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James DiGeorgia
Life Member
2994
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The rare coin market has its own unique words, phrases, abbreviations
and slang. Knowing these will help you communicate with dealers and
collectors efficiently. You can use either the Search Box or our Alphabetical
Listing below to find the word(s) you're looking for.
This dictionary is provided by PCGS as a courtesy.
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
- About Good
- The grade AG-3. The grade of a coin that falls short of Good. Only the
main features of the coin are present in this grade. Peripheral lettering,
date, stars, etc. sometimes are partially worn away.
- About Uncirculated
- Alternate of Almost Uncirculated.
- abrasions
- Area(s)
of a coin where a foreign object or another coin has displaced metal
in an abraded fashion. Similar to a bag mark but usually on the high
points or open fields and not as deep or acute as the former.
- accumulation
- A
miscellaneous grouping of coins, often as a monetary hoard. Opposite
of a coin collection. A second use is as a grouping of a particular
date, type, or series. (Example: an accumulation-of Bust Halves.)
- adjustment
marks
- Pre-striking
file marks seen mainly on gold and silver coins prior to 1840. These
removed excess metal from overweight planchets. After 1840 these are
seldom seen as the filing was on the rim and was usually obliterated
by the striking process.
- AG-3
- This
is for "About Good" (the grade) and "3" (the corresponding numerical
designation). Most of the lettering on the coin is readable, but there
is moderately heavy wear into the rims. This grade is frequently found
on Standing Liberty Quarters coins where the obverse is fully Good
(or better) but the reverse is heavily worn.
- album
friction
- Similar
to album slide marks, though the friction may be only slight rubbing
on the high points. Album friction is very common on coins with high
relief designs. For example Walking Liberty Half Dollars in Choice
Unicirculated can be found with very minor friction on the hips of
Miss Liberty. Another example of this friction can be found on the
knee and leg of many Unicirculated examples of Standing Liberty Quarters.
Better to look for coins without this problem.
- album
slide marks
- Lines,
usually parallel, imparted to the surface of a coin by the plastic
"slide" of Whitman Coin albums. Walking Liberty Half Dollars in Choice
Unicirculated can be found with very minor friction on the hips of
Miss Liberty. Another example of this friction can be found on the
knee and leg of many Unicirculated examples of Standing Liberty Quarters.
Better to look for coins without this problem.
- alloy
- A
combination of two or more metals.
- Almost
Uncirculated
- The
grades AU50, 53, 55, and 58. A coin that on first glance appears Uncirculated
but upon closer inspection has slight friction or rub.
- alteration
- A
coin that has a date, mint mark, or other feature that has been changed,
added, or removed, usually to simulate a rarer issue.
- American
Numismatic Association
- A
non-profit numismatic organization founded in 1888 for the advancement
of numismatics.
- ANA
- Short
for "American Numismatic Association."
- ANACS
- (American Numismatic Association Certification Service)
- Originally,
only authentication was offered, grading was added later. The grading
service and acronym were sold by the ANA and now operate under this
name as a third party grading service.
- ANACS
certificate
- A
uniquely numbered opinion of authenticity and/or grade from the ANA
Certification Service. The ANA now only authenticates, having sold
the name and grading service. Old ANACS certificates that include
the grade of the coins should be considered highly unreliable. The
grading certification program saw major swings in the grading standard.
As a result many coins graded by ANACS from 1980 through 1988 were
over graded.
- ancients
- General
term for coins of the world struck circa 600 B.C. to circa 450 A.D.
- annealing
- The heating of a die or planchet to soften the
metal before preparation of the die or striking of the coin.
- anvil
die
- The
lower die, usually the reverse - 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.
- arrows
- Design element usually found in the left (viewer's
right) claw of the eagle seen on many United States coins. After 1807,
there usually were three arrows while prior to that time the bundle
consisted of numerous ones.
- arrows
and rays
- Term referring to the quarters and half dollars
of 1853. The rays were removed in 1854 because of striking difficulties
presented by the busy design.
- arrows at date
- Term referring to the arrows to the left and right of the date, added to the dies to
indicate a weight increase or decrease.
- artificial toning
- Coloring added to the surface of a coin by chemicals and/or heat. Many different
methods have been employed over the years.
- ask
- The selling quotation of a coin either on a trading network, pricing newsletter, or
other medium.
- attributes
- The elements that make up a coin's grade. The main ones are marks (hairlines for
Proofs), luster, strike, and eye appeal.
- AU-50
- This is for "About Uncirculated" (the grade) and "50" (the numerical designation
of that grade). Also called "Almost Uncirculated-50." This is the lowest of the
four AU grades, with the others being AU53, AU55, and AU58. Between 50%
and 100% of the surfaces will exhibit luster disturbances, and perhaps the only
luster still in evidence will be in the protected areas. The high points of the coin
will have wear that is easily visible to the naked eye.
- AU-53
- This is for "About Uncirculated" (the grade) and "53" (the numerical designation
of that grade). Also called "Almost Uncirculated-53." There is obvious wear on
the high points with light friction covering 50-75% of the fields. There are
noticeable luster breaks, with most of the luster still intact in the protected areas.
- AU-55
- This is for "About Uncirculated" (the grade) and "55" (the numerical designation
of that grade). Also called "Almost Uncirculated-55." There is slight wear on the
high points with minor friction in the fields. Luster can range from almost
nonexistent to virtually full, but it will be missing from the high points. The grade
of "Choice AU" equates to AU55.
- AU-58
- This is for "About Uncirculated" (the grade) and "58" (the numerical designation
of that grade). Also called "Almost Uncirculated-58." There is the slightest wear
on the high points, even though it may be necessary to tilt the coin towards the
light source to see the friction. In many cases the reverse of an AU58 coin will be
fully Mint State. Less than 10% of the surface area will show luster breaks. The
grade of "Borderline Unc" equates to AU58.
- auction
- An offering of coins for sale where the buyer must bid against other potential
buyers, as opposed to ordering from a catalog, price list, or advertisement at a set
price.
- authentication
- The process of determining the genuineness of a coin or other numismatic item
- bag
- A generic term for the cloth sacks in which coin are stored and transported. These
came into use in the mid-nineteenth century and replaced wooden kegs for this
purpose.
- bag mark
- A generic term applied to a mark on a coin from another coin; it may, or may not,
have been incurred in a bag.
- bag toning
- Coloring acquired from the bag in which a coin was stored. The cloth bags in
which coins were transported contained sulfur and other reactive chemicals.
When stored in such bags for extended periods, the coins near and in contact with
the cloth often acquired beautiful red, blue, yellow and other vibrant colors.
Sometimes the pattern of the cloth is visible in the toning; other times, coins have
crescent-shaped toning because another coin was covering part of the surface,
preventing toning. Bag toning is seen mainly on Morgan silver dollars, though
occasionally on other series.
