GLOSSARY 

About Uncirculated

Same as of Almost Uncirculated - AU

Abrasions

Area on a coin witch has displaced metal in an abraded fashion. Usually on the high points or open fields.

Almost Uncirculated

 Coin that on first glance appears Uncirculated but upon closer inspection has slight friction or rub.AU-50 -  AU-55 - AU-58

American Numismatic Association - A N A

Prestigious numismatic organization founded in 1888 for the advancement of numismatics.

ANACS – (American Numismatic Association Certification Service)

 Grading service and acronym sold by the ANA - now operate under this name as a third party grading service.

Arrows

Element of design found in the left claw of the eagle seen on many United States coins.

Artificial toning

Addition to the surface of a coin by chemicals and or by heat. 

Authentication

The determining the genuineness of coins and other numismatic items.

              B 

Bag mark

A mark left on a coin from another coin that may or may not, have been incurred in a bag.

Bag toning

Some coins acquired coloring from the bag in which a coin was stored for extended periods of time. The cloth of such bags contained sulfur and other reactive chemicals. Bag toning is seen mainly on silver dollars.

Beaded border

Small, round devices around the edge of a coin, often seen on early U.S. coins. 

Bluebook

Blue-covered, wholesale pricing book for United States coins.

Bluesheet

The Certified Coin Dealer Newsletter-slang.

Body bag

 Tterm for a coin returned from a grading service in a plastic sleeve within a flip. A no grade example - not graded or encapsulated. 

Bourse

Term synonymous with coin show

Breast feathers

Central feathers seen on numerous eagle designs. 

Breen

Slang for the late Walter Breen. 

Breen Book

 Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins.

Brilliant

A coin with full luster, unimpeded by toning, or impeded only by extremely light toning.

Brilliant Uncirculated - BU

Term applied to any coin that has not been in circulation.

BU rolls

Paper wrapped coins in specific quantities for each denomination. Fifty for cents, forty for nickels, fifty for dimes, forty for quarters, and so on.

Buffalo nickel

Slang for the Indian Head nickel struck from 1913 to 1938.

Bullion

 Coins, ingots of  the precious metals - gold, silver, platinum, and palladium

Bullion coin

Llegal tender coin that trades at a slight premium to it’s melt value.

Business strike

 Coins struck for commerce that the Mint places into circulation.

          C

C-Mint
          Gold coins struck at the Charlotte, North Carolina branch Mint. This Mint only struck gold coins from  late 1837 until its seizure by the Confederacy. Coins struck in late 1837 were dated 1838.

Cameo

Term applied to Proofs and prooflike coins, that have frosted devices and lettering that contrast with the fields.

Carbon spot

Spot, mainly on copper and gold coins. Carbon spots are brown to black spots caused by oxidation.

Cartwheel

Effect seen on some coins when they are rotated in a good light source. The lpleasing uster rotates around like the spokes of a wagon wheel. Applied especially to silver dollars. 

CC

Mintmark of the coins struck at the Carson City, Nevada Mint.Active from 1870 until 1885 and again from 1889 until 1893. 

Choice

Description applied to coin's grade, Choice Uncirculated. Used to describe an especially attractive example of a particular grade.

Choice Uncirculated

An Uncirculated coin grading MS-63 or higher.

Circulated

Term applied to a coin that has wear, ranging from slight rubbing to heavy wear.

Clad

Term used to describe modern “sandwich” coins that have layers of copper and nickel. Silver clad - used to make the Kennedy half dollars.

Cleaned

Term applied to a coin whose original surface has been removed. The results may be slight or severe, depending on the cleaning method used.

Coin Dealer Newsletter

Weekly periodical, commonly called the Greysheet, listing bid and ask prices for many United States coins.

Coin World

Established weekly numismatic periodical .

Commemorative

Coins issued to honor some person, place, or event and,some times, to raise funds for activities related to the theme.

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.

Contact marks

 Same as Bag Marks.

Copper spot

A spot or stain commonly seen on gold coinage, indicating an area of copper concentration that has oxidized.

Coronet Head

Alternate name for Braided Hair design by Christian Gobrecht (also called Liberty Head design).

Counting machine mark

Patch of lines caused by the rubber wheel of a counting machine where the wheel was set with insufficient spacing for the coin.   

 D
 

D-Mint
          Term used for the gold coinage of the branch Mint in Dahlonega, Georgia.

