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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
abrasions
Light friction rubbing or scuffing which is different from hairlines and bag marks.
accumulation
Quantities of coins, tokens and other numismatic material which has not been sorted,
classified, attributed nor organized in any meaningful way, unlike a true coin
collection.
adjustment marks
Marks or grooves caused by filing a planchet prior to striking in order to reduce it
to a standard weight.
album
A holder with slots for storing and displaying coins in a book type manner. Common
brand names include Whitman, Dansco and Harco.
alterations
Illegal practice of tampering with the date, mint mark, or other feature of a coin
in an attempt to be deceptive.
ancient
A coin produced prior to the generally accepted date of 500 A.D.
artificial toning
Adding color(s) to a coin by various treatments with chemicals, heat and other methods in
an attempt to increase its value. While a coin with natural toning may at times
provide exceptional eye-appeal and command higher prices than an untoned specimen, a
coin known to have been artificially toned (a deceptive practice) will bring much
lower than usual prices.
attribute
noun: A specific characteristic of a coin.
verb: Identifying a coin via the origin, denomination,
type, date, mintmark, variety, etc.
authentication
Determination by a numismatic expert as to the status of a coin being original and
genuine - not counterfeit.
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bag marks
Nicks and scratches resulting from contact with other coins in the same mint bag.
Especially common on large, heavy coins.
bas relief
A style in which the design elements are raised within depressions in the field, so
that no part of the design is undercut.
billon
A low-grade alloy of silver and other metals, usually copper, which is used in minor
coinage.
bit
Spanish pieces of eight were physically cut into eight pieces with each piece as one
bit. The quarter dollar is sometimes referred to as two bits, so that an eighth of a
dollar would be one bit or 12 and one-half cents.
blank
A piece of metal (usually round) being prepared for coinage before the rims have been
raised via the upsetting mill.
blemishes
Minor nicks, marks, flaws or spots of discoloration that mar the surface of a coin.
bourse
A place where dealers, collectors and the general public get together to buy, sell and
trade coins with each other. Usually the most active section of a coin show.
brass
A yellowish alloy consisting mainly of copper and zinc.
broadstrike/broadstruck
A coin struck without a firmly seated collar which results in an outwards "spread",
but still includes all design details.
brockage
A mirror image of a design from one side of a coin impressed on the
opposite side, e.g. a newly struck coin may adhere to the die,
causing the next coin struck to have a First Strike Mirror Brockage
of the coin stuck to the die; by the second strike the mirror is distorted,
and later strikes are termed Struck Through A Capped Die.
bronze
An reddish/brown alloy consisting mainly of copper and tin, with a small amount of
zinc.
bullion
A coin or other object composed primarily of a precious metal (such as gold, silver
or platinum) with little to no numismatic value over and beyond that of the metal
itself.
business strike
A coin struck with the intent of serving in the channels of commerce, i.e. to be
circulated.
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cartwheel
The pattern of light reflected by flow lines of mint state coins, resembling
spokes of a wheel;
Name given to the British pennies and twopences of 1797 due to their unusually
broad rims.
certified coin
A coin authenticated and graded by an unbiased, 3rd-party professional service.
cherrypick
To secure the purchase a rare variety of a coin worth a premium over the seller's
asking price for a common variety.
chop mark
A symbol added to money by someone other than the original strike mint which
issued it to indicate authenticity. Commonly found on Trade Dollars which
circulated in the Orient.
circulated
Denotes money that has served a purpose in the channels of commerce, i.e. it is no
longer mint state (uncirculated).
clash mark(s)
Elements of designs from the opposite side of a coin which is the result
of coin dies clashing into one another when no planchet is present during the striking
process.
cleaning
Any procedure that removes corrosion, unattractive toning, etc. such as dipping or
rubbing with abrasive materials.
cleaned coin
A coin which has been dipped, polished, whizzed, wiped, etc. Generally speaking, a
certain amount of very light cleaning (such as dipping) done by a professional may be
acceptable.
clip
A coin, planchet or blank missing a portion of metal from its periphery,
caused by an error during production of the blank, usually at the end of a strip.
clipping
Deliberate shearing or shaving from the edge of gold and silver coins. Was quite
common from the Byzantine to the Colonial eras, so much so that many authorities
employed edge devices in order to discourage this practice.
coin
A piece of metal (usually round) with a distinctive stamp and of a fixed value and
weight issued by an authority and intended to be used as a medium of exchange.
coin of the realm
An SCA term for a copper coin with a distinctive stamp on one side identifying it with the University of St. Hildegard
and of a fixed value of one US dollar for exchange and issued by the authority of the University of St. Hildegard
intended to be used as a medium of exchange at events between merchants and SCA members.