- Bank-wrapped rolls
- Rolls of coins that were wrapped at a Federal Reserve Bank from original Mint
bags. Such rolls are often desirable to collectors because they have not been
searched or "picked" by collectors or dealers. Sometimes abbreviated as OBW,
for "original bank wrapped."
- Barber coinage
- Common name for the Charles Barber designed Liberty Head dimes, quarters, and
half dollars struck from 1892 until 1916 (1915 for the half dollar).
- basal state
- The condition of a coin that is identifiable only as to date mint mark (if present),
and type; one-year-type coins may not have a date visible.
- basal value
- The value base from which Dr. William H. Sheldon's 70-point grade/price system
started; this lowest-grade price was one dollar for the 1794 large cent upon which
he based his system.
- basining
- The process of polishing a die to impart a mirrored surface or to remove clash
marks or other injuries from the die.
- beaded border
- Small, round devices around the edge of a coin, often seen on early U.S. coins.
These were replaced by dentils.
- BG Gold
- Term sometimes applied to California fractional gold coins as encompassed in the
Breen-Gillio reference work titled California Pioneer Fraction Gold, including
additional discoveries.
- bid
- The buying quotation of a coin either on a trading network, pricing newsletter, or
other medium.
- bidder
- Either the dealer issuing a quotation on one of the electronic trading systems or a
participant in an auction.
- bidder number
- The number assigned by auction houses to the various participants in their
auction. In the past, codes or nom de plumes were also commonplace at sales.
- blank
- The flat disk of metal before it is struck by the dies and made into a coin.
- blended
- A term applied to an element of a coin (design, date, lettering, etc.) that is worn
into another element or the surrounding field.
- Bluebook
- A blue-cover, wholesale pricing book for United States coins issued on a yearly
basis. Dealers used it from the late 1940's through the 1970's and collectors as a
guide in determining the prices they would pay to collectors for rare coins. It is
largely out of use for the purpose and has been supplanted almost entirely by the
Coin Dealer Newsletter's publications and online computer networks.
- Bluesheet
- Slang for the Certified Coin Dealer Newsletter.
- BM
- The designation BM refers to "Branch Mint," meaning any US Mint other than
Philadelphia. You will usually find this designation used to describe Branch Mint
Proof coins, such as the 1883-CC Proof Morgan dollar, 1893-CC BM Proof
Morgan dollar, etc.
- BN
- Short for Brown
- body bag
- Slang term for a coin returned from a grading service in a plastic sleeve within a
flip. The coin referred to is a no-grade example and was not graded or
encapsulated. Coins are no-grades for a number of reasons, such as questionable
authenticity, cleaning, polishing, damage, repair, and so on.
- bourse
- Term 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 onward consisting of hair
pull back into a tight bun 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 seen on numerous eagle designs. Fully struck coins usually
command a premium and the breast feathers are usually the highest point of the
reverse. (They are the most deeply recessed area of the die, so metal sometimes
does not completely fill the breast feather area, usually because of insufficient
striking pressure. Incorrectly spaced or lapped dies will also cause "striking"
weakness.)
- Breen
- Slang for the late Walter Breen. Often heard in context of Breen letter, Breen said,
Breen wrote, and so on. Walter Breen's personal life dimmed the impact he had
numismatics. Sadly for him and his victims, he was serial pedophile.
- Breen Book
- Slang for Walter Breen's magnum opus, Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and
Colonial Coins, published in 1988.
- Breen letter
- A document, usually one page, written or typed by Walter Breen giving his
opinion on a particular numismatic item. Before certification, this was the usual
method employed by collectors and dealers desiring to sell an esoteric item such
as a branch-mint Proof, early Proof, and so on.
- Breen-Gillio
- Numbering system base on the book on California fraction gold coins by Walter
Breen and Ron Gillio titled California Pioneer Fraction Gold.
- brilliant
- A coin with full luster, unimpeded by toning, or impeded only by extremely light
toning.
- Brilliant Uncirculated
- A generic term applied to any coin that has not been in circulation. It often is
applied to coins with little "brilliance" left, which properly should be described as
simply Uncirculated.
- brockage
- A brockage is a Mint error, an early capped die impression where a sharp incused
image has been left on the next coin fed into the coining chamber. Most
brockages are partial; full brockages are rare and the most desirable form of the
error.
- bronze
- An alloy of copper, tin and zinc, with copper the principal metal.
- Brown
- The term applied to a copper coin that no longer has the red color of copper.
There are many "shades" of brown color -- mahogany, chocolate, etc. (abbreviated
as BN when used as part of a grade).
- BU
- Short for Brilliant Uncirculated.
- BU rolls
- Wrapped coins (usually in paper) in specific quantities for each denomination.
Fifty for cents, forty for nickels, fifty for dimes, forty for quarters, and so on.
- buckled die
- A die that has "warped" in some way, possibly from excess clashing, and that
produces coins which are slightly "bent." This may be more apparent on one side
and occasionally apparent only on one side.
- Buffalo nickel
- Slang for the Indian Head nickel struck from 1913 to 1938. The animal depicted
is an American Bison.
- bulged die
- A die that has clashed so many times that a small indentation is formed in it.
Coins struck from this die have a "bulged" area.
- bullet toning
- Many coins were stored by collectors in the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries in
holders, albums, bags and envelopes that had extremely high sulfur contents. This
over time caused often dramatic toning on Silver and nickel coins. One of the
most common patterns of a toned circle of toning in the center of a coin. Often
resembling a bullet whole.
- bullion
- Slang for coins, ingots, private issue, and so on that trade below, at, or slightly
above their intrinsic metal value. Only the precious metals (gold, silver, platinum,
and palladium) are included as bullion. Copper cents could also technically be
classed as bullion.
- bullion coin
- A legal tender coin that trades at a slight premium to it's melt value.
- buried
- A dealer-to-dealer term to describe a hopelessly over priced rare coin purchase.
- burnishing
- A process by which the surfaces of a planchet or a coin are made to shine through
rubbing or polishing. This term is used in two contexts -- one positive, one
negative. In a positive sense, Proof planchets are burnished before they are struck
-- a procedure done originally by rubbing wet sand across the surfaces to impart a
mirror like finish. In a negative sense, the surfaces on repaired and altered coins
sometimes are burnished by various methods. In some instances, a high-speed
drill with some type of wire brush attachment is used to achieve this effect.
- burnishing lines
- Lines resulting from burnishing, seen mainly on open-collar Proofs and almost
never found on close-collar Proofs. These lines are incuse in the fields and go
under lettering and devices.
- burnt
- Slang for a coin that has been over-dipped to the point were the surfaces are dull
and lackluster.
- Business strike
- A regular issue coin, struck on regular planchets by dies given normal
preparation. These are the coins struck for commerce that the Mint places into
circulation. Also known as regular and commercial strike coins.
