Antiquing: A finishing technique that replicates the weathered appearance of ancient artifacts through deliberate abrasions.
Bi-metal: A type of coin composed of two distinct metals, typically featuring an outer ring surrounding a contrasting center.
Blank: A meticulously prepared flat piece of metal, often circular, onto which designs are stamped during the minting process. Also referred to as a “planchet” or “flan.”
Bullion coin: A mass-produced coin made of precious metals such as gold or silver, with its value closely tied to the current market rate of those metals.
Cameo: Characteristic of modern proof coins, where the polished background contrasts with the frosted design elements.
Circulated coin: A coin intended for everyday transactions.
Collector coin: A high-quality coin prized for its collectible, commemorative, or enhanced design, often with rarity ensured by limited mintages.
Coin: Officially minted legal tender used for transactions, investments, or collecting purposes.
Denomination: The stated monetary value assigned to a coin.
Devices: The various design elements, including portraits and imagery, featured on both the obverse and reverse sides of a coin.
Dies: Hardened steel stamps used to impress designs onto blanks during the minting process.
Edge: The raised, milled, or otherwise treated circumference of a coin, often featuring serrations.
Effigy: A portrait, typically of a monarch or leader, featured on the obverse side of a coin.
Error coin: A coin that displays a mistake or anomaly in its manufacturing process.
Exergue: The space at the bottom of a coin’s design, often containing the year of minting.
Exonumia: are numismatic items other than coins and banknotes. This includes “Good For” tokens, badges, counterstamped coins, elongated coins, encased coins, souvenir medallions, wooden nickels, tags to name a few. It is an aspect of numismatics and many coin collectors are also exonumists.
Face value: The nominal value of a coin as stated by the issuing authority, which may differ from its intrinsic or market value.
Finish: The surface treatment(s) applied during manufacturing to determine the appearance of a coin.
Grade: A standardized scale used to assess a coin’s condition, strike quality, and overall appeal, often influencing its market value.
Gilding: The application of a thin layer of gold to specific areas of a coin’s design.
Incuse: A design style where the images are stamped into the coin’s surface rather than raised above it.
Issue limit: The maximum number of coins released for sale in specific packaging or formats.
Issuing authority: The governmental or organizational body responsible for minting and distributing coins.
Legal tender: Currency recognized by law as a means of settling debts or obligations within a specific jurisdiction.
Legend: The primary inscription or important text featured on a coin.
Mintage: The total number of coins produced for a specific issue.
Mint mark: A mark indicating the mint or location where a coin was produced.
Mule: An error coin created by mismatching obverse and reverse designs.
Numismatics: The study and collection of coins, banknotes, tokens, and medals.
Obverse: The front or “heads” side of a coin, typically featuring a portrait or image of a leader.
Pattern: A trial coin struck with a new design, metal composition, size, or shape.
Piedfort: An extra thick and heavy coin, often used historically for trials or presentations.
Privy mark: A small design added to a coin’s main design for decorative or security purposes.
Proof coin: A coin struck using a specialized process to create frosted design elements against a mirror-like background.
Relief: The raised or recessed design elements on a coin’s surface.
Reverse proof: A coin featuring mirrored design elements against a frosted background, created using a proof-like process.
Rim: The raised border on both sides of a coin, protecting the design from wear.
Reverse: The back or “tails” side of a coin.
Strike: The process of stamping a design onto a blank piece of metal to create a coin.
Table: The flat, featureless area of a coin’s surface.
Type set: A complete collection of coins grouped by design or type.
Uncirculated: A coin not intended for circulation, often preserved for its condition or collectible value.
Year date: The year of minting or issue imprinted on a coin.
Year set: A collection of coins representing all denominations issued in a specific year.