The coin is fully redeemable and backed by St. Hildegard.
coin show
An event where numismatic items are bought, sold, traded and often
exhibited.
collar
A device in a coining press used to restrict the outward flow of
metal during striking. Allows the rounding of coins to be much more precise. Also, can
be used to put an edge design on the coin.
collection
An organized unit of various numismatic holdings.
contact marks
Small surface scratches or nicks which is caused by contact of coins in the same
bag.
counterfeit
A fake coin deceptively made with the intent of passing it off as if it were the
genuine article. Sometimes these coins are mistakenly called "exact reproductions."
cud
A raised lump of metal on a coin caused by a piece of the die breaking off.
cull
A coin that is worn to the point of being barely identifiable, and/or damaged.
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damage
A problem such as scratches, nicks, holes, harsh cleaning, pitting, etc. which
lowers the value of a numismatic item.
date
The year(s) stamped on a coin, representative of the year it was minted. Something not often seen in ancient and medieval coins.
dealer
An individual or organization that regularly buys, sells and trades coins.
delamination
Metal missing (or nearly so) from the surface due to incomplete bonding in the
planchet.
denarius
An ancient Roman silver coin weighing about 3 grams, roughly the same
size as a U.S. dime but much thicker.
denomination
The face value of a coin.
denticles (dentils)
Tooth-like raised features near the rim of a coin.
design
The arrangement of devices, lettering, etc. on a coin.
designer
The artist(s) responsible for a coin's design.
device
A major design element, e.g. the bust of a person or a ship on the high seas.
die
A piece of steel (usually cylindrical) bearing at one end the design of one side of a
coin. Upper and lower dies are also known as Pile and Trussel.
die chip
A small fragment broken off from a die similar to a cud, but much less dramatic.
die clash
Upper and lower dies coming together in a coin press without a planchet
between them.
die crack
A narrow fissure in the surface of a die which produces a raised line on the coins it
strikes.
die erosion
Nornal wear on a die from its use in the minting process.
die state
The condition of a die at a specific time in its life.
die polish
Small raised lines in the field of a coin resulting from polishing
of a die to remove chips, clash marks, etc.
dipping
A form of cleaning by immersion in a liquid which is capable of causing molecular
changes in the surface (with the intent of providing a more appealing look).
disme
A frequently-used spelling of "dime" in the 17th century.
double denomination
An error in which a coin is restruck by the die pair of another denomination.
double die
A term sometimes intended to mean a doubled die coin and sometimes
indicating a machine doubled coin (note that there are vast differences in the
values).
doubled die
A die with doubled device details, letters and/or numerals resulting
from an error in manufacture. Also, a coin struck from such a die.
drachma
An ancient Greek silver coin weighing about 3 grams. The predecessor to the Roman
denarius.
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edge
The perimeter of coin, sometimes referred to as the "3rd" side.
electrum
A naturally occurring alloy of silver and gold. The earliest coins of ancient
Asia Minor and many Byzantine issues were struck in this metal.
E Pluribus Unum
The Latin motto found on many U.S. coins - translates to "Out of many, one".
error
Any mistake in the minting process which results in a different appearance than intended
on the resulting coin(s).
exergue
The lower section of a coin or medal, usually divided from the field by
a line and often containing the date, mintmark or engraver's initial(s).
exonumia
Tokens, medals and other non-monetary coin-like objects.
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face value
The ordinary monetary worth of a coin at the time of issue.
field
The background on a coin, not used for a design or inscription.
fineness
The purity of a precious metal coin, usually expressed as a percentage one thousand
parts.
flan
Another term for a planchet.
flip
A plastic coin holder, usually with 2 sections - one for the coin - one for a small
card containing information about the coin.
flow lines
Microscopic lines in the surface of a coin resulting from the outward
flow of metal during the striking process.
fiat money
Money not backed by specie and is legal tender by virtue of decree.
flyspecks
Minute oxidation spots on a coin, often caused by small dropplets of spittle from
talking over the coin.