- bust
- The head and shoulders of the emblematic Liberty seen on many United States
issues including Capped Bust and Draped Bust coins.
- Bust dollar
- Slang for silver dollars struck from 1795-1803. (Those dated 1804 were first
struck in 1834 for inclusion in Proof sets. Those Proofs dated 1801, 1802, and
1803 were also struck at dates later than indicated.)
- C
- Mintmark used to signify 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 its
seizure by the Confederacy. (Those coins struck in late 1837 were dated 1838.)
- cabinet friction
- Slight disturbance seen on coins (usually on the obverse) that were stored in
wooden cabinets used by early collectors to house their specimens. Often a soft
cloth was used to wipe away dust, causing light hairlines or friction. Europeans in
the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries would do this regularly. Finding Gem British
coins are especially difficult because of this problem.
- CAM
- Short for Cameo. Also, PCGS grading suffix used for 1950 and later Proofs that
meet cameo standards.
- Cameo
- The term applied to coins, usually Proofs and prooflike coins, that have frosted
devices and lettering that contrast with the fields. When this is deep the coins are
said to be "black and white" cameos. Occasionally frosty coins have "cameo"
devices though they obviously do not contrast as dramatically with the fields as
the cameo devices of Proofs do. Specifically applied by PCGS to those 1950 and
later Proofs that meet cameo standards (CAM).
- Canadian
- Slang for the coins and other numismatic items of Canada.
- Canadian silver
- Slang for the silver coins of Canada. (Mainly struck in 80% fineness.)
- Cap Bust
- Alternate form of Capped Bust
- Capped Bust
- A term describing any of the various incarnations of the head of Miss Liberty
represented on early U.S. coins by a bust with a floppy cap. This design is
credited to John Reich.
- capped die
- The term applied to an error in which a coin gets jammed in the coining press and
remains for successive strikes, eventually forming a "cap" either on the upper or
lower die. These are sometimes spectacular with the "cap" often many times taller
than a normal coin.
- carbon spot
- A spot seen mainly on copper and gold coins, though also occasionally found on
U.S. nickel coins (which are 75 percent copper) and silver coins (which are 10
percent copper). Carbon spots are brown to black spots of oxidation that range
from minor to severe -- some so large and far advanced that the coin is not graded
because of environmental damage. The natural oil from your hands, tiny spit that
gets sprayed when speaking around unprotected copper and nickel coins can
cause carbon spots. Be warned, be careful.
- Carson City
- The United States branch Mint located in Carson City, Nevada that struck coins
from 1870 until 1885 and again from 1889 until 1893. These are among the most
popular branch-mint issues.
- cartwheel
- The pleasing effect seen on some coins when they are rotated in a good light
source. The luster rotates around like the spokes of a wagon wheel. A term
applied mainly to frosty Mint State coins, especially silver dollars, to describe
their luster. Also, a slang term for a silver dollar.
- cast blanks
- Planchets made by a mold method, rather than being cut from strips of metal.
- cast counterfeit
- A replication of a genuine coin usually 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 away. Large numbers of these coins have
originated in the middle-east. Their often gold knock off that are made of poor
quality gold and are designed to fool buyers of gold who are not knowledgable.
Very commonly found in coin jewelry.
- Castaing machine
- A device invented by French engineer Jean Castaing, which added the edge
lettering and devices to early U.S. coins before they were struck. This machine
was used until close collar dies were introduced which applied the edge device in
the striking process.
- catalog
- A printed listing of coins for sale either by auction or private treaty. As a verb, to
write the description of the numismatic items offered.
- CC
- Mintmark used to signify coins struck at the Carson City, Nevada branch Mint.
- CCDN
- Short for Certified Coin Dealer Newsletter
- CCE
- Short for Certified Coin Exchange
- CDN
- Short 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 continuously by the
U.S. Mint since 1793 except for 1815. (Actually, some cents dated 1816 were
struck in December of 1815.)
- Certified Coin Dealer Newsletter
- The official name for the Bluesheet that lists bid/ask/market prices for third-party
certified coins.
- Certified Coin Exchange
- The bid/ask 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
- Those 1921 Morgan dollar Proofs supposedly struck for coin dealer Henry
Chapman. These have cameo devices and deeply mirrored surfaces like most
Morgan dollar Proofs. (George Morgan did bill Henry Chapman for 10 Proof
Morgan dollars in 1921. Possibly, more coins from these dies were struck for
others as there apparently more known than ten.)
- 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 did
not reopen 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 mint mark on a coin. It involves heating the
surfaces and moving the metal to form the mint mark.
- choice
- An adjectival description applied to coin's grade, e.g., choice Uncirculated, choice
Very Fine, etc. Used to describe an especially attractive example of a particular
grade.
- Choice Unc
- Short for Choice Uncirculated.
- Choice Uncirculated
- An Uncirculated coin grading 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 and have received
wear.
- circulation strike
- An alternate term for Business Strike or Regular Strike. A coin meant for
commerce.
- clad
- A term used to describe any of the modern "sandwich" coins that have layers of
copper and nickel. (A pure copper core surrounded by a copper-nickel alloy.)
Also used for the 40-percent silver half dollars.
- clad bag
- Usually applied to a one-thousand dollar bag of 40-percent 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. The obverse will
have images from the reverse and vice versa.
- clashed dies
- Dies that have been damaged by striking each other without a planchet between
them. Typically, this imparts part of the obverse image to the reverse die and vice
versa.
- Classic Head
- A depiction of Miss Liberty that recalls the "classic" look of a Roman or Greek
athlete wearing a ribbon around the hair. The motif was first used on the John
Reich designed large cent struck from 1808 until 1814. The next year, the half
cent was changed to this design. This head was also copied by William Kneass for
the quarter eagle and half eagle designs first struck in 1834.
- cleaned
- A term applied to a coin whose original surface has been removed. The effects
may be slight or severe, depending on the method used.
clip
Slang for a coin struck from a clipped planchet.
- clipped
- A term for an irregularly cut planchet. A clip can be straight or curved, depending
upon where it was cut from the strip of metal.
- clogged die
- A die that has grease or some other contaminant lodged in the recessed areas.
Coins struck from such a die have diminished detail, sometimes completely
missing.
- close collar
- The edge device, sometimes called a collar die, that surrounds the lower die.
Actually open and close collars are both closed collars - as opposed to segmented
collars. The close collar imparts reeding or a smooth, plain edge.
- Closed collar
- Alternate form of close collar
- 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 systematic grouping of coins assembled for fun or profit.
- coin collector
- An individual who accumulates coins in a systematic manner
- Coin Dealer Newsletter
- Weekly periodical, commonly called the Greysheet, listing bid and ask prices for
many United States coins.
- coin friction
- Term applied to the area resulting when coins rub together in rolls or bags and
small amounts of metal are displaced.
