a perch, first used on the 1794 half
dime and half dollar. |
| Small letters
|
Term referring to
the size of the lettering used in the design on a coin. The use of this term
implies that large or medium letters exist for the coin or series.
|
| Small Motto
|
Abbreviation for the
variety of two-cent coin of 1864 with small letters in the motto "IN GOD WE
TRUST".
Also see: Large motto |
| Small size
|
A term referring to
the diameter of a coin in a series. The use of this term implies that there
is a large diameter coin with the same motif. |
| SMS
|
Acronym for Special
Mint Set |
| SP
|
Abbreviation for
Specimen Strike. |
| Spark-erosion die
|
A die made by an
electrolytic deposition method. Because the surfaces of the die are very
rough (a result of the process), they must be polished to remove surface
imperfections. |
| Spark-erosion
strike |
A coin made from
spark-erosion dies, often showing signs of pitting in the relief areas as a
result of the die surface. |
| Special Mint Set
|
A set of special
coins that were first struck in limited quantities in 1965 and officially
released in 1966-1967. They were intended to replace Proof sets, which had
been discontinued by the U.S. Mint in an effort to stop coin hoarding. In
1968, The Mint resumed the issuing of Proofs. |
| Specimen
|
Referring to a
special set of coins struck at the Mint from 1792 to 1816 that display many
characteristics of the later Proof coinage. |
| Specimen Strike
|
Also see: Specimen
|
| Split grade
|
A coin whose obverse
grade is different from its reverse grade. Examples: MS-63/65 or Proof
63/60. |
| Splotchy toning
|
Color that is
uneven, in both shade and composition. |
| Spot
|
A discolored area on
a coin. A spot or spots can have a small or large effect on the grade of a
coin depending many factors such as size, severity, and placement.
|
| St. Gaudens
|
Common misspelling
of the last name of Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Also used as a synonym for the
Standing Liberty double eagle (Saint). |
| Standard silver
|
The official
composition of U.S. silver coinage, determined by the Mint Act of 1792.
Initially set at approximately 89 percent silver and 11 percent copper, it
was later changed to 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. |
| Standing Liberty
|
Design motif of Miss
Liberty in an upright front-facing position. |
| Standing Liberty
quarter |
Synonym for the
quarter dollar struck from 1917 until 1930. It was designed by Hermon
MacNeil. |
| Staple scratch
|
A line on a coin
resulting from its improper removal from a cardboard stapled holder.
|
| Star
|
A five-pointed or
six-pointed design element used on many U.S. coins. |
| State quarter
|
Synonym for the 1999
and later Washington quarters struck with unique reverse designs for each
State. These quarters are to be issued in the order of admittance to the
United States. The order for the original 13 colonies was determined by the
date which each State ratified the Constitution. |
| Steam-powered
press |
A coining press
driven by a steam-powered engine. |
| Steel cent
|
1943 cents - and
certain 1944 cents struck on leftover steel blanks - struck in steel and
plated with zinc. |
| Steelies
|
Synonym for 1943
steel cents. |
| Stella
|
Abbreviation for the
experimental four-dollar gold coins struck by the U.S. Mint in 1879-1880.
The term comes from the large star on the coins’ reverse. |
| Stock edge
|
A counterfeit edge
collar used for creating fake coins. |
| Store cards
|
Merchant tokens,
usually composed of copper, created to help alleviate the shortage of small
change during the nineteenth century. These were widely accepted in their
immediate areas. |
| Stress lines
|
Synonym for "flow
lines." |
| Striations
|
Term for the incuse
polish lines on a die which result in raised lines on coins. While these are
usually fine, parallel lines, they may also manifest themselves as swirling,
or even criss-cross lines. Planchet striations are burnishing lines not
struck away by the minting process that are incuse on the coins.
|
| Strike
|
The sharpness of
detail which the coin had when it was Mint State. A full strike is a coin
that exhibits the full detail that would appear on the sharpest known
examples of that type. |
| Strip
|
The flat metal,
rolled and drawn to proper thickness, from which planchets are cut.