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galvano
An epoxy coated plaster relief model of a coin created in order to produce master
hubs, which in turn produce coin dies.
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hairlines
Light scratches in the surface of a coin, usually caused by light polishing.
high points
The areas of highest relief in a coin design. Usually the first to show evidence of
wear or abrasion. May be incomplete due to a "soft" strike.
holed
Having a hole drilled through it, usually for jewelry use.
holder
A device designed for storage and/or display of numismatic items.
hub
A steel bar used to make coin dies. Sometimes called Cold Rolled.
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impaired proof
A proof coin with wear or damage resulting from circulation or mishandling.
incuse
Design elements are impressed into the surface (opposite of relief).
inscription
The legend or lettering on a coin.
intrinsic
Net metallic value sans numismatic/face value.
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jugate
Conjoined busts facing the same direction slightly offset from each other
in such a way as to allow the bottom bust to be partially seen while the
top bust is shown in its entirety.
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KM number
Chet Krause/Clifford Mishler number assigned to a coin in popular referrence
books.
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lamination
A defect caused by metal detaching from the rest of a coin. Somewhat common with
clad coinage.
legend
The principle inscription on a coin other than the denomination or nation which
issued it.
lettered edge
The inscription found on the edge of a coin.
loupe
A type of magnifying glass used by numismatists to more closely examine a coin.
luster
The glossy brilliance of a coin seen from the reflection of light off the
flow lines.
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machine doubling
Doubling of details resulting from loose dies during the striking process
(much more common and much less valuable than die doubling).
matte proof
A proof coin with a grainy surface appearance produced by dies treated to obtain a
minutely etched surface.
medal
A coin-like object struck to honor one or more persons or events, but without any
denomination (which may then classify it as a commemorative coin).
melt
The value of precious metal in a coin (see intrinsic).
milled edge
A raised rim around the outer surface of a coin.
mint
A manufacturing facility for producing coins.
mintage
The number of coins produced by a mint for a specific time period.
mint bloom
The original surface of a newly minted coin (see lustre).
mint mark
A letter or symbol used to denote the mint which produced the coin.
mint set
A specially packaged group of uncirculated coins from one or more mints
of the same nation containing at least one coin for most or all of the
denominations issued during a particular year.
mint state
A level of preservation signifying the same basic condition as when originally
delivered from the mint (uncirculated).
misplaced date
One or more digits of a date punched away from the intended location.
motto
A world or phrase found on a coin, e.g "E Pluribus Unum".
mule
A coin struck from two dies not intended to be used together.
mushroom
An effect caused to the striking surface of the die where the jammer strickes the die. Mushrooming can also cause the die to crack.
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natural toning
Coloration resulting from chemical change on the surface during normal
environmental exposure over a prolonged period.
nick
A small mark on a coin usually caused by contact with a another coin.
numismatics
The art and science relating to the study of coins, tokens, medals, paper money and
similar objects.
numismatist
A student and/or collector who is knowledgeable in numismatics.
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obol
A small ancient Greek silver coin (worth 1/6 of a drachma).
obverse
The front or "heads" side of a coin, usually the side with the date and main
design.
off center
An error caused by incorrectly centering the planchet during the striking process,
which results in part of the design missing from the coin.
original
Refers to a coin that has not been "doctored", i.e. cleaned or tampered with post the
original minting process.
overgrade
The practice of assigning a higher grade to a coin than it truly deserves.
overstrike
An impression made with different dies on a previously struck coin.
oxidation
The formation of oxides or tarnish on the surface of a coin from exposure to humidity,
air pollutants, or other environmental elements.
