The Numismatic Terminology Dictionary

(or Coin Collector Speak)

Coin collecting has its own language. This dictionary translates the technical terms, abbreviations and hobby shorthand used throughout CoinHunt into plain English. It is written for collectors, not graders: the short definitions help you understand what a listing or guide is saying, but they do not authenticate a coin by themselves.

Quick jump: A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · K · L · M · N · O · P · R · S · T · U · V · W

A

Term	Plain English
About Uncirculated (AU)	A coin with only slight wear, usually graded AU-50, AU-53, AU-55 or AU-58.
Abrasions	Scrapes or rub marks on a coin’s surface.
Altered coin	A genuine coin changed after manufacture—such as an added mintmark or altered date—to imitate something rarer.
Annealing	Heating and cooling metal so it becomes soft enough for further coin production.
Attribution	Identifying a coin as a particular cataloged variety, die pair or error type.
Authentication	Determining whether a coin and its claimed variety or error are genuine.

B

Term	Plain English
Bag mark	A contact mark made when coins hit each other during bulk handling; it is not circulation wear.
Bas relief	A design raised only slightly above the coin’s field.
Blank	A plain metal disc before it has passed through all preparation steps; collectors often use “blank” and “planchet” loosely. Key distinction: A blank becomes a prepared planchet before striking.
Blakesley effect	Weak or missing rim opposite a genuine curved clip, caused during planchet preparation. It is useful supporting evidence, not a guarantee by itself.
BN (Brown)	A grading-service color designation for a copper coin whose surface is mostly brown.
Brockage	An incuse, mirror-image design created when a struck coin sticks in the press and impresses its design into the next planchet.
Broadstrike	A coin struck without proper collar restraint, allowing the metal to spread wider than normal. See also: Collar and Open collar strike.
Brilliant Uncirculated (BU)	Informal sales language for an uncirculated coin. It is not a precise numerical grade.
Bullion coin	A coin valued mainly for its precious-metal content, though condition and rarity can add a premium.
Business strike	A normal-format coin made for circulation or ordinary commerce, even if the individual coin never circulated.

C

Term	Plain English
CAC	Certified Acceptance Corporation. Depending on context, the name may refer to its grading service or to an approval sticker placed on qualifying certified coins.
Cameo (CAM)	Strong contrast between frosted design elements and mirrorlike fields, most often on Proof coins.
Cartwheel luster	Bands of reflected light that rotate across an original Mint State coin when it is tilted.
Catalog number	A standardized identifier such as an FS, VAM, Overton, Snow, Wexler or CONECA number. Different catalogs can assign different numbers to the same variety.
Certified coin	A coin authenticated, graded and encapsulated by a third-party grading service. Certification is not a promise that its market price will rise.
Cherrypicking	Finding an unattributed variety or unusually desirable coin offered as an ordinary example.
Choice	Informal grading language usually suggesting above-average quality within a grade range; check the actual numerical grade.
Circulated	A coin showing wear from use or handling in commerce.
Clad coinage	Coins made from bonded layers of different metals, such as the copper-nickel outer layers and copper core of many U.S. dimes and quarters.
Clash marks / die clash	Raised traces on coins caused when obverse and reverse dies hit each other without a planchet between them.
Cleaned	A coin altered by rubbing, chemicals or other cleaning. Cleaning can leave hairlines, unnatural color or stripped luster and may prevent a straight numerical grade.
Clip / clipped planchet	A planchet missing metal because the blanking punch overlapped a previous hole or the edge of the metal strip. It is not a piece cut from a finished coin.
Collar	The part of the press that controls a coin’s diameter and forms or restrains its edge during striking. See also: Broadstrike and Open collar strike.
Contact mark	A nick or mark caused by one coin or object striking another coin.
Counterfeit	An imitation made to deceive. A counterfeit is not a Mint error.
Cud	A raised blob of metal on a coin caused by a die break that reaches the rim.