|
| Struck
|
Term describing a
coin produced from dies and a coining press. |
| Struck copy
|
A replica of a
particular coin made from dies, possibly but not necessarily meant to
deceive. |
| Struck
counterfeit |
A fake coin produced
from false dies. |
| Surface
preservation |
The condition of a
coin’s surface. |
| Surfaces
|
The entire obverse
and reverse faces of a coin. |
| Sweating
|
A procedure in which
coins are placed in a bag and shaken vigorously to knock off small pieces of
metal. The bits of metal are gathered and sold as scrap, leaving the
original coins to be returned to circulation at face value. A practice
mainly employed with gold coins, leaving their surfaces peppered with tiny
nicks. |
| Tab toning
|
Term referring to
toning often seen on commemorative coins which were sold in cardboard
holders with a round tab. Such coins have a circle in the center and are
said to have "tab toning". |
| Tail feathers
|
Refers to the tail
feathers on the Eagle on the reverse of certain U.S. coins. Particularly,
the Morgan Silver Dollar. |
| Target toning
|
Toning effect that
resembles an archery target - with deeper colors on the periphery often
fading to white or cream color at the center. |
| Technical grading
|
A system of grading
which only takes into account that which has happened to a coin after the
minting process (i.e. the state of preservation). Technical graders often
ignore factors such as strike and eye-appeal. |
| Teddy’s Coin
|
Synonym for J-1776,
the unique gold striking of the 1907 Indian Head double eagle. |
| Ten
|
Slang for an eagle
or ten-dollar gold coin. |
| Ten Indian
|
Synonym for an
Indian Head eagle. |
| Ten Lib
|
Synonym for a
Liberty Head eagle. |
| Territorial Gold
|
Coins and bars
privately struck during the various gold rushes. |
| TF
|
Abbreviation for
Tail Feathers. |
| Thaler
|
The Germanic
spelling of the silver-dollar size coins from Europe. The English word
"dollar" is derived from this word. |
| Three
|
Synonym for the
Indian Head three-dollar gold coin. |
| Three Cent Nickel
|
Three-cent coins
composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel struck from 1865 -1889. The Liberty
Head design by James Longacre was copied from the earlier Liberty Head motif
by Christian Gobrecht. |
| Three Cent Silver
|
Three-cent coin with
a star motif that was struck in silver alloy. |
| Thumbed
|
Term for a coin that
has been doctored in a specific way to hide marks, hairlines, or other
disturbances. The thumb is rubbed lightly over the disturbances, and the
oils in the skin help to disguise any problems. |
| Tissue toning
|
Color, often
vibrant, acquired by coins stored in original Mint paper. The toning is
caused by sulfur in the paper reacting with the coin. |
| Token
|
A substitute for a
coin. |
| Toned
|
An adjective which
describes a coin with toning. |
| Toning
|
The coloring which
has formed on the surface of a coin as a result of the metal’s interaction
with outside elements. Also see: Patina |
| Tooling mark
|
A line, usually
small and fine, found on both genuine and counterfeit coins. They are caused
by touch-ups to dies. |
| Trade dollar
|
A U.S. silver coin
issued from 1873 until 1885 that is slightly heavier than the regular silver
dollar. Named because it was intended to facilitate trade in the Far East,
the Trade dollar was made with a marginally higher silver content in an
attempt to gain acceptance in commerce throughout the world. |
| Transfer die
|
A die created by
sacrificing a coin for a model. |
| Transitional
|
Synonym for
transitional issue. |
| Transitional
issue |
A coin struck after
an "official" series ends, or before an "official" series starts. It can
also refer to a coin struck with either the obverse or the reverse of a
discontinued or upcoming series. |
| Treasure coin
|
A coin known to have
come from a shipwreck or from a buried or hidden source. |
| Trial strike or
striking |
Also see: Die trial
|
| Trime
|
Synonym for a
three-cent piece. |
| Turban Head
|
Synonym for Draped
Bust. |
| Twenty
|
Synonym for a double
eagle or twenty-dollar gold coin. |
| Twenty Lib
|
Synonym for a
Liberty Head double eagle or twenty-dollar gold coin. |
| Two and a Half
|
Synonym for a
quarter eagle or two-and-one-half dollar gold coin. |
| Two-cent piece
|
Synonym for the
Shield two-cent coin struck from 1864 - 1873. |
| Type
|
A date or group of
dates encompassing all of a particular standard design. Example: Morgan
silver dollars. A type collection is a collection of coins formed by one
example (usually one of the most common dates) of each type of coin.
