The language
of coins.

A heavily worn coin that still has enough detail to identify its date and type. On the Sheldon scale, About Good equals AG-3. Lettering may merge with the rim.

A coin with very light wear on its highest points. Graders use AU for this range. On the 70-point scale, AU coins receive grades of 50, 53, 55, or 58.

A word or short phrase used to state a coin’s condition. Examples include Good, Fine, and Uncirculated. Today, collectors often pair these names with numbers from the Sheldon scale.

Lines left when a mint worker filed metal from an overweight blank before striking. They are most often seen on early gold and silver coins. The coin’s design may pass over the old file lines.

A blend of two or more metals. Mints use alloys to control a coin’s color, weight, strength, and cost. Copper and nickel, for example, form the alloy used in the U.S. five-cent coin.

A coin study group formed in 1891. It runs the Money Museum. It also offers classes, shows, books, and tools for coin fans.

A coin research group formed in 1858. It cares for a large coin set and a major library. Its work covers money from many lands and eras.

Heating blanks so the metal becomes softer and easier to strike. The blanks then take the die design with less risk of cracking. Mints cool and wash them before the next steps.

A dark tone put on a coin or medal after it is struck. The dark field helps high points stand out. It is a planned finish, not a sign of great age.

A test that measures the metals in a coin, bar, or sample. An assay can confirm purity and show how much precious metal is present. Mints use such tests as part of quality control.

The process of naming the exact type, variety, die pair, or catalog number of a coin. Researchers compare design details with trusted books and images. A sound attribution should be repeatable.

The process of deciding whether a coin is genuine. An expert studies its weight, metal, design, surfaces, and method of manufacture. Authentication is separate from grading.

A nick or scrape caused when coins strike one another in a mint bag or other bulk container. Large coins often show more of these contact marks. Strong marks can lower the grade.

A common metal that is not treated as a precious metal. Copper, nickel, zinc, and iron are common examples in coinage. The term describes the metal, not the coin’s importance.

Made from two separate metal parts joined into one coin. A common form has an outer ring around a center plug. This differs from a simple alloy or thin plated coating.

A flat metal disc cut from a strip or coil before it receives a design. The disc becomes a planchet after its rim is raised in the upsetting mill. Collectors sometimes use both words in a broad sense.

Two planchets or coins stuck together by the force of repeated striking. The joined pieces can create a chain of related errors as they move or separate in the press.

The buying and selling floor at a coin show. Dealers set up tables, while collectors compare coins, ask questions, and make trades. The word can also mean a coin marketplace.

A mint facility outside a nation’s main mint location. In the United States, branch mints have operated in several cities. Their coins are often identified by a mint mark.

A market term for an unworn coin with bright mint luster. The phrase does not name one universal numeric grade. Some grading services use it for a stated range, while sellers may use it more loosely.

A coin struck without the collar fully containing the planchet. Metal spreads beyond the normal diameter, and the edge does not form as intended. The full design may still be present.

An incuse, mirror-image error made when a struck coin sticks to a die and presses its design into the next planchet. One side may look normal while the other carries the sunken mirror image.

An alloy based mainly on copper, often mixed with tin and other metals. Mints have used bronze for many cents, medals, and tokens. Its surface can change from red to brown as it ages.

A color designation used for copper coins whose original red color has mostly changed to brown. Grading services often shorten it to BN. The label describes color, not wear.

Precious metal valued mainly by its weight and purity. It may take the form of a bar, round, ingot, or coin. A bullion coin can also carry collector value above its metal value.

A controlled polishing or cleaning step used on blanks or planchets. The U.S. Mint uses metal pellets to prepare special collector-coin surfaces. The word may also describe harmful polishing done after minting, so context matters.

A coin struck by the normal process for general circulation. It differs from a proof, which receives special surface preparation and striking. A business strike can still be saved before it enters use.

A portrait that shows a person’s head and usually part of the neck and shoulders. Bust designs appear on many coins and medals. The figure may face left, right, or forward.

