Coin Collecting Glossary

A

About Uncirculated (AU)

A coin with only the slightest trace of wear on its highest points, graded AU-50 to AU-58.

Alloy

A mixture of metals. Most US coins are alloys, such as 90% silver and 10% copper.

B

Bag marks

Small nicks on uncirculated coins caused by contact with other coins in mint bags.

Blank / planchet

The plain metal disc that becomes a coin when struck between two dies.

Bullion

Precious metal valued by weight and purity rather than collector demand.

Business strike

A coin made for everyday circulation, as opposed to a proof.

C

Cameo

Contrast between frosted design elements and mirror-like fields on a proof coin.

Clad

A coin made of layers: a pure copper core sandwiched between copper-nickel outer layers. Used for dimes and quarters since 1965 and for half dollars since 1971.

Cleaned

A coin whose original surface has been altered by polishing or chemicals. Cleaning lowers value.

D

Denomination

The face value of a coin, such as one cent or a quarter dollar.

Denticles

The small tooth-like beads around the rim on many older coin designs.

Die

The engraved steel cylinder that stamps a design onto a planchet.

Die variety

A difference between dies of the same coin, such as a doubled die or repunched mint mark.

Doubled die

A die that received two slightly offset impressions during manufacture, so every coin it strikes shows doubled design elements.

E

Edge

The outer surface around the coin, which may be plain, reeded (ridged) or lettered.

Error coin

A coin with a mistake made during striking, such as an off-center strike or the wrong planchet.

Eye appeal

The overall attractiveness of a coin, which affects price within a grade.

F

Face value

The legal monetary value stamped on a coin.

Field

The flat background area of a coin not occupied by the design.

Full Bands (FB)

Designation for Roosevelt and Mercury dimes with fully separated bands on the torch or fasces.

Full Steps (FS)

Designation for Jefferson nickels showing five or six complete steps on Monticello.

J

Junk silver

Common-date 90% or 40% silver coins traded for their metal value.

K

Key date

The scarcest and most valuable date in a series, often because of a low mintage.

L

Large cent

The original US cent of 1793 to 1857, about the size of a modern half dollar.

Legend

The main lettering on a coin, such as UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Luster

The cartwheel-like shine on an uncirculated coin caused by metal flow during striking.

M

Melt value

The value of a coin's metal content at the current market price of that metal.

Mint mark

A small letter showing which mint struck the coin, such as D for Denver or S for San Francisco.

Mint State (MS)

An uncirculated coin with no wear, graded MS-60 to MS-70.

Mintage

The number of coins of a particular date and mint that were struck.

Motto

An inscription such as IN GOD WE TRUST or E PLURIBUS UNUM.

N

Numismatics

The study and collecting of coins, tokens and paper money.

O

Obverse

The front or "heads" side of a coin, usually bearing the portrait and date.

Overdate

A coin struck from a die on which one date was punched over another, such as 1918/7.

P

Pattern

A trial coin struck to test a proposed design or metal, not issued for circulation.

PCGS / NGC

The two largest third-party coin grading services, which authenticate and encapsulate coins.

Proof

A coin struck for collectors with specially prepared dies and planchets, usually with mirror-like fields.

Prooflike (PL)

A business-strike coin with reflective, mirror-like fields, especially Morgan dollars.

R

Reeded edge

An edge with fine vertical ridges, found on dimes, quarters, halves and most dollar coins.

Relief

The raised parts of a coin's design.

Repunched mint mark (RPM)

A mint mark punched into the die more than once, leaving a doubled appearance.

Restrike

A coin struck later than its date, often from original dies, for collectors.

Reverse

The back or "tails" side of a coin.

S

Semi-key

A date scarcer than average but less valuable than the key dates of a series.

Sheldon scale

The 1 to 70 numerical grading scale used for US coins.

Slab

Slang for the sealed plastic holder a grading service puts a certified coin in.

Special Mint Set (SMS)

Collector sets issued 1965 to 1967 in place of proof sets.

Strike

How completely the design was impressed onto a coin; a "weak strike" shows soft details.

T

Toning

Natural color that develops on a coin's surface over time through oxidation.

Troy ounce

The unit used for precious metals: 31.103 grams, about 10% heavier than an ordinary ounce.

Type coin

One representative example of a design type, collected instead of every date.

V

VDB

The initials of Victor David Brenner, designer of the Lincoln cent, which appear on 1909 reverses and, from 1918, on Lincoln's shoulder.

W

War nickel

A Jefferson nickel struck from 1942 to 1945 in an alloy containing 35% silver.

Wheat cent

A Lincoln cent of 1909 to 1958 with two wheat ears on the reverse.