|
| Type coin
|
A representative
coin, usually a common date, from a particular issue of a specific design,
size, or metal. |
| Type One
|
Term for any coin
from the first Type within a Series. |
| Type One Buffalo
|
A 1913-dated Indian
Head nickel with the reverse bison on a raised mound. |
| Type One Gold
Dollar |
The Liberty Head
design gold dollar struck from 1849 until mid-1854 in Philadelphia and for
the full year in Dahlonega and San Francisco. |
| Type One Nickel
|
The Jefferson Head
five-cent coin struck from 1938 until mid-1942 and from 1946 until today.
Also may refer to the Type One Buffalo nickel. |
| Type One Quarter
|
The Standing Liberty
quarter struck from 1916 to mid-1917. |
| Type One Twenty
|
Liberty Head double
eagles struck from 1850 until mid-1866. These coins did not have a motto on
the reverse and had "TWENTY D." as the denomination. |
| Type Three
|
Term for any coin
from the third Type within a Series. |
| Type Three Gold
Dollar |
The Small Indian
Head design struck from 1856 until the series ended in 1889. Since the San
Francisco Mint did not receive the Type Three dies in time to strike the new
design in 1856, the coins from that Mint are Type Two style. |
| Type Three Twenty
|
Liberty Head double
eagles struck from 1877 until the series ended in 1907. Type Three coins
have the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" on the reverse and read "TWENTY DOLLARS"
for the denomination. |
| Type Two
|
Term for any coin
from the second Type within a Series. |
| Type Two Buffalo
|
An Indian Head
nickel struck from mid-1913 until the series ended in 1938. The reverse
bison is shown on level ground. |
| Type Two Gold
Dollar |
The Large Indian
Head design gold dollar struck from mid-1854 until 1855 in Philadelphia,
Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans. Since San Francisco did not receive
new dies before the end of 1856, they struck Type Two coins during that
year. |
| Type Two Nickel
|
The Jefferson Head
five-cent coin struck from mid-1942 until 1945. The Type Two nickel is
composed of silver, manganese, and copper, and has a large mintmark above
Monticello on the reverse. These are the first U.S. coins to have a "P"
mintmark indicating their being struck by the Philadelphia Mint. Also see:
War nickel, Wartime nickel |
| Type Two Quarter
|
The Standing Liberty
quarter struck from mid-1917 until the series ended in 1930. This design
features a Miss Liberty with a covered breast, three stars under the reverse
eagle, and a more intricate head design. |
| Type Two Twenty
|
Liberty Head double
eagles struck from mid-1866 - 1876. These coins have the motto "IN GOD WE
TRUST" on the reverse and "TWENTY DOL." as the denomination. |
| Ultra High Relief
|
Alternate name for
the Extremely High Relief. |
| Ultra rare
|
A coin or other
numismatic item that is represented by only a few examples. |
| Uncirculated
|
A coin or numismatic
item that has never been in circulation, a coin without wear. Also see:
Brilliant Uncirculated, Mint State, and New |
| Used
|
Term used to
describe a coin that has light to heavy wear or circulation. |
| V-nickel
|
Synonym for the
Liberty Head five-cent coins struck from 1883 - 1912. (The 1913 was struck
clandestinely and is not reported in Mint documents.) |
| VAM number
|
Unique number (such
as VAM-105) assigned to each set of Morgan and Peace dollar dies documented
in The Complete Catalog and Encyclopedia of United States Morgan and
Peace Silver Dollars. Abbreviated VAM because of the authors Leroy
Van Allen and A. George Mallis. |
| Van Allen-Mallis
|
Authors of The
Complete Catalog and Encyclopedia of United States Morgan and Peace Silver
Dollars first published in 1971, and reprinted in 1998. |
| Variety
|
A coin of the same
date and basic design as another but with slight differences such as
variations in date, mintmark size and placement. |
| VDB
|
Synonym for the 1909
VDB Lincoln Head cent. Controversy arose over having a non-Mint engraver’s