- coin show
- A bourse composed of coin dealers displaying their wares for sale and trade.
- Coin World
- Weekly numismatic periodical established in 1960.
- coinage
- The issuance of metallic money of a particular country.
- COINage
- Monthly numismatic magazine.
- Coins Magazine
- Monthly numismatic periodical
- collection
- Short for "coin collection."
- collector
- An individual who amasses a systematic group of coins or other numismatic
items.
- commem
- Short for "commemorative."
- commemorative
- Coins issued to honor some person, place, or event and, in many instances, to
raise funds for activities related to the theme. Sometimes called NCLT (non-
circulating legal tender) commemoratives.
- commercial grade
- A grade that is usually one level higher than the market grade; refers to a coin that
is "pushed" a grade, such as an EF/AU coin (corresponding to 45+) sold as AU-
50.
- 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 a 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. (i.e. A 1799 eagle is a common date within its series just as an 1881-
S silver dollar is a common date within the Morgan series. Obviously, the 1799
eagle is rare compared to the 1881-S dollar.)
- complete set
- A term for all possible coins within a series, all types, or all coins from a
particular branch Mint. Examples would include a complete set of a series (The
three-dollar series can have but one complete set, that being the Harry Bass
Foundation set that includes the unique 1870-S. Yes, it is possible that the
cornerstone coin could appear someday and change the unique status; a complete
gold type set would include examples of all types from 1795 until 1933; a
complete set of Charlotte Mint gold dollars must include the 1849-C Open Wreath
example of which there are but four currently verified.)
- condition
- The state of preservation of a particular numismatic issue.
- Condition Census
- A listing of the finest known examples of a particular issue. There is no fixed
number of coins in a Condition Census with 5, 6, 10, and other totals used by
different surveyors.
- condition rarity
- A term to indicate a common coin that is rare when found in high grades. Also,
the rarity level at a particular grade and higher.
- consensus grading
- The process of determining the condition of a coin by using multiple graders.
- contact marks
- Marks on a coin that are incurred through contact with another coin or a foreign
object. These are generally small, compared to other types of marks such as
gouges.
- contemporary counterfeit
- A coin, usually base metal, struck from crudely engraved dies and made to pass
for face value at the time of its creation. Sometimes such counterfeits are
collected along with the genuine coins, especially in the case of American
Colonial issues.
- Continental dollars
- 1776 dated "dollars" struck in pewter (scarce), brass (rare), copper (extremely
rare) and silver (extremely rare). Although likely struck sometime later than 1776,
these saw extensive circulation. The design was inspired by certain Benjamin
Franklin sketches. Some of these were possibly struck as pattern "cents" instead
of "dollars."
- copper spot
- A spot or stain commonly seen on gold coinage, indicating an area of copper
concentration that has oxidized. Copper spots or stains range from tiny dots to
large blotches. Commonly caused by miss-handling and miss-storage.
- copper-nickel
- The alloy (88% copper, 12% nickel) used for small cents from 1856 until mid-
1864.
- Copper-Nickel Cent
- The cents issued from 1859 until 1864 in the copper-nickel alloy. These were
called white cents by the citizens of the era because of their pale color compared
to the red cents of the past.
- coppers
- Slang for half cents, large cents, and pre-Federal copper issues.
copy
Any reproduction, fraudulent or otherwise, of a coin.
- copy dies
- Dies made at a later date, usually showing slight differences from the originals.
Examples include the reverse of 1804 Class II and III silver dollars and 1831 half
cents with the Type of 1840-57 reverse. Also used to denote counterfeit dies
copied directly from a genuine coin.
- Coronet Head
- Alternate name for Braided Hair design by Christian Gobrecht (also called
Liberty Head design).
- corrosion
- Damage that results when reactive chemicals act upon metal. When toning ceases
to be a "protective" coating and instead begins to damage a coin, corrosion is the
cause. Usually confined to copper, nickel and silver regular issues, although
patterns in aluminum, white metal, tin, etc., also are subject to this harmful
process.
cost
- The price paid for a numismatic item.
- counterfeit
- Literally, a coin that is not genuine. There are cast and struck counterfeits and the
term is also applied to issues with added mint marks, altered dates, etc.
- counting machine mark
- A dense patch of lines caused by the rubber wheel of a counting machine where
the wheel was set with insufficient spacing for the selected coin. Many coins have
been subjected to counting machines -- among these are Mercury dimes, Buffalo
nickels, Walking Liberty half dollars, Morgan and Peace dollars, and Saint-
Gaudens double eagles.
- crossover
- A word that is used to describe a coin that graded the same at two different
grading services. Also written as two words: cross over. "I was sure that the coin
wouldn't cross over, so I didn't buy it." or "That coin's definitely a crossover."
- 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 a retained cud, where the faulty piece of the die is
still in place, or a full cud, where the piece of the die has fallen away. Retained
cuds usually have dentil detail if on the edge, while full cuds do not.
- cupro-nickel
- Any alloy of copper and nickel. Now usually used in reference to the modern
"sandwich" issues. The copper-nickel cents, three-cent nickel issues, and nicke
- C
- Mintmark used to signify 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 its seizure by the Confederacy. (Those coins
struck in late 1837 were dated 1838.)
- D
- Mintmark used on gold coins of the Dahlonega, Georgia, Mint from 1838 to 1861
and on coins of all denominations struck at the Denver, Colorado, Mint from 1906
to the present.
- D-Mint
- Term used for the gold coinage struck at the branch Mint in Dahlonega, Georgia,
from 1838 to 1861, and for the coinage struck at the branch Mint in Denver,
Colorado, from 1906 to the present.
- Dahlonega
- The branch Mint located in Dahlonega, Georgia that struck gold coins from 1838
until 1861 when it was seized by the Confederacy. The 1861-D gold dollars were
struck after the Mint was seized, the mintage figure for this rare issue is not listed
in Mint records and has been estimated at 1000 to 1,500 examples.
- date
- The numerals on a coin representing the year in which it was struck. Restrikes are
made in years subsequent to the one that appears on them. Also, slang for a more
valuable issue within a series.
- DCAM
- Short for Deep Cameo.
- dealer
- Someone whose occupation is buying, selling, and trading numismatic material.
- Deep Cameo
- The term applied to coins, usually Proofs and prooflike coins, that have deeply
frosted devices and lettering that contrast with the fields - often called "black and
white" cameos. Specifically applied to those 1950 and later Proofs that meet deep
cameo standards (DCAM).
- deep mirror prooflike
- Any coin that has deeply reflective mirror-like fields, the term especially
applicable for Morgan dollars. Those Morgan dollars that meet PCGS standards
are designated deep mirror prooflike (DMPL). Coins that meet this standard
graded by NGC are designated deep mirror prooflike (DPL).
- denomination
- The value assigned by a government to a specific coin.