Deep Cameo - DCAM

The term applied to coins, usually Proofs and prooflike coins, that have deeply frosted devices and lettering that contrast with the fields>

Device
           Any specific design element, such as the head of Miss Liberty.
Die
          The steel rod that is engraved, punched, with devices, lettering, the date, and other emblems.
Ding
          Slang term for a small to medium size mark.
Dipped
          A term applied to a coin that has been placed in a commercial cleaning solution.

DMPL

Short for deep mirror prooflike.

Doctored

  Numismatic term describing an item that has been enhanced by chemical or any other way.

Double Eagle

Literally two eagles, or twenty dollars. One twenty-dollar U.S. gold coin issued from 1850 through 1932. 

Double-struck

The state of a coin that results when a coin is not ejected from the dies and is struck twice. 

Draped Bust

The design attributed to engraver Robert Scot that features Miss Liberty with a drape across her bust.  

               E

Eagle
          Gold coin with a face value of ten dollars. 
 Eedge device
           Group of letters or emblems on the edge of a coin. 
            Examples would be: 
          stars and lettering on the edge of Indian Head eagles and Saint-Gaudens 

EF-45

Stands for "Extremely Fine" and "45" for the numerical designation of the grade. Also called XF-45. Approx 95% of the original detail is evident and the devices are sharp and clear.

Eliasberg

Short for Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. who was the only collector to assemble a complete collection of United States coins.The Eliasberg pedigree on a particular coin is held in the highest numismatic esteem.

Envelope toning

Term applied to toning that results from storage mainly in 2 x 2 manila envelopes; most paper envelopes contain reactive chemicals.

Eerror

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, are errors.

Extra Fine

Another form of Extremely Fine. 

Eye appeal

The element of a coin's grade that "grabs" the viewer. The overall look of sharp looking coin, with much luster. Usually a very desirable coin.

           F

Field

The portion of a coin where there is no design – generally the flat part (although on some issues, the field is slightly curved).

Fine

The term corresponding to the grades F-12 and 15. In these grades, most of a coin's detail is worn away. Detail is present in the recessed areas .

Flat edge

Term referring to the particular specimens of High Reliefs that do not have a wire edge.  

Flip

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.

Flip rub

Discoloration, often only slight, on the highest points of a coin resulting from contact with a flip. 

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. 

Four-dollar gold piece

An experimental issue, also known as a  stella, struck in 1879-1880  as a response to the international coin approximating the Swiss and French twenty-franc coins, the Italian twenty lira, etc. 

Friction

Slight wear on a coin's high points or in the fields.

Frost

Metal effect seen in the recessed areas of a die, thus the raised parts of a coin struck with that die. To acive this the sandblasting  the dies 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 the frost .

Frosty luster

The appearance of coins struck with dies that have frost in their recessed areas. Such coins show vibrant luster on their devices and/or surfaces.

Full Bands

Term applied to Mercury (Winged Liberty Head) dimes when the central band is fully separated.

Full Bell Lines

Term applied to Franklin half dollars when the lower sets of bell lines are complete.

Full Head

Term applied to Standing Liberty quarters when the helmet of the head has full detail.

Full Steps

Term applied to a Jefferson five-cent example 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 first coin show each year. This annual convention is sponsored by the Florida United Numismatists and is held in early January.

             G

Gem

Term 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.

Gobrecht dollar

The silver dollars dated 1836, 1838, and 1839 struck in those years and restruck later.Tese are named for their designer, Christian Gobrecht .

Good

The adjective corresponding to the grades G-4 and G-6. Coins in these grades usually have little detail but outlined major devices.   

Grade

The numerical or adjectival condition of a coin. 

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.

              H

Hair

The area of a coin that represents hair and may be an important grading aspect.  

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 Eagle

Literally, half the value of an Eagle. The Eagle was defined by the Mint Act of 1792 as equal to ten silver dollars.

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. After 11,250 coins, this effort was stopped.

Hub

Term for the steel device from which a die is produced.    

              I

Indian Head cent

 Cent design cents struck from 1859 until 1909. From 1859 until mid-1864, these were struck of copper-nickel alloy, while those struck mid-1864 to 1909 were struck in bronze.

Indian Head eagle

 Saint-Gaudens designed ten-dollar gold coin struck from 1907 until 1933.

Iridescence

A "glow" displayed by a coin, often gleaming through light pastel colors

          J

 Jefferson nicke

 Design ( by Felix Schlag ) for five-cent coin first struck from 1938 to date.