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paranumismatica
Another term for exonumia.
patina
A surface film found on coins (usually brown or green) caused by oxidation over a long
period of time.
pattern
A coin struck as a trial or test piece for a new design - many times without all final
legends, dates, design details, etc. - may be struck on different alloys than the
final issue.
pitted
Having a rough surface due to loss of metal by corrosion.
planchet
A piece of metal - sometimes termed "a blank" - not yet struck by the coin dies.
plugged
A holed coin that has been filled.
porous
Having a granular surface as the result of oxidation.
problem coin
Any coin that has been cleaned, damaged or has other undesirable traits.
proof
Coins struck mainly for collectors as special presentation pieces using specially
polished or otherwise prepared dies.
prooflike
An business strike coin having mirrorlike fields giving it an appearance similar to
that of a proof strike.
proof set
A specially packaged set of proof coins.
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rarity
Generally relates to the infrequency or relative unavailability of a coin, as a
direct function of important factors such as the original mintage and overall
survival rate.
rarity scale
A convention for designating the relative rarity of a coin.
real
A former basic monetary unit of Spain and Spanish colonies.
reeded edge
The edge of a coin with grooved lines that run vertically around its perimeter.
relief
The part of a coin design that is raised above its surface (opposite of incuse).
repunched date
A date with one or more of the digits punched more than once in different
locations and/or orientations.
repunched mintmark
A mintmark punched more than once in different locations and/or orientations.
(RPM)
restrike
A coin struck with authentic dies later than the original date of issue.
reverse
The back or "tails" side of a coin.
rib
The vein lines on the surface of a leaf.
rim
The outer edge of a coin, often raised to avoid premature wear.
ring of fire
The bruise at the base of the thumb caused by the use of tin snips to trim coins.
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scratch
A deep line or groove in a coin caused by contact with a sharp or rough object
(much more dramatic than a hairline).
sight seen
Available for examination prior to a final purchase decision.
sight unseen
Unavailable for examination prior to a final purchase decision.
silver certificate
Paper money that was once redeemable for its face value in silver.
silver clad
A clad coin with one layer containing silver, e.g. U.S. half dollars 1965-1970.
slab
The sealed hard plastic holder used by 3rd-party professional grading services
to house coins they have determined to be authentic - has a label denoting the
specific grading service, grade assigned to the coin and other information.
slider
A coin which is just this side of uncirculated with only very slight traces of wear
- (AU58).
specie
Precious metal used to back money, usually gold and silver.
split grade
Assigning individual grades to the obverse and reverse sides of a coin.
spot
A small area of corrosion or foreign substance. Also, short for spot price.
spot price
The market price for immediate delivery of a commodity, such as gold, silver or
platinum.
spread
Difference between buy and sell prices on the same coin(s) from the same party. Also,
the degree of separation between impressions on a doubled die.
stella
A U.S. $4 gold coin pattern minted 1879-1880.
striations
Thin raised lines on the surface of a coin, caused by excessive polishing of the
die.
strike
The process of impressing a design into a planchet by force of the dies to create a
coin.
strike doubling
Another term for machine doubling.
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tetradrachm
An ancient Greek silver coin weighing about 13 to 17 grams, similar
in size to a U.S. quarter but much thicker.
thumbing
The rubbing of skin oil onto a coin in an attempt to hide contact marks.
token
A coin-like object redeemable for a particular product or service,
such as bus rides, beer or video games.
toning
Color acquired from chemical change on the surface.
trade token
A token minted by an SCA Kingdom recognized guild with a set monetary value and backed for that value by the guild. These tokens are usually struck in a precious metal. These may come in different denominations and may be backed (redeemable value) for a set value by the striker of the coin.
truncation
The sharply cut off bottom edge of a bust.
tube
A plastic container designed for storing a roll or similar quantities of
coins of the same size.
type coin
Any coin of a particular design and denomination, usually referred to one of the
more common dates of any specific series.
type set
A collection of coins of various designs.
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uncirculated
A state of preservation used to describe coins that never circulated in the channels of
commerce, i.e. a coin without any wear from circulation.
unique
A coin of which only one specimen is known to exist, e.g. the U.S. 1870-S $3 gold
piece.
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variety
A minor change from the basic design of a specific coin type.
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want list
A tabulation of collectibles sought by a collector, often including
limits on condition and/or price.
wear
Metal lost during handling and contact with other objects.
whizzing
Alteration by mechanical polishing to produce a shiny surface.
world coins
A collection of coins issued by various nations.
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