- denticles
- The tooth-like devices around the rim seen on many coins. Originally these are
somewhat irregular, later much more uniform - the result of better preparatory and
striking machinery.
- dentils
- Short for denticles.
- design
- A particular motif on a coin or other numismatic item. The Seated Liberty,
Barber, Morgan, etc. are examples of designs.
- design type
- A specific motif placed upon coinage which may be used for several
denominations and subtypes, e.g., the Liberty Seated design type used for silver
coins from half dimes through dollars and various subtypes therein.
- designer
- The individual responsible for a particular motif used for a numismatic series.
- device
- Any specific design element. Often refers to the principal design element, such as
the head of Miss Liberty.
- 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 became the norm.
- die
- A steel rod that is engraved, punched, or hubbed with devices, lettering, the date,
and other emblems.
- die alignment
- Term to indicate the relative position of the obverse and reverse dies. When the
dies are out of alignment, several things can happen: If the dies are out of parallel,
weakness may be noted in a quadrant of the coin's obverse and the corresponding
part of the reverse; and if the dies are spaced improperly, the resultant coins may
have overall weakness; if the dies are spaced too close together, the resultant coin
may be well struck but the dies wear more quickly.
- die break
- An area of a coin that is the result of a broken die. This may be triangular or other
geometric shape. Dies are made of steel and they crack from use and then, if not
removed from service, eventually break. When the die totally breaks apart, the
resultant break will result in a full, or retained, cud depending whether the broken
piece falls from the die or not.
- die crack
- A raised, irregular line on a coin, ranging from very fine to very large, some quite
irregular. These result when a hairline break occurs in a die.
- die line
- These are the raised lines on the coins that result from the polish lines on the die,
which are incuse, resulting in the raised lines on the coins.
- die rust
- Rust that has accumulated on a die that was not stored properly. Often such rust
was polished away, so that only the deeply recessed parts of the die still exhibited
it. A few examples are known of coins that were struck with extremely rusted dies
-- the 1876-CC dime, for one.
- die state
- A readily identified point in the life of a coinage die. Often dies clash and are
polished, crack, break, etc., resulting in different stages of the die. These are
called die states. Some coins have barely distinguishable die states, while others
go through multiple distinctive ones.
- die striations
- Raised lines on coins that were struck with polished dies. As more coins are
struck with such dies, the striations become fainter until most disappear.
- die trial
- A test striking of a particular die in a different metal.
- die variety
- A coin that can be linked to a given set of dies because of characteristics
possessed by those dies and mparted to the coin at the time it was struck. In the
early years of U.S. coinage history, when dies were made by hand engraving or
punching, each die was slightly different. The coins from these unique dies are die
varieties and are collected in every denomination. By the 1840's, when dies were
made by hubbing and therefore were more uniform, die varieties resulted mainly
from variances in the size, shape, and positioning of the date and mintmark.
- die wear
- Deterioration in a die caused by excessive use. This may evidence itself on coins
produced with that die in a few indistinct letters or numerals or, in extreme cases,
a loss of detail throughout the entire coin. Some coins, especially certain nickel
issues, have a fuzzy, indistinct appearance even on Uncirculated examples.
- dime
- The denomination, one tenth of a dollar, issued since 1796 by the United States.
- dipped
- A term applied to a coin that has been placed in a commercial "dip" solution, a
mild acid wash that removes the toning from most coins. Some dip solutions
employ other chemicals, such as bases, to accomplish a similar result. The first
few layers of metal are removed with every dip, so coins repeatedly dipped will
lose luster, hence the term "overdipped".
- dipping solution
- Any of the commercial "dips" available on the market, usually acid-based.
- disme
- The original spelling of dime, the s silent and thought to have been pronounced to
rhyme with steam. (This variation was used in Mint documents until the 1830s
and was officially changed by the Coinage Act of 1837.)
- DMPL
- Short for deep mirror prooflike.
- doctored
- Term used for a numismatic item that has been enhanced by chemical or other
means. Usually, this is used in a derogatory way.
- dollar
- The 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 world-wide 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. One gold double eagle dated 1849 is known and is part
of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution. Nearly half
a million examples dated 1933 were struck by the U.S. Mint, but virtually all were
melted when private gold ownership was outlawed that year. (Recently the only
legal to own specimen of the 1933 $20 Double Eagles sold for $7.59 Million. It's
now considered the most famous rare coin in the world)
- double(d) die
- A die that has been struck more than once by a hub in misaligned positions,
resulting in doubling of design elements. Before the introduction of hubbing, the
individual elements of a coin's design were either engraved or punched into the
die, so any doubling was limited to a specific element. With hubbed dies, multiple
impressions are needed from the hub to make a single die with adequate detail.
When shifting occurs in the alignment between the hub and the die, the die ends
up with some of its features doubled -- then imparts this doubling to every coin it
strikes. The coins struck from such dies are called doubled-die errors -- the most
famous being the 1955 Doubled Die Lincoln cent. PCGS uses doubled die as the
designation.
- Double(d)-Die
- Slang for the rare 1955 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent variety.
- double-struck
- A condition that results when a coin is not ejected from the dies and is struck a
second time. Such a coin is said to be double-struck. Triple-struck coins and other
multiple strikings also are known. Proofs are usually double-struck on purpose in
order to sharpen their details; this is sometimes visible under magnification.
- DPL
- Short for deep mirror prooflike.
- Draped Bust
- The design attributed to Mint engraver Robert Scot that features Miss Liberty
with a drape across her bust. Scot presumably copied the design after a portrait by
Gilbert Stuart.
- drift mark
- An area on a coin, often rather long, that has a discolored, streaky look. This is
the result of impurities or foreign matter in the dies. One theory is that burnt wood
was rolled into the strips from which the planchets were cut, resulting in these
black streaks.
- dull
- Term for a numismatic item that is lack luster. This may be the result of cleaning,
oxidation, or other environmental conditions.
- EAC
- Short for Early American Coppers
- eagle
- A gold coin with a face value of ten dollars. Along with the dollar, this was the
basis of the U.S. currency system from 1792 until 1971. No U.S. gold coins were
struck for circulation after 1933, and all gold coins issued prior to that time were
recalled from circulation.
- ear
- An area of certain coins that is important to the strike. (i.e. The hole in the ear of
the Standing Liberty quarter is a necessary component of a Full Head
designation.)
- Early American Coppers (Club)
- A club or society to advance the study of pre-1857 United States copper coinage
including Colonials. Many members specialize collecting large cents by Sheldon
numbers.
- ED
- Short for environmental damage.
- edge
- The third side of a coin. It may be plain, reeded, or ornamented -- with lettering or
other elements raised or incuse.
- edge device
- A group of letters or emblems on the edge of a coin. Examples would be the stars
and lettering on the edge of Indian Head eagles and Saint-Gaudens double eagles.