A strong visual contrast between frosted design elements and mirrorlike fields, most often on proof coins. Grading services may add a cameo label when the contrast meets their rules.

Bands of light that seem to spin around a coin as it turns. The effect comes from fine flow lines made during striking. It is common on fresh Mint State coins.

A false coin made by pouring metal into a mold taken from another coin. Cast copies may show soft detail, surface bubbles, a seam, or repeated marks from the model.

A professional service in which a coin is authenticated, graded, and sealed in a labeled holder. The label records the service’s opinion and key details. Certification does not end the need for careful buying.

A group of related errors produced in sequence when one failed strike affects later planchets. Die caps, brockages, and bonded pieces can be stages in the same chain.

A traditional grade phrase for an above-average Mint State coin. NGC uses it for MS-63 or higher, though market usage can vary. It does not mean the coin is flawless.

A coin that entered use or shows wear consistent with handling in commerce. Circulated grades run below Mint State. A coin can tone in storage without being circulated.

A privately issued United States token made during the Civil War era, often because cents disappeared from circulation. Common groups include patriotic tokens and merchant store cards.

Made from bonded layers of different metals. Modern U.S. dimes and quarters have copper-alloy outer layers bonded to a copper core. The layers can be seen along the edge.

A planchet missing part of its metal because the blanking press overlapped a previous cut or the edge of the strip. The missing area may be curved, straight, ragged, or made of several clips.

An object made and issued for use as money. Most coins are metal and show a set value. They can also tell us about art, trade, law, and state power.

A die arrangement in which the reverse appears upright after the coin is turned top to bottom. Modern United States coins normally use this alignment. Medal alignment uses a different turn.

A ring that surrounds the planchet during striking. It limits how far the metal can spread and helps form the coin’s edge. A special collar may add reeds or lettering.

A coin issued to honor a person, place, event, or institution. U.S. commemorative coin programs are authorized by Congress and made for a limited period. They are legal tender but are not made for normal use.

A ranked list of the finest known examples of a coin or variety. The list may change when a new coin appears or an old coin is graded again. Researchers should state the source and date.

Care that stops harm and keeps a coin stable. A trained expert may take off unsafe dirt with as little change as they can. This is not the same as a polish.

A nick, scrape, or small dent caused by contact with another coin or hard object. Contact marks often form during mint handling and transport. Their number, size, and location can affect grade.

A false coin made near the time the genuine coin circulated. Its first purpose was often to pass as money, not to fool modern collectors. Such pieces can now have historic study value.

A small crown or tiara shown on a portrait. The word appears in names for several nineteenth-century United States coin designs. It describes the headwear, not the coin’s grade.

A raised, normally oriented error image transferred through an intermediate capped coin. It results from a brockage process but appears raised rather than incuse.

A coin made without legal authority to imitate genuine money or a collectible issue. Some copies target circulation, while others target collectors. Added mint marks and altered dates can also create deceptive pieces.

A raised, unstruck-looking area caused when part of a die breaks away. Metal flows into the missing section during the strike. A true cud usually joins the coin’s rim.

Money used to buy, sell, or pay a debt. It can mean coins, paper notes, and other forms that a state accepts. Some books use the word in a more narrow way.

The year shown on a coin. It usually marks the issue year, though historic practices and restrikes can make the story more complex. Date style and position can also identify varieties.

A strong proof-coin contrast with deeply mirrored fields and heavily frosted devices. Grading services apply the label under their own standards. Both sides generally must qualify.

A designation for a circulation-strike coin with unusually deep, reflective fields. It is strongly linked with certain Morgan dollars. The coin was not made by the proof process.

The stated face value of a coin, such as one cent, five cents, or one dollar. It tells the legal unit of value, not the coin’s collector or metal value.

Small toothlike design elements around the border of many older coins. They help frame the design but are not the same as reeds on the edge. Their shape can aid attribution.

A label added to a grade for a special feature, such as color, strike detail, or surface contrast. Examples include Red, Cameo, and Full Steps. Each grading service sets its own rules.