D

Term	Plain English
Damaged	Changed after manufacture by impact, corrosion, heat, tools or other outside forces.
Deep Cameo / Ultra Cameo (DCAM / UCAM)	Very strong frosted-device and mirrored-field contrast on a Proof coin. Services use different wording.
Deep Mirror Prooflike (DMPL / DPL)	A business-strike coin with unusually deep, reflective fields. It is still not a Proof.
Denomination	The face value printed on or legally assigned to a coin: cent, nickel, dime, quarter, dollar and so on.
Details grade	A description of remaining design detail on a coin with a significant problem, such as cleaning or damage, that prevents an ordinary numerical grade.
Device	A main raised design element, such as a portrait, eagle, building or wreath.
Die	A hardened steel tool carrying an incuse coin design; two dies strike the obverse and reverse into a planchet.
Die break	A crack or missing piece in a die that leaves raised lines or raised lumps on struck coins.
Die cap	A struck coin that sticks to a die and bends around it like a bottle cap while striking later planchets.
Die chip	A small missing area in a die that creates a small raised blob on coins.
Die deterioration doubling	Distorted, spread or swollen design caused by a worn die. It is not a true doubled die.
Die markers	Scratches, cracks, chips or polishing lines used to support identification of a specific die. Key distinction: Markers support attribution; they do not replace the variety’s primary diagnostic.
Die pair	The particular obverse die and reverse die used together to strike a group of coins.
Die state / die stage	The condition of a die at a point in its working life, from early use through wear, cracks and later deterioration.
Die variety	A repeatable design difference present on the die and therefore on multiple coins struck from it.
Double denomination	A coin struck once as one denomination and then struck again by dies for another denomination.
Double strike	A coin struck twice, leaving two overlapping sets of design. It is a Mint error, not a doubled die.
Doubled die	A die carrying duplicated design elements from the die-making process. Coins struck by it repeat that raised doubling. Key distinction: The doubling is built into the die and is normally raised and repeatable—not a flat shelf produced during the strike. See also: Machine doubling.
Doubled Die Obverse / Reverse (DDO / DDR)	These abbreviations identify which side carries the doubled-die feature.

E

Term	Plain English
Edge	The coin’s outermost side—not the raised border seen from the front or back. It may be plain, reeded, lettered or decorated. Key distinction: The edge is the coin’s third side; the rim is the raised border visible on the obverse or reverse.
Encapsulated	Sealed inside a tamper-evident holder, commonly called a slab.
Environmental damage	Surface change from moisture, soil, chemicals, salt or other surroundings after the coin was made.
Error coin	A coin that escaped the Mint after something went wrong during its individual production.
Eye appeal	The coin’s overall visual attractiveness. It is subjective but can affect grade and market demand.

F

Term	Plain English
Field	The flat background area around the design and lettering.
First strike / early release	A service or marketing designation tied to submission timing or release criteria. It does not necessarily mean the coin was literally among the first coins struck from new dies.
Flan	Another word for the blank metal piece used to make a coin, especially in ancient or world-coin collecting.
FS number	A Fivaz–Stanton attribution number used for varieties listed in the Cherrypickers’ Guide. It does not mean “Full Steps” when it appears as a variety number.
Full Bands (FB)	A designation for qualifying Mercury or Roosevelt dimes whose torch or fasces bands meet a service’s completeness standards.
Full Bell Lines (FBL)	A Franklin half dollar designation for sufficiently complete horizontal lines on the Liberty Bell.
Full Steps (FS / 5FS / 6FS)	A Jefferson nickel designation for sufficiently complete steps on Monticello. Context separates this FS from a Fivaz–Stanton variety number.

G

Term	Plain English
Gem	Informal language for a high-quality coin, often around MS/PF-65 or better, but the exact use varies.
Grade	A standardized opinion of a coin’s condition and state of preservation. Most U.S. coins use the 1-to-70 Sheldon scale: PO-1, FR-2, AG-3, G-4–6, VG-8–10, F-12–15, VF-20–35, XF/EF-40–45, AU-50–58 and MS-60–70. Proofs use PF or PR with a number. Key distinction: Grade describes condition—not rarity, authenticity, price or future value. [3][5]
Grading service	A company that authenticates, grades and encapsulates coins. PCGS, NGC, ANACS and CAC Grading are examples, but standards and market acceptance can differ.

H

Term	Plain English
Hairlines	Fine scratches, often caused by wiping, cleaning or mishandling.
Hammer die	The moving die in a coin press.
Hub	A tool bearing a raised design used to create working dies. It does not normally strike coins directly.
Hub doubling	Another name for true doubled-die doubling created while the die receives its design.

I

Term	Plain English
Incuse	Sunk below the surrounding surface. Brockage designs are incuse; normal lettering on most U.S. coins is raised.
Inscription	Words or lettering on a coin.
Intrinsic value	The value of the metal itself, separate from collector value or face value.

K

Term	Plain English
Key date	A date-and-mint issue that is especially difficult or expensive within a series. A key date is not automatically an error or variety.