- EF-40
- This is for "Extremely Fine' (the grade) and "40" (the numerical designation of the
grade). Also called XF-40. About 90% of the original detail is still evident and the
devices are sharp and clear.
- EF-45
- This is for "Extremely Fine" (the grade) and "45" (the numerical designation of
the grade). Also called XF-45. About 95% of the original detail is still evident and
the devices are sharp and clear.
- electrotype
- A duplicate coin created by the electrolytic method, in which metal is deposited
into a mold made from the original. The obverse and reverse metal shells are then
filled with metal and fused together -- after which the edges sometimes are filed to
obscure the seam.
- elements
- For numismatic condition purposes, the various components of grading. In other
numismatic contexts, this term refers to the various devices and emblems seen on
coins.
- Eliasberg
- Short for Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. who was the only collector to assemble a
complete collection of United States coins. Thus, the Eliasberg pedigree on a
particular coin is held in the highest numismatic esteem.
- 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 for a particular
numismatic item.
- envelope toning
- A term applied to toning that results from storage mainly in 2 x 2 manila
envelopes; most paper envelopes contain reactive chemicals.
- environmental damage
- Corrosion-effect seen on a coin that has been exposed to the elements. This may
be minor, such as toning that is nearly black, to major - a coin found in the ground
or water which has severely pitted surfaces. PCGS does not grade coins with
environmental damage.
- eroded die
- Synonym for "worn die."
- error
- A numismatic item that unintentionally varies from the norm. Ordinarily,
overdates are not errors since they were done intentionally while other die-cutting
"mistakes" are considered errors. Double dies, planchet clips, off-metal strikings,
etc. also are errors.
- essai
- Term for trial, pattern, and experimental strikings. The anglicized version is essay
and literally means a test or trial.
- expert
- A specialist in a particular numismatic area. (i.e. A copper expert, a gold expert, a
paper money expert, a D-Mint expert, etc.)
- Extra Fine
- Alternate form of Extremely Fine.
- Extremely Fine
- The grades EF40 and 45. This grade has nearly full detail with only the high
points worn, the fields rubbed often with luster still clinging in protected areas.
- Extremely High Relief
- The 1907 double eagle issue by Augustus Saint-Gaudens that had such medallic
depth that multiple blows from a powerful press were required to fully bring up
the detail. Because of this difficulty, the Mint engraver lowered the design
resulting in the High Relief, which again was lowered to create the familiar
Standing Liberty double eagle, or Saint, as to which they are commonly referred.
- eye appeal
- The element of a coin's grade that "grabs" the viewer. The overall look of a coin.
- F-12
- This is for "Fine" (the grade) and "12" (the numerical designation of the grade).
The design detail is partially in evidence. The coin is still heavily worn. If there is
any eye appeal in this grade it comes from the smooth surfaces associated with
this grade, as any distracting marks have usually been worn off through
circulation.
- F-15
- This is for "Fine" (the grade) and "15" (the numerical designation of the grade).
Most of the letters in LIBERTY are visible, about 35-50% of the wing feathers
are visible, or whatever applies to the coin in question. In other words, the coin is
still in highly collectible shape.
- Fair
- The adjective corresponding to the grade FR-2. In this grade, there is heavy wear
with the lettering, devices, and date partially visible.
- fake
- Slang for a counterfeit or altered coin.
- fantasy piece
- A term applied to coins struck at the whim of Mint officials. Examples include the
1868 large cent Type of 1857 and the various 1865 Motto and 1866 No Motto
coins.
- fasces
- Term to designate the Roman symbol of authority used as a motif on the reverse
of Mercury (Winged Liberty Head) dimes. It consists of a bundle of rods 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
- Slang for the Small Size Capped Bust quarter and half eagles. (Mainly heard as
"fat head fives.)
- FB
- Short for Full Bands.
- FBL
- Short for Full Bell Lines.
- FH
- Short for Full Head.
- fiat currency
- Coins and paper money that do not have metal value or are not backed up by
metal value.
- field
- The portion of a coin where there is no design -- generally the flat part (although
on some issues, the field is slightly curved).
- finalizer
- A PCGS grader who, before computers were used for this task, compared his own
grade with those of other graders and determined the final grade. The verifier
replaced the finalizer after PCGS began inputting the grades by computer.
- Fine
- The adjective corresponding to the grades F-12 and 15. In these grades, most of a
coin's detail is worn away. Some detail is present in the recessed areas, but it is
not sharp.
- finest known
- The best-known condition example of a particular numismatic item. The best
source for information on the rare coin market, http://www.FinestKnown.com/
- first shot
- Slang for the opportunity to get the first opportunity to buy items from a particular
numismatic deal or from a particular dealer.
- first strike
- A coin struck early in the life of a die. First strikes sometimes are characterized by
striated or mirror-like fields if the die was polished. Almost always fully or well
struck, with crisp detail.
- Five
- Short for a five-dollar gold coin or half eagle.
- Five Indian
- Slang for the Indian Head half eagles struck from 1908 to 1929.
- Five Lib
- Slang for the Liberty Head half eagles struck from 1839 until 1908.
- fixed price list
- A dealer listing of items for sale at set prices.
- flat edge
- Term referring to the particular specimens of High Reliefs that do not have a wire
edge.
- flat luster
- A subdued type of luster seen on coins struck from worn dies. Often these coins
have a gray or otherwise dull color that makes the fields seem even more
lackluster.
- flip
- This has two meanings. First, it is the term for the plastic sleeve in which coins
are stored. Also, it can mean to quickly sell a recently purchased coin, usually for
a short profit. (The plastic flips used to submit coins to PCGS are not
recommended for long term storage unless they do not contain PVC. Care should
be used with the PVC-free flips as they are very brittle and can damage the
delicate coin surfaces).
- flip rub
- Discoloration, often only slight, on the highest points of a coin resulting from
contact with a flip. On occasion, highly desirable coins sold in auctions have
acquired minor rub from being repeatedly examined by eager bidders. The
shifting of the coin, although it may be slight, can cause this rub.
- flop
- To sell a new purchase for a short profit.
- flow lines
- The lines, sometimes visible, resulting from the metal flowing outward from the
center of a planchet as it is struck. The "cartwheel" luster is the result of light
reflecting from these radial lines.
- Flowing Hair
- The design attributed to Mint engraver Robert Scot that features Miss Liberty
with long, flowing hair.
- Flying Eagle
- Short for Flying Eagle Cent.
- Flying Eagle Cent
- The small cent, struck in 88% copper and 12% nickel, that replaced the large cent.
This featured James Longacre's reduction of the Gobrecht eagle used on the
reverse of the silver dollars of 1836-1839.
- focal area
- The area of a coin to which a viewer's eye is drawn. An example is the cheek of a
Morgan dollar.
- foreign
- Any 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.
Often collected along with regular-issue gold coins, this was meant to be an
international coin approximating the Swiss and French twenty-franc coins, the
Italian twenty lira, etc.