A main design element on a coin, such as a portrait, eagle, wreath, or shield. Devices usually rise above the field, though an incuse design sinks below it.

A hardened tool that carries a coin design in reverse. A press forces the dies against a planchet to create the obverse and reverse. Dies wear, crack, and sometimes clash during use.

An unusually weak strike made while press pressure or die spacing was being tested or adjusted. Much of the design may be faint or missing. Similar-looking damage must be ruled out.

A missing piece or major break in a coin die. During striking, planchet metal flows into the gap and forms a raised area on the coin. A rim-to-design break may form a cud.

A struck coin that sticks to a die and keeps striking later planchets. Repeated impacts can bend the stuck coin into a cap or cup shape. Later strikes may show distorted, brockage-like designs.

Marks made when the obverse and reverse dies hit each other without a planchet between them. Each die may pick up part of the other design. Later coins can show those faint extra shapes.

A raised line on a coin formed by a crack in the die. Metal enters the crack during striking. Cracks may grow as the die continues in service.

The condition of a die at a specific time in its working life. Early, middle, and late states can show growing cracks, polishing, clash marks, or loss of detail.

A repeatable design difference caused by the die itself. Examples include doubled dies, overdates, and repunched mint marks. Every coin struck from that die can carry the same feature.

An error made when a struck coin enters a press for a different denomination and receives another design. Parts of both coins remain visible. It is a form of overstrike on a previously struck coin.

The traditional name for a United States twenty-dollar gold coin. Regular issues were made from 1850 through 1933. The name means twice the value of a ten-dollar eagle.

A die with doubled design elements created during the die-making process. Coins from that die can show split letters, numbers, or other features. It is not the same as flat machine doubling.

The traditional name for a United States ten-dollar gold coin. Federal law established the denomination in the 1790s. The same word also names the bird shown on many coins.

The outer side of a coin, sometimes called its third side. It may be plain, reeded, lettered, or decorated. The edge is different from the raised rim on each face.

A copy built from thin metal shells of a coin’s two sides. The maker joins the shells, often around a core. Some were made for study, but some were made to fool buyers.

A coin rolled under pressure into a longer, thinner shape while a new souvenir design is pressed onto it. Machines at attractions and events commonly produce them.

Sealing a coin in a protective holder, often after professional authentication and grading. The holder reduces handling and carries a label. It does not stop every form of chemical change.

A genuine coin held inside a metal ring that carries advertising, a message, or a souvenir design. Many were made as promotional pieces in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

A special finish that uses different levels of frosting and polish across selected parts of a coin. The contrast is planned to emphasize design details. It differs from normal proof and uncirculated finishes.

A coin with an unintended result from the minting process. The problem may involve the planchet, die, or strike. Damage that happens after the coin leaves the mint is not a mint error.

The study of money-like things that are not coins or paper notes. It covers tokens, medals, badges, and pressed coins. Such items can tell rich local tales.

A circulated grade showing light overall wear and much of the major detail. On the Sheldon scale, Extremely Fine usually means XF-40 or XF-45. Some references use Extra Fine.

The amount of money stated on a coin by its issuing authority. It is also called nominal value. A coin’s collector value or metal value may be higher or lower.

A very low circulated grade equal to FR-2 on the Sheldon scale. The coin is badly worn, but enough of the type remains to identify it. The date may be weak or partly gone.

A privately made object with a design or denomination that was never an official issue. It may be playful, artistic, or deceptive depending on how it is marked and sold.

The open background area between a coin’s devices and lettering. Fields can be lustrous, matte, or mirrorlike, depending on the coin and finish. Marks there are often easy to see.

A circulated grade with moderate to heavy wear but clear major design outlines. Fine corresponds to F-12 or F-15 on the Sheldon scale. Important inner detail may be worn smooth.

The share of a coin or bar made from a stated precious metal. It is often written as a decimal, such as .999 fine silver. Fineness is not the same as total weight.