        K

Key Coin

The major, or most important, coin in a particular series. The "key" coin is usually the lowest-mintage coin .Usually the most expensive coin in a particular set.  

             L

Large cent

Large copper U.S. coin, one-hundredth of a dollar, issued from 1793 until 1857.  

Lettered edge

A coin edge that displays an inscription or other design elements, rather than being reeded or plain.

LIb
      Slang for Liberty Head.

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

 Design used on most U.S. gold coins from 1838 until 1908. 

Liberty nickel

Short for Liberty Head or “V” nickel struck from 1883 until 1912.  

Liberty Seated

The motif designed by Christian Gobrecht first used on the Gobrecht dollars of 1836-1839 featuring Miss Liberty seated on a rock.    

Long Beach Show

The Long Beach Coin and Stamp Exhibition held in Long Beach, California.  

Luster

Term for the amount and strength of light reflected from a coin’s surface .Luster is the result of light reflecting on the flow lines.

Lustre

Synonym form of luster.

Lustrous

Term used to describe coins that still have original mint luster

         M

Marks

Imperfections acquired after striking. These may be caused by other coins or foreign objects.

Master die

The main die produced from the master hub. Many working hubs are prepared from this single die.  

Master hub

The original hub created by the portrait lathe. Master dies are created from this hub. 

Metal stress lines

Radial lines, sometimes visible, that result when the metal flows outward from the center of the planchet during the minting process.

Minor variety

Coin that has a minor difference from other coins of the same design, type, date, and mint. This minor difference is barely discernible to the unaided eye.   

Mint

Coining facility. US Mint etc.

Mint set

A set of Uncirculated coins from a particular year comprising coins from each Mint.   

Mint State

Term corresponding to the numerical grades MS-60 through MS-70, used to denote a business strike coin that never has been in circulation, MS-70 flawless.

Mintage

The number of coins of a particular date struck at a given mint during a particular year.

Mintmark

Small letter stamped into the dies to denote the mint at which a particular coin was struck. 

Morgan dollar

Term used for the Liberty Head silver dollar struck from 1878 until 1904 and again in 1921. George Morgan was the assistant engraver but his design was selected over William Barber’s for the dollar. Morgan was then elevated to position of Chief Engraver, which he held until his death in January, 1925.

Mottled toning

Uneven toning, usually characterized by splotchy areas of drab colors.

Motto

An inscription on a coin – especially IN GOD WE TRUST. First appeared on the 1864 two-cent piece - now is required on all U.S. coinage. 

Mule Error

This is a rare Mint error where the obverse die is of one coin and the reverse die is of another coin.  

 

          N

   

NGC

Short for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.  

No Motto

Coins struck without the motto, “IN GOD WE TRUST.”  

No “CENTS” nickel

Those Liberty Head or “V” nickels struck in 1883 without a denomination. This was very confusing to the public and led to the “racketeer” nickel scandal. 

No-grade

Term applied to a coin returned from a third-party grading service that was not encapsulated because of varying reasons. 

Numerical grading

Specifically, the Sheldon 1-70 scale employed by ANA and the certifiers.

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation

Third-party grading service based in Florida.

Numismatic News

Weekly numismatic periodical established in 1952.

Numismatics

The science of money; coins, paper money, tokens, inscribed bars, and all related items are included.

   

       O

   

O-Mint

Term used for the coinage of the branch Mint in New Orleans, Louisiana. On coins as an  O.

Obverse

The front, or heads side, of a coin. Usually the date side.   

Off center

Term used for a coin struck on a blank that was not properly centered over the anvil, or lower, die.   

Open collar

Closed collar that surrounded the anvil die used in striking early U.S. coins on planchets whose edges already had been lettered or reeded. 

Orange-peel surfaces

The dimple-textured fields seen on many gold coins; their surfaces resemble those of an orange.  

Original

Term used to describe a coin that never has been dipped or cleaned. Also coin struck from original dies.  

Original rolls

Rolls of coins that have been together since the day they were removed from their storage bags.  

Original toning

Term for the color acquired naturally by a coin that never has never been cleaned or dipped.  

Overdate

A coin struck from a die with a date that has one year punched over a different year.  

             P

P-Mint

Term applied to the coins struck at the main Mint in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Patina

Synonym for toning.

PCGS

Short for “Professional Coin Grading Service”.