- FPL
- Short for Fixed Price List.
- FR-2
- This is for "Fair" (the grade) and "2" (the numerical designation that means Fair).
A coin that is worn out. There will be some detail intact, the date will be
discernible (if not fully readable) and there is almost always heavy wear into the
rims and fields.
See Also -- Fair
- Franklin
- Short for Franklin half dollar.
- Franklin half dollar
- The John Sinnock designed half dollar struck from 1948 until 1963. This featured
Ben Franklin on the obverse and the Liberty Bell on the reverse.
- friction
- Slight wear on a coin's high points or in the fields.
- frost
- A crystallized-metal effect seen in the recessed areas of a die, thus the raised parts
of a coin struck with that die. This is imparted to dies by various techniques, such
as sandblasting them or pickling them in acid, then polishing the fields, leaving
the recessed areas with frost.
- frosted devices
- Raised elements on coins struck with treated dies that have frost in their recessed
areas. Such coins have crystalline surfaces that resemble frost on a lawn.
- frosty luster
- The crystalline appearance of coins struck with dies that have frost in their
recessed areas. Such coins show vibrant luster on their devices and/or surfaces;
the amount of crystallization may vary. Also, this term is applied to coins whose
entire surface his this look.
- FS
- Short for Full Steps.
- Fugio cents
- These 1787-dated one-cent coins are considered by some to be the first regular
issue United States coin. Authorized by the Continental Congress, this would
seem to be a logical conclusion. However, the Mint Act was not passed by
Congress until 1792, so the case for the half dismes of 1792 as the first regular
issue is also valid. (Adam Eckfeldt, Chief Coiner from 1814 to 1839 worked for
the fledgling Mint in 1792 and was present for the striking of the 1792 half
dismes. He is quoted in the 1840s that he considered the half dismes patterns and
that George Washington gave them out as presents. He was a very old man by
then, so perhaps his memory was failing him, but debate continues as to which
coin deserves the distinction as the first regular issue. If the half disme and the
Fugio cent are not the first coins, then that title would go to the Chain cent, which
was the first coin struck in the newly occupied Mint building. Although the
building was likely occupied in late 1792, as records indicate, it appears that all
the machinery was not fully operational as Chain cents were not struck until
March, 1793.)
- Full Bands
- Term applied to Mercury (Winged Liberty Head) dimes when the central band is
fully separated (FB). There can be no disturbance of the separation.
- Full Bell Lines
- Term applied to Franklin half dollars when the lower sets of bell lines are
complete (FBL). Very slight disturbance of several lines is acceptable.
- Full Head
- Term applied to Standing Liberty quarters when the helmet of the head has full
detail (FH). Both Type 1 and 2 coins are so designated but the criteria is different
for both.
- Full Steps
- Term applied to a Jefferson five-cent example when 5 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 first coin show each year. This annual convention is sponsored by the Florida
United Numismatists and is held in early January.
- G-4
- This is for "Good" (the grade) and "4" (the numerical designation of the grade).
The major details of the coin will be worn flat. Minor wear into the rims is
allowable, but the peripheral lettering will be nearly full.
- G-6
- This is for "Good" (the grade) and "6" (the numerical designation of the grade). A
higher grade (i.e., less worn) than a G-4 coin. The rims will be complete and the
peripheral lettering will be full.
- galvano
- The large metal relief used in the portrait lathe from which a positive reduction in
steel, called a hub, is made.
- Garrett
- Short for the Garrett family. The two main collectors, Thomas H. Garrett and
John W. Garrett, formed this extensive collection from the late 1800s through the
early 1900s. Later, it was given to Johns Hopkins University and was sold in five
auction sales. This provenance on a numismatic item is as coveted as an Eliasberg
pedigree.
- Gem
- Adjectival description applied to Mint State and Proof-65 coins. It also is used for
higher grades and as a generic term for a superb coin.
- Gem BU
- Short for Gem Brilliant Uncirculated.
- Gem Unc
- Short for Gem Uncirculated.
- Gem Uncirculated
- The adjectival equivalent of Mint State 65 or 66.
- Gobrecht
- Short for "Gobrecht dollar."
- Gobrecht dollar
- The silver dollars dated 1836, 1838, and 1839 struck in those years and restruck
later (some 1836-dated coins were struck in 1837). These are named for their
designer, Christian Gobrecht, Chief Engraver from 1840 to 1844 but defacto
engraver when William Kneass suffered his stroke in 1835.
- gold
- Obviously, the precious metal. Also, slang for any United States gold issues.
- gold commem
- Short for gold commemorative.
- gold commemorative
- Any of the eleven commemorate coins struck in gold from 1903 until 1925. Also,
any of the modern United States commemorative gold issues, sometimes called
modern gold commems.
- gold dollar
- The small coins of one dollar denomination struck from 1849 until 1889.
- Good
- The adjective corresponding to the grades G-4 and G-6. Coins in these grades
usually have little detail but outlined major devices. On some coins, the rims may
be worn to the tops of some letters.
- Gouged
- A dealer-to-dealer or telemarketing term to describe the end result of someone
who has been overcharged dramatically for a rare coin or portfolio of rare coins.
Large telemarketing rooms that sell rare coins as investments are guilty of
gouging their clients.
- grade
- The numerical or adjectival condition of a coin.
- grader
- An individual who evaluates the condition of coins.
- grading
- The process of numerically quantifying the condition of a coin. Before the
adoption of the Sheldon numerical system, coins were given descriptive grades
such as Good, Very Good, Fine, and so forth.
- Greysheet
- Slang for Coin Dealer Newsletter.
- hair
- The area of a coin that represents hair and may be an important grading aspect.
(i.e. The hair above the ear on a Morgan dollar is critical to the strike.)
- hairlines
- Fine cleaning lines found mainly in the fields of Proof coins, although they
sometimes are found across an entire Proof coin as well as on business strikes.
- Half
- Slang for half dollar.
- half cent
- The lowest-value coin denomination ever issued by the United States,
representing one-two hundredth of a dollar. Half cents were struck from 1793
until the series was discontinued in 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 with the newly
acquired Mint presses.
- Half Dollar
- The denomination first struck in 1794 that is still struck 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.
- Half rolls
- At times rolls were issued with one half the number of coins in a roll that we
consider to be normal today. For instance, Liberty nickels (1883-1912) were often
issued with 20 coins in the roll (face value one dollar).
- halogen light
- A powerful light source that enables a viewer to examine coins closely. This type
of light reveals even the tiniest imperfections.
- hammer die
- The upper die, usually the obverse -- although on some issues with striking
problems, the reverse was employed as the upper die.
- haze
- A cloudy film, original or added, seen on both business-strike coins and Proofs.
This film can range from a light, nearly clear covering with little effect on the
grade to a heavy, opaque layer that might prevent the coin from being graded.