A designation for Jefferson nickels whose Monticello steps show five complete, unbroken lines under a service’s rules. Marks or weak areas can prevent the label even on an unworn coin.

A small folding holder, often made with clear pockets for a coin and label. Some soft flips contain PVC, which can harm coin surfaces over time. Inert holders are safer for long storage.

An error made when a planchet folds before or during striking. The dies strike the folded metal, producing a bent piece with compressed and overlapping design areas.

A pale, textured surface that scatters light instead of acting like a mirror. Proof coin devices are often frosted to contrast with reflective fields. Frost can be created by special die treatment.

A designation for Franklin half dollars with the required lower lines on the Liberty Bell sharply struck and uninterrupted. Contact marks across key line areas can prevent the label.

A designation for Standing Liberty quarters with the head detail strongly and fully struck under a grading service’s rules. The feature reflects strike quality on a key high point.

A designation for Mercury dimes with complete separation in the central bands around the fasces. Weakness or marks across the required bands can prevent the label.

A designation for Roosevelt dimes with the required torch bands fully separated and other torch detail sufficiently strong. Grading services may define the standard differently.

A large metal model made by electroforming an artist’s enlarged coin or medal design. Traditional reducing machines used such models to create smaller hubs at finished size.

A traditional phrase for a high-quality Mint State coin with strong eye appeal and limited marks. NGC uses it for MS-65 or higher, though general market use can vary.

A heavily worn circulated grade that still shows the main design and readable identity. Good corresponds to G-4 or G-6 on the Sheldon scale. Rims may be weak in places.

An expert opinion of a coin’s condition and, for some issues, strike quality. U.S. coins are commonly described on a 1-to-70 scale. Wear, marks, luster, and eye appeal all matter.

A die whose recessed design has become packed with grease, dirt, or metal debris. The blockage keeps part of the design from forming, often leaving weak or missing letters and numbers.

Very fine scratches on a coin’s surface. They may come from wiping, cleaning, handling, or contact with packaging. Under a moving light, groups of hairlines can become easy to see.

A United States copper coin worth one-half cent. Federal issues were made from 1793 through 1857. Its buying power at the time was far greater than the value sounds today.

A United States silver coin worth five cents. Federal issues were made from 1794 through 1873. It is smaller and different in composition from the later five-cent nickel.

The traditional name for a United States five-dollar gold coin. Regular federal issues were made from 1795 through 1929. It is worth half of a ten-dollar eagle by denomination.

A privately issued United States token associated with the economic and political period from about 1832 to 1844. Designs often comment on banking, commerce, or public figures.

A design raised much farther above the field than on a typical coin. High relief can create strong depth but may require extra pressure or repeated strikes to fill the design.

A large group of coins stored or hidden together. A hoard may be an ancient deposit, a bank reserve, or a collector’s holding. Its discovery can change what is known about rarity.

A genuine coin, most often a Buffalo nickel, hand-carved into a new portrait or scene. Historic and modern artists both make them. The carving turns the host coin into folk art.

A steel tool with a positive coin design used to make working dies. The die receives the design in reverse, then transfers it to planchets during striking. Modern methods may use a single hubbing step.

A coin blank made from the wrong metal mix. The metals may also fail to blend well. The coin may have odd color, weight, streaks, or splits.

A design, letter, or mark sunk below a coin’s surface. Incuse is the opposite of raised relief. Some coins use incuse main designs, while edge lettering may also be incuse.

A measured mass of metal cast into a shape for storage, trade, or later manufacture. Precious-metal ingots are valued mainly by weight and purity rather than face value.

Words or lettering placed on a coin. An inscription may state the nation, value, date, motto, or subject. A main inscription is also called a legend.

The value of the material in an object apart from its use as money or its collector demand. For a precious-metal coin, it closely follows recoverable metal value. Costs and market spreads affect actual sale prices.

A token-like piece used for counting, accounting, games, ceremonies, or political messages, especially in medieval and early modern Europe. It was not usually general legal-tender coinage.

A date and mint combination that is harder to obtain than most others in its series. Demand, survival, and condition all affect how collectors use the term. A low mintage alone does not prove key-date status.