initials on a coin, so Victor D. Brenner’s initials were removed. In 1918,
the VDB was returned to the Lincoln Head cent in a less conspicuous spot on
the slanted area at the bottom of Lincoln’s shoulder. |
| Very Fine
|
Term for the grades
VF-20, 25, 30, and 35. |
| Very Good
|
Term for the grades
VG-8 and VG-10. |
| Vest pocket
dealer |
A part-time coin
merchant. |
| VF
|
Acronym for Very
Fine. |
| VG
|
Acronym for Very
Good. |
| Walker
|
Synonym for a
Walking Liberty half-dollar. |
| Walking Liberty
|
Synonym for a
Walking Liberty half-dollar. |
| Walking Liberty
half dollar |
U.S. half dollars
struck from 1916 - 1947. |
| War nickel
|
Synonym for Wartime
nickel. |
| Wartime nickel
|
Five-cent coins
struck during World War II with the composition 56% copper, 35% silver, and
9% manganese. Historic legend has it that the metallic change was driven by
a need for nickel to be used in the war effort. However, recent research
indicates that the boost to morale by having an intrinsic-value small
denomination coin may have played an important part in the issuance of the
Wartime nickel. |
| Washington
quarter |
Synonym for the
Washington quarter dollar. |
| Washington
quarter dollar |
Quarter dollar first
struck in 1932, as a circulating commemorative coin to celebrate the
two-hundredth anniversary of George Washington’s birth. It was designed by
Laura Gardner Frazier and was a continuing series from 1934 through 1998
(with a special Bicentennial reverse in 1976). For 1999, the obverse was
redesigned and the State quarter series begins. Each of the 50 State
quarters will have a different reverse design with 5 new issues per year.
|
| Watery look
|
Term for the wavy
finish seen on the surfaces of most close-collar Proof coins. |
| Weak strike
|
Refers to a coin
that does not show its intended detail because of low striking pressure or
improperly aligned dies. |
| Wear
|
Visible erosion of
metal, usually beginning from the highest points of a coins. Eventually,
lettering, details, or entire devices are obliterated. Wear should not be
confused with a weak strike. It is possible for a worn coin to have more
detail than a weakly struck mint state coin. |
| Wheel mark
|
Synonym for
"counting machine mark." |
| Whizzed
|
An artificial
process whereby the surface of a coin is buffed to give it the appearance of
having natural cartwheel lustre. |
| Wire edge
|
An effect whereby a
thin, wire-like section of the rim of a coin is raised above the rest of the
rim along the outside. This effect is typically caused by very high striking
pressure, and tends to occur mostly on proof and high relief strikings.
Also see: Knife edge, Wire rim |
| Wire Edge eagle
|
The 1907 Indian Head
eagle coin of which only 500 were struck. Technically a pattern, this design
featured a fine wire rim and surfaces that were both satiny and striated. An
unknowledgeable numismatist will look at one of these specimens and consider
it hairlined or harshly cleaned. |
| Wire Edge Ten
|
Synonym for the
1907-dated Wire Edge Indian Head eagle. |
| Wire rim
|
Synonym for wire
edge. |
| With arrows
|
Alternate term for
arrows at date. |
| With arrows and
rays |
Synonym for arrows
and rays. |
| With motto
|
Alternate term for
motto. |
| With rays
|
Alternate term for
rays. |
| Working die
|
A die created from a
working hub that is used to strike coins. |
| Working hub
|
A hub created from a
master die that is used to create the working dies. |
| World Coins
|
Coins from countries
other than the United States. |
| Worn die
|
A die that has lost
detail due to extended use. Dies were often used until they wore out, or
were excessively cracked or broken. Coins struck from worn dies often appear
to be weakly struck, however, they are not caused by low striking pressure.
|
| Wreath cent
|
Synonym for the
second large cent type of 1793. |
| XF
|
Abbreviation for
Extremely Fine. |
| Zerbe Proof
|
Morgan dollars
specially struck in 1921 for numismatist Farran Zerbe.
Also see: Chapman Proof |