Peace dollar

Common name for the silver dollar struck from 1921 to 1935. Designed by Anthony Francisci to commemorate the peace following World War I.   

Peripheral toning

Light, medium, or dark coloring around the edge of a coin.

Philadelphia Mint  

Mint, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, established in 1792. 

Planchet

The blank disk of metal before it is struck by a coining press which transforms it into a coin.  

Polyvinyl chloride

A chemical used in coin flips.     

PQ

Short for premium quality. Thse coins that are the best examples within a particular grade.

Price guide

A periodical, whether electronic or paper, listing approximate prices for numismatic items, whether wholesale or retail.

Professional Coin Grading Service

Since 1986, this was the first third-party grading service to grade, encapsulate, and guarantee the authenticity for numismatic material. Based in Newport Beach, California.

Proof

Coin usually struck from a specially prepared coin die on a specially prepared planchet. Proofs usually exhibit much sharper detail than regular, strikes.

Proof set

A coin set containing Proof issues from particular year. A few sets contain anomalies such as the 1804 dollar and eagle in 1834 presentation Proof sets.  

Proof-only issue

A coin struck only in Proof, with no business-strike counterpart. 

PVC flip

Any of the various soft coin flips that contain PVC.

              Q

Quarter Eagle

Exact terminology for a two-and-one-half dollar gold coin. This denomination, two and one half dollars or one fourth of an eagle, was first struck in 1796. 

                R  

Rainbow toning 

Term for “colors of the rainbow” like toning usually seen on silver dollars stored in bags for extended periods of time. 

Rare 

 Term indicating that a coin within a series is very difficult to find. Also, a coin with only a few examples known.
 
Raw

Numismatic slang for a coin or other numismatic item that has not been encapsulated by a grading service.

Redbook

 Yearly price guide has been the “bible” of printed numismatic retail price guides.

Reeded edge

Term for the grooved notches on the edge of some coins.

Regular issue

Term for the coins struck for commerce. These may be both Regular and Proof strikes of a regular issue.  

Regular strike

Term to denote coins struck with normal coining methods on ordinarily prepared planchets. Synonymous with business strike.

Relief

The height of the devices of a particular coin design, expressed in relation to the fields. 

Retoned

A term used to describe a coin that has been dipped or cleaned and then has reacquired color, whether naturally or artificially.

Reverse

The back, or tails side, of a coin. Usually opposite the date side.

Rrim

The raised area around the edges of the obverse and reverse of a coin. Pronounced rims resulted from the introduction of the close collar.

Rim ding

Slang for rim nick. 

Roll

A set number of coins “rolled up” in a coin wrapper. Cents are 50 to a roll, nickels 40 to a roll, dimes 50 to a roll, quarters 40 to a roll, half dollars 20 to a roll, and dollars 20 to a roll.

Rolled edge

Term synonymous with rim (the raised edge around a coin).

Rolled Edge Ten

Common name for the Indian Head eagle struck as a regular issue with a mintage reported by official Mint correspondence the figure was 31,550.   

Roman finish

Experimental Proof surface used mainly on U.S. gold coins of 1909 and 1910. This is a hybrid surface with more reflectivity than Matte surfaces but less than brilliant Proofs.   

Rub

Term for slight wear, often referring just to the high points or the fields.
 

               S

S        Letter applied to the coins struck at the San Francisco, California branch Mint.

Sac

Short for Sacagawea Dollar. 

 

Saint

Slang for the Saint-Gaudens inspired double eagle struck from 1907 until 1933.

Saint-Gaudens

Last name of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the preeminent sculptor of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. At the request of President Teddy Roosevelt, he redesigned the eagle and double eagle in 1907. Also, slang for the Liberty Head double eagle or Saint. 

Satin finish

 Experimental Proof surfaces used on U.S. gold coins after 1907. The dies were treated to create the silky surfaces imparted to the coins.

Satin luster

Fine, silky luster seen on many business strike coins, especially copper and nickel issues. 

Second toning

Any toning, natural or artificial, that results after a coin is dipped or cleaned.

Semi-prooflike

A term used to describe a coin that has some mirror-like surface mixed with satin or frosty luster. 

Sheldon scale

The rarity scale introduced in 1949 in Early American Cents.

Shield

Emblem used on certain issues that has horizontal and vertical lines in a shield shape. 

Show

Common term for a bourse or coin show.  