A planchet flaw in which part of the metal cracks, peels, or separates because the alloy was poorly mixed or contaminated. The defect begins in the metal before or during striking.

Money that a law recognizes for paying debts or charges within its rules. A collectible coin can remain legal tender even when its market value is far above face value.

The main inscription on a coin or medal. It may name a nation, ruler, value, motto, or event. Smaller supporting words may be called inscriptions as well.

An edge that carries raised or sunken letters, numbers, or symbols. The lettering may be added during striking or in a separate step. Its direction can vary by process.

A coin altered by smoothing one or both sides and engraving initials, names, dates, or messages. They were often given as personal keepsakes in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The way light reflects from a coin’s surface. Mint luster comes mainly from microscopic flow lines formed during striking. Wear, friction, and cleaning can break or dull it.

Flat, shelf-like doubling caused when a die shifts or bounces during the strike. It affects individual coins and is not a doubled-die variety made into the die.

A coin form that many key books list on its own. Many sets give it a clear place as well. The word major is a choice made by the field, not a law of nature.

A primary die-making tool used to carry an approved design into later production stages. Working hubs and dies descend from this design source. Modern production methods can change the exact sequence.

A deliberately dull or finely textured coin surface with little mirror reflection. Mints can create it through die, planchet, or post-strike treatment. Matte proofs look different from mirror proofs.

A struck or cast object made to honor a person, place, event, or achievement. A medal is usually not issued as money and need not show a denomination. Medal study is part of numismatics.

A die arrangement in which both sides appear upright after the piece is turned left to right. Medals often use this alignment. Coin alignment uses a top-to-bottom turn instead.

An estimate of what a coin’s metal is worth at current market prices. It is based on fine metal weight, not face value or collector demand. Refining costs and dealer spreads may reduce a real offer.

A low-value coin made from a common metal. U.S. cents and nickels are good examples. The word minor does not mean the coin lacks worth to a fan.

A facility that makes coins, or the public authority that oversees coin production. The word can also describe the act of making a coin. Mint locations may use identifying marks.

A small letter or symbol that identifies the mint facility linked to a coin. On current U.S. coins, familiar marks include P, D, S, and W. Some issues have no mark.

A set of uncirculated coins packaged for collectors by a mint. A U.S. annual set usually represents the denominations and facilities included for that year. Contents can change from year to year.

A coin that shows no wear from circulation. Grading services use MS with numbers from 60 through 70. Marks or a weak strike can still be present on a Mint State coin.

The number of coins reported as made for an issue, date, mint, or type. Mintage is a production figure, not a count of coins that survive today. Melting and loss can change rarity.

A bright surface that reflects images with little scattering. Proof fields are often mirrorlike, and some circulation strikes can be prooflike. A mirror surface is easily marked.

An error in which one die is shifted away from the proper center while the other side may remain centered. It differs from an off-center strike, where the planchet itself is out of position.

A coin that missed all or part of a separate edge-lettering step. This error applies only to issues whose lettering is added after the main strike.

A coin struck from dies that were not meant to be paired. The two sides may belong to different denominations, types, or designs. Genuine mules are rare and require careful authentication.

A coin struck more than once when only one strike was intended. Later impressions may be shifted, rotated, or partly overlapping. Proof coins struck more than once on purpose are not errors.

A result used when a grading service will not assign a normal numeric grade. Reasons may include authenticity problems, severe damage, alteration, or an item outside the service’s rules.

Emergency money issued mainly by German towns, firms, and other bodies during shortages, especially around the First World War and early 1920s. It appears as notes, coins, and tokens.

The study of money and related objects. It includes coins, paper money, tokens, medals, and the ways people make and use them. Numismatics joins history, art, economics, and technology.

A person who studies or collects money and related objects. A numismatist may focus on history, art, production, grading, markets, or conservation. The term does not require paid work.

The front or main side of a coin, often called heads. It commonly carries a ruler, leader, or main national design. The opposite side is the reverse.

A coin struck while the planchet sits partly outside the correct die position. Part of the design is missing, and part of the blank area remains. The date and mint mark can affect collector interest.

A coin skin that still has its mint-made form. It may show age, tone, or dirt, but no harsh scrub or fake new work. It need not be bright or free of marks.

A date variety in which one date was punched or hubbed over another. Parts of the earlier digit may remain visible. Overdates come from die preparation, not from damage to one coin.

A coin struck with a new design over an earlier struck coin. Mints have used this method on purpose to reuse old money, though it can also happen by mistake. Traces of both designs may remain.

An error made when the planchet is only partly seated in the collar during striking. Part of the edge forms normally while another part spreads, often creating a step-like railroad-rim shape.

An experimental piece made to test a proposed design, metal, size, or production method. A pattern may resemble a coin but was not made for normal circulation. Legal status and distribution vary by issue.

The recorded chain of ownership or notable collection history of a coin. A sound pedigree links evidence such as sale catalogs, labels, photos, and invoices. It can add research value and trust.

A prepared metal disc ready to receive a coin design. In the U.S. Mint process, it is a blank after the upsetting mill raises its rim. It should meet the issue’s rules for metal, weight, and size.

A coin with a thin coating of one metal over a different metal core. The coating is much thinner than a clad layer. Modern United States cents use copper plating over zinc.

A grading service’s count of coins it has certified by issue and grade. The report tracks submissions, not unique surviving coins. Resubmissions and crossed holders can affect totals.

Any change caused after a coin left the minting process. Cuts, bending, heat, corrosion, drilling, and tool marks are common examples. Such damage is not a mint error.

A coin made by a special process to show the design with high detail. Modern U.S. proofs use carefully prepared planchets and dies and are struck at least twice. Many have mirror fields and frosted devices.

A group of proof coins issued together for a given year or program. The set often includes each denomination selected by the mint. Packaging and contents vary over time.

A circulation-strike coin with fields that reflect light like a proof. The effect often comes from fresh or polished dies. The coin was not made through the full proof process.

The old name for a U.S. gold coin worth two dollars and fifty cents. The U.S. Mint made it from 1796 through 1929. Its face value is one fourth of an eagle.

A numbered system that groups coins by how many examples are known or estimated to survive. One common form runs from R-1 for common to R-8 for unique or nearly unique.

A color designation for copper coins that retain most of their original mint-red appearance. Grading services shorten it to RD and apply stated percentage standards. It does not mean red toning.

A color designation for copper coins showing a mix of original red and later brown color. Grading services shorten it to RB. The label is separate from the numeric grade.

An edge with a row of narrow grooves around it. Reeds can help with grip and once helped reveal metal removed from precious-metal coins. A collar often forms them during striking.

The part of a design raised above the coin’s field. Higher relief can show bold depth but may need more striking pressure to fill well. Relief is the opposite of an incuse design.

A die variety made when a mint mark punch was applied more than once in slightly different positions. Parts of the earlier punch remain visible around the final mark.

A coin or medal struck later than its original issue, often from original or recreated dies. The date on the piece may not match the true striking date. Official status varies by issue.

An early stage of a major die break in which the cracked die piece remains in place. The matching coin area may be raised, distorted, or weak before the piece finally breaks away.

The back or secondary side of a coin, often called tails. It may show an emblem, building, eagle, wreath, or value. The opposite side is the obverse.

A proof finish with frosted fields and polished, mirrorlike design elements. This arrangement reverses the usual modern proof contrast. The coin still uses a special proof process.

The raised border around each face of a coin. It helps protect the design from wear and lets coins stack. The rim is not the same as the edge between the two faces.

A paper or plastic package that holds a set number of coins of one denomination. Banks, mints, and dealers use rolls for storage and counting. An old wrapper does not prove the coins were never searched.

A die-alignment error in which the reverse is turned away from its intended position relative to the obverse. Rotation is measured in degrees from the normal alignment.

A privately made, coin-shaped piece of precious metal sold mainly for bullion value. A round is not legal tender and normally has no government-backed denomination.

A smooth, softly lustrous finish with less mirror reflection than a proof. Mints can create it through special die and planchet preparation. Its exact appearance varies by issue.

A connected run of coins that share a denomination and main design or theme. A series may include several dates, mints, and varieties. Collectors often build sets within one series.

The 1-to-70 numeric scale widely used to describe a coin’s condition. A grade of 1 is barely identifiable, while 70 is a perfect coin under the grading standard. Different prefixes mark different methods of manufacture.

Collector slang for a hard, sealed holder used by a grading or authentication service. Its label may show the coin’s identity, grade, and certification number. Not every slab comes from a respected service.

A United States medal roughly the size of a silver dollar and tied to a national or local event, exposition, monument, or public celebration. The name is a collector category, not a denomination.

A coin or medal made with a special process. It does not fit the normal coin or proof class. A grade firm may use SP on its label.

A planchet that separates into layers because of weakness or contamination in the metal. It may split before striking or after the design is struck. Each form leaves different surface evidence.

A merchant token that advertises a business and may state a value, service, or address. United States store cards were especially common when official small change was scarce.

The action of dies pressing a design into a planchet. The word also describes how fully and sharply the design formed. Pressure, die state, alignment, and metal flow affect the result.

An error made when foreign material lies between a die and planchet during the strike. The material may leave an impression, block part of the design, or remain attached.

A privately or locally issued object that represents value, access, advertising, or a service. Tokens may resemble coins but do not carry the same general monetary authority.

A change in surface color caused by chemical reactions between a coin and its environment. Silver may show gold, blue, violet, or gray. Toning can be natural, accelerated, attractive, or harmful.

A coin made with a planchet or design standard from the wrong side of a production change. Famous examples involve an old metal composition used in a new year.

A piece struck to test dies, pressure, alignment, metal, or another part of production. Trial strikes may differ from approved coins and are not always legal issues for circulation.

A major coin design or design combination within a denomination. A type set usually seeks one example of each chosen design rather than every date and mint. Exact boundaries depend on the catalog or collector.

A coin with no wear from use in commerce. The word may describe condition, while the U.S. Mint also uses it for a special collector finish. Context tells which meaning applies.

A machine that rolls a blank’s edge inward to form a raised rim before striking. After this step, the prepared disc is called a planchet in the U.S. Mint process.

A distinct form of a coin that differs in a repeatable way from others of the same type. The difference may come from design, die, date, mint mark, or production choice. Catalog rules decide which forms receive names.

A circulated grade with moderate wear and clear major detail. Very Fine corresponds to VF-20, VF-25, VF-30, or VF-35 on the Sheldon scale.

A well-worn circulated grade with complete major outlines and some remaining inner detail. Very Good corresponds to VG-8 or VG-10 on the Sheldon scale.

A bad coin bent with deep waves by a mint machine. The marks stop it from being used as cash. The mint then sends the metal back for reuse.

A coin whose design did not fill sharply because pressure, die spacing, metal hardness, or die condition was inadequate. Weakness can remain even when the coin has no circulation wear.

Loss of metal or detail from circulation, friction, or repeated handling. It often appears first on a coin’s highest design points. Wear breaks mint luster and lowers a circulated coin’s grade.

A coin shined with a fast wire brush or tool. The brush moves metal and leaves false lines. The harm cannot be undone.

A thin fin of metal pushed up at the rim during striking. It can form when high pressure drives metal into a small gap between die and collar. It is also called a knife rim.

A round wood token with an ad, event name, or local cash use. Shops and towns gave them out as gifts and ads in the last century.

A broad name for a coin from outside one chosen home land or coin set. Its use will change with the place and goal of the person who owns it.

A coin design struck on a planchet intended for another denomination or issue. The coin may have the wrong size, weight, metal, or incomplete design.

A collection built around coins issued in one chosen year. It may cover one country, every mint, selected denominations, or coins tied to a birth year.