- Heraldic Eagle
- Also called the large eagle, this emblem of Liberty resembles the eagles of
heraldry, thus its acquired name.
- high end
- A term applied to any coin at the upper end of a particular grade.
- High Relief
- The Saint-Gaudens inspired effort of Charles Barber to reduce the Extremely
High Relief down to a coin with acceptable striking qualities. After 11,250 coins,
this effort was abandoned. However, these were released and quickly became one
of the most popular coins of all time.
- hoard
- A group of coins held for either numismatic or monetary reasons. A numismatic
hoard example would be the hoard of Little Orphan Annie dimes (1844). A
monetary hoard example would be the 100,000 plus coins in the Economite,
Pennsylvania hoard of the nineteenth century. That hoard consisted mainly of half
dollars.
- 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, the superb group of 1857 quarters that surfaced in the 1970s,
and so on.
- hoarder
- An individual who amasses a quantity of a numismatic item(s).
- Hobo nickel
- An Indian Head (Buffalo) nickel which has been engraved with a 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 specific "hoboes."
- holder toning
- Any toning acquired by a coin as a result of storage in a holder. Mainly refers to
toning seen on coins stored in Wayte Raymond-type cardboard holders which
contained sulfur and other reactive chemicals. Sometimes vibrant, spectacular
reds, greens, blues, yellows, and other colors are seen on coins stored in these
holders.
- hub
- Minting term for the steel device from which a die is produced. The hub is
produced with the aid of a portrait lathe or reducing machine and bears a
"positive" image of the coin's design -- that is, it shows the design as it will appear
on the coin itself. The image on the die is "negative" -- a mirror image of the
design.
- impaired Proof
- A Proof coin that grades less than PR-60; a circulated Proof.
- incandescent light
- Direct light from a lamp, as opposed to indirect light such as that from a
fluorescent bulb.
- incomplete strike
- A coin that is missing design detail because of a problem during the striking
process. The incompleteness 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. These
coins were struck from dies which had fields recessed, so that the devices -- the
areas usually raised -- were recessed on the coins themselves. This was an
experiment to try to deter counterfeiting and improve wearing quality.
- Indian cent
- Common name for an Indian Head cent.
- Indian Head cent
- Those James Longacre design cents struck from 1859 until 1909. From 1859 until
mid-1864, these were composed of copper-nickel alloy, while those struck mid-1864 to 1909 were struck in bronze.
- Indian Head eagle
- The Saint-Gaudens designed ten-dollar gold coin struck from 1907 until 1933.
- Indian penny
- Slang for an 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. Today's "sandwich" coins are termed fiat currency.
- investor
- An individual who buys numismatic items strictly for profit, not caring to
complete a set or particular collection.
- iridescence
- A "glow" displayed by a coin, often gleaming through light pastel colors.
- Jefferson nickel
- The Felix Schlag designed five-cent coin first struck from 1938 to date.
- Juice
- Slang for the buyers fee charged at a rare coin auction.
- Juiced
- Slang that refers to when an auctioneer raises the bid against you and there's
really no one bidding against you. This can happen in the heat of the moment in a
hot auction.
- Key Coin
- The major, or most important, coin in a particular series. The "key" coin is usually
the lowest-mintage coin and/or the most expensive coin in a particular set. The
1916-D dime, for instance, is usually considered the key coin of the Mercury
dime series. It is the lowest mintage coin of the set and the most expensive (in
most grades). The 1919-D dime is the "condition rarity key" of the Mercury dime
series, as it is the most expensive coin in top condition.
Most sets have more than one key coin. In Lincoln cents, for instance, the 1909-S
V.D.B., the 1914-D, the 1922 Plain and 1955/55 Doubled Die are all considered
to be key coins in most grades. In MS65RD the 1926-S is the rarest of the regular
issues, so it is considered the "condition rarity key."
At times any scarce or rare coin is referred to a "key" coin. The terms "key to the
set" or "key to the series" are also used as synonyms for "key coin."
- killer
- Slang term for outstanding. (i.e. That 1880-S silver dollar has killer luster.)
- knife edge
- Slang for wire edge.
- lamination
- A thin piece of metal that has nearly become detached from the surface of a coin.
If this breaks off, an irregular hole or planchet flaw is left.
- large cent
- A large copper U.S. coin, one-hundredth of a dollar, issued from 1793 until 1857,
when it was replaced by a much smaller cent made from a copper-nickel alloy.
The value of copper in a large cent had risen to more than one cent, requiring the
reduction in weight.
- large date
- Term referring to the size of the digits of the date on a coin. (Use of this term
implies that a medium or small date exists for that coin or series.)
- Large Eagle
- Alternate form of Heraldic Eagle.
- large letters
- Term referring to the size of the lettering of the date on a coin. (Use of this term
implies that medium or small letters exist for that coin or series.)
- Large Motto
- Common short name for the particular variety of two-cent coin of 1864 with
large letters in the motto. The inscription "IN GOD WE TRUST" was first used
on the two-cent coinage of 1864. Congress mandated this inscription for all
coinage and it has been used on nearly every coin since that time.
- large size
- A term referring to the particular diameter of a coin in a series. (Use of this term
implies that there is a small size or diameter with the same motif. Examples are
the Large and Small size Capped Bust quarters.)
- LD
- Short for large date.
- legend
- A phrase that appears on a coin -- for instance, UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
- lettered edge
- A coin edge that displays an inscription or other design elements, rather than
being reeded or plain. The lettering can be either incuse (recessed below the
surface) or raised. Incuse lettering is applied before a coin is struck; the Mint did
this with a device called the Castaing machine. Raised lettering is found on coins
struck with segmented collars; the lettering is raised during the minting process,
and when the coin is ejected from the dies, the collar "falls" apart, preventing the
lettering from being sheared away.
- lettering
- The alphabet characters used in creating legends, mottoes, and other inscriptions
on a coin, whether on the obverse, reverse, or edge.
- Lib
- Slang for Liberty Head. (i.e. a twenty Lib, a Ten Lib, etc.)
- Liberty
- The 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, 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. This design was
first employed by Christian Gobrecht, with later modifications by Robert Ball
Hughes and James Longacre. Morgan dollars and Barber coinage sometimes are
referred to as Liberty Head coins.
- Liberty nickel
- Short for Liberty Head or "V" nickel struck from 1883 until 1912. (The coins
dated 1913 were clandestinely struck and are not regular issues.)
- Liberty Seated
- The motif designed by Christian Gobrecht first used on the Gobrecht dollars of
1836-1839 featuring Miss Liberty seated on a rock. This design was used on
nearly all regular issue silver coinage from 1837 until 1891. (1838-1891 for
quarters, 1839-1891 for half dollars, and 1840-1873 for dollars.)
- light line
- The band of light seen on photographs of coins, especially Proofs. This band also
is seen when
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