L

Term	Plain English
Lamination	Metal peeling, cracking or separating because of an internal planchet-alloy flaw. Ordinary corrosion or peeling aftermarket plating is not lamination.
Legend	A principal inscription, such as LIBERTY or UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Lettered edge	An edge carrying words, symbols or dates rather than being plain or merely reeded.
Loupe	A small magnifier used to inspect coins. More magnification does not compensate for poor lighting or focus.
Luster / mint luster	Light reflected from microscopic flow lines created during striking. Original luster is different from simple shininess.

M

Term	Plain English
Machine doubling	Flat, shelf-like doubling made by movement during the strike. Key distinction: It happens while the coin is struck and is not a true doubled-die variety.
Major variety	A widely recognized, prominently collected variety. “Major” is a scope judgment, not a universal scientific rank.
Melt value	The current value of a coin’s metal if calculated only by metal content.
Mint error	An unintended mistake affecting a coin during blanking, planchet preparation, striking or another Mint process.
Mint set	A government-packaged group of coins, usually containing selected circulation-format issues from a year.
Mint State (MS)	A circulation-format coin with no wear, graded from MS-60 through MS-70.
Mintage	The recorded number of coins produced for an issue. Mintage is not the same as the number surviving today.
Mintmark	A letter or symbol identifying the Mint facility associated with production. No mintmark often indicates Philadelphia on U.S. coins, but there are exceptions.
Misaligned die (MAD)	One die was out of alignment, so one side appears off-center while the other side is normally centered.
Misplaced date (MPD)	Date digits or remnants punched into an unintended part of a die.
Mule	A coin struck from an obverse and reverse die combination that was not intended to be paired.
Multiple strike	A coin struck more than once. Later strikes may overlap or land in different positions.

N

Term	Plain English
Natural toning	Color that developed through ordinary chemical reactions over time rather than deliberate artificial treatment.
Net grade	A grade or value adjustment that accounts for a problem. Usage varies, so read the seller’s explanation.
No S / missing mintmark variety	A recognized coin struck from a die lacking an expected S mintmark—most famously on certain Proofs. An ordinary Philadelphia coin with no mintmark is not automatically a “No S” rarity.
Numismatics	The study and collecting of coins, tokens, medals, paper money and related objects.
Numismatist	A person who studies or collects numismatic material.

O

Term	Plain English
Obverse	The front or “heads” side of a coin.
Off-center strike	A coin struck while part of the planchet was outside the dies, leaving a blank area and missing design.
Off-metal / wrong-planchet strike	A coin design struck on a planchet of the wrong composition or denomination. Weight, diameter, composition and design fit must agree.
Open collar strike	A strike made without normal collar confinement, allowing unusual expansion. The exact term depends on the press event; compare Broadstrike and Collar.
Original surfaces	Metal surfaces that have not been cleaned, polished, recolored or otherwise altered after manufacture.
Overdate	A date punched or hubbed over a different date, leaving parts of both visible.
Overgrading	Describing a coin as being in better condition than it actually is.
Overmintmark (OMM)	One mintmark placed over a different mintmark, such as D over S.

P

Term	Plain English
Patina	Surface color or film that develops over time; on coins it may be attractive, neutral or damaging depending on its cause.
Pattern coin	An experimental piece testing a proposed design, composition, denomination or production method.
Pedigree / provenance	A coin’s documented ownership history. A famous pedigree can add interest but does not replace authentication.
PL (Prooflike)	A business-strike coin with reflective fields resembling a Proof. It was not necessarily made by the Proof process.
Plain edge	A smooth edge without reeds, lettering or other intentional decoration.
Planchet	The prepared metal disc ready to be struck into a coin. Key distinction: A blank is the earlier disc before all planchet-preparation steps are complete. [1][2]
Plating blister	A bubble or raised area where thin plating separated from a zinc core. It can imitate a die chip or doubling. Evidence rule: Appearance alone is not definitive; confirm Mint-made strike evidence and rule out zinc corrosion.
Plating split	A break in a plated coin’s copper skin, often where metal stretched during striking. Evidence rule: A split can support a Mint-made explanation, but its shape and surrounding metal flow must agree.
Population report / pop report	A grading service’s count of coins it has certified by issue and grade. Resubmissions and crossovers can affect how the totals relate to unique surviving coins.
Post-Mint damage (PMD)	Any damage occurring after production. PMD is not a Mint error.
Press	The machine that forces dies into a planchet to create a coin.
Proof (PF / PR)	A coin specially manufactured for collectors using prepared dies and planchets. The term describes manufacture, not simply condition or shininess.
Proof set	A government-packaged group of Proof coins from a particular year.
Prooflike	Having reflective fields similar to a Proof while being produced as a business strike.
Punch	A tool formerly used to add individual elements such as mintmarks, dates or letters to a die.