Sight seen

A term to indicate that the buyer of a particular  coin wants to view the coin before he buys it. 

Sight unseen

A term to indicate that the buyer of a particular numismatic item in a particular grade will pay a certain price without examining the item. 

Silver nickel

Slang for Wartime nickel.

Skirt lines

The lines representing the folds on Miss Liberty’s flowing gown on Walking Liberty half dollars.   

Slab

Numismatic slang for the holder in which a coin is encapsulated by a grading service.  

Slabbed

The process of sending a coin to a third-party grading service to have it authenticated, graded, and encapsulated in a sonically sealed holder.

Slider

A term used to describe an AU coin that looks, or can be sold as, Uncirculated.  

Small Motto

Common short name for the particular variety of two-cent coin of 1864 with small letters in the motto. 

Splotchy toning

Color that is uneven, both in shade and composition.

Spot

A discolored area on a coin. This can be a small dot of copper staining on a gold coin or a large, dark “tar” spot on a copper coin.   

Standing Liberty

Motif with Miss Liberty in a upright front-facing position.   

Star

A term for the five-pointed and six-pointed devices used on many U.S. coins.  

State quarter

One of the 1999 and later Washington quarters struck with unique reverse designs for each state, issued in the order of admittance to the United States. 

Stella

Tterm applied to the experimental four-dollar gold coins struck by the U.S. Mint in 1879-1880. Named for the large star on the reverse. 

Strike 

Term to indicate the completeness, or incompleteness, of a coin’s intended detail. The act of minting a coin.

Surfaces

The entire obverse and reverse of a coin, although often used to mean just the field areas.

 T

Tab toning

Term to describe the toning often seen on commemorative coins which were sold in cardboard holders with a round tab. Coins toned in these holders have a circle in the center and are said to have tab toning.

Tensor light

A small, direct light source used by many numismatists to examine and grade coins.

Territorial Gold

Those coins and bars privately struck during the various gold rushes. California also was a state when most issuers struck their coins.

Tissue toning

Color, often vibrant, acquired by coins stored in original Mint paper.

Token

A substitute for a coin.Older ones generally were issued by stores and may not have been accepted at other establishments. 

Toning

The term for the color seen on many coins. There are many shades, hues, and pattern variations seen, the result of how, where, and how long a coin is stored. 

Trade dollar

A U.S. silver coin, issued from 1873 until 1885, slightly heavier than the regular silver dollar and specifically intended to facilitate trade in the Far East. 

Troy weight

A method of weighing gold and silver and the coins made from those metals. There are 480 grains (or 20 pennyweights) in a troy ounce. There are twelve troy ounces in a troy pound. A troy ounce has 31.103 grams.

Type

A variation in design, size, or metallic content of a specific coin design.

Type One twenty

Those Liberty Head double eagles struck from 1850 until mid-1866. These coins did not have a motto on the reverse and had “TWENTY D.” for the denomination.

Type Three twenty

Those Liberty Head double eagles struck from 1877 until the series ended in 1907. These coins have the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” on the reverse and had “TWENTY DOLLARS” for the denomination.  

Type Two twenty

Those Liberty Head double eagles struck from mid-1866 until 1876. These coins have the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” on the reverse and had “TWENTY DOL.” for the denomination

             W

Walking Liberty

Common name for a Walking Liberty half dollar.  

War nickel

Short for Wartime nickel.  

Washington quarter

Short for Washington quarter dollar. 

Weak strike

A term used to describe a coin that does not show intended detail because of improper striking pressure or improperly aligned dies. 

Wheel mark

Synonymous with “counting machine mark.”

Wire edge

The thin, knife-like projection seen on some rims created when metal flows between the collar and the dies. Also, slang for the Wire Edge Indian Head eagle of 1907. 

Wire Edge Ten

Common name for the 1907-dated Wire Edge Indian Head eagle.

Wire rim

Alternate form of wire edge.

With arrows

Alternate form of arrows at date. 

World Coins

Term applied to coins from countries other than the United States.

Worn die

A die that has lost detail from extended use. Coins struck from worn dies often appear to be weakly struck but no amount of striking pressure will produce detail that does not exist.

Wreath cent

Common name for the second large cent type of 1793.  

            X

XF-40

Short for EF-40 

XF-45

Short for EF-45
 

           Z

Zerbe Proof

Those 1921 Morgan dollars specially struck for numismatist Farran Zerbe.