R

Term	Plain English
Rarity	How few examples are believed to exist or be available. Rarity is not identical to mintage or value.
Raw coin	A coin not sealed in a third-party grading-service holder. “Raw” does not mean uncirculated, problem-free or authentic.
RB (Red-Brown)	A grading-service color designation for a copper coin showing a mixture of original red and brown color.
RD (Red)	A grading-service designation for a copper coin retaining enough original red color to meet that service’s standard.
Reeded edge	An edge with parallel grooves, common on U.S. dimes, quarters and half dollars.
Relief	The height and shape of design elements above the field.
Repunched date (RPD)	A date punched into a die more than once in visibly different positions.
Repunched mintmark (RPM)	A mintmark punched into a die more than once in visibly different positions. It is a die variety, not an individual striking error.
Restrike	A coin or medal struck later than its original issue using original, reused or recreated dies. The exact meaning depends on the series.
Retained cud	A die break where the broken die piece remains partly in place, creating an incomplete or sunken-looking stage before a full cud develops.
Reverse	The back or “tails” side of a coin.
Rim	The raised border around the obverse or reverse. Key distinction: The rim is seen from the face of the coin; the edge is the coin’s outermost third side.
Rim burr / fin	Thin extra metal pushed upward near the rim during striking; context determines the more precise term.

S

Term	Plain English
Satin finish	A deliberately smooth, softly textured Mint finish used on certain collector issues. It is not ordinary wear or cleaning.
Series	A connected run of coins sharing a denomination and basic design, such as Lincoln Wheat cents.
Sheldon scale	The 1-to-70 numerical grading system now widely used for U.S. coins.
Slab	Hobby slang for a sealed third-party grading-service holder.
Special Mint Set (SMS)	A special U.S. Mint set, notably issued in 1965–1967 instead of regular annual Proof sets.
Specimen (SP)	A specially made coin with qualities between or outside normal business-strike and Proof production.
Split planchet	A planchet that separated along a weakness in its metal, either before or after striking.
Strike	The moment dies press the design into the planchet; collectors also use the word for how fully the design was brought up.
Strike doubling	Another term for machine doubling. It is not a true doubled die.
Strike quality	How completely the dies transferred the design. A weak strike can occur on an unworn coin.
Strike-through / struck-through	A coin struck through grease, cloth, wire or another foreign material, leaving missing design or an impression. If the object stays attached, it is “struck-through and retained.”

T

Term	Plain English
Third-party grading service (TPG)	An independent company that authenticates, grades and encapsulates submitted coins.
Token	A privately or locally issued piece resembling a coin but not issued as official government coinage for its stated use.
Toning	Color formed by chemical reactions on a coin’s surface. It can be natural or artificial and attractive or damaging.
Transitional error	A coin struck on a planchet intended for another year’s composition during a metal transition, such as a genuine 1943 bronze cent.
Type coin	One representative example of a particular design or major design subtype.
Type set	A collection built around one example of each chosen coin design or type rather than every date and mintmark.

U

Term	Plain English
Uncirculated	A coin with no wear from circulation. It may still have marks, weak strike, spotting or unattractive color.
Upset mill	Machinery that raises a planchet’s edge before striking, helping prepare the future rim.

V

Term	Plain English
VAM	A catalog number for Morgan and Peace dollar die varieties, named for researchers Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis.
Variety	A repeatable difference tied to the die or design, such as a doubled die, overdate or repunched mintmark.
Variety attribution	The process of matching a coin to the exact published variety using primary diagnostics and supporting markers.
Vest-pocket dealer	An informal dealer who trades coins without a permanent storefront, often at shows or club meetings.

W

Term	Plain English
Weak strike	Incomplete design detail caused by insufficient metal flow or striking pressure. Key distinction: The detail was never fully struck; wear removes detail after striking.
Wear	Metal lost through circulation or friction after striking. Key distinction: Wear removes existing detail; a weak strike never brought that detail up completely.
Whizzed	Harshly altered with a powered wire brush or similar tool to imitate luster.
Working die	The production die installed in a press to strike coins.
Wrong planchet	A planchet meant for another coin or composition that received the wrong design. Authentication requires more than unusual color.

How to use a diagnostic guide

1. Identify the host coin first: denomination, date, mintmark, design and composition.
2. Read the exact attribution: DDO, DDR, RPM, FS number or other catalog reference.
3. Check the primary diagnostic: the feature that actually defines the variety.
4. Check supporting die markers: use them to confirm the die, not to replace the primary feature.
5. Rule out lookalikes: machine doubling, die deterioration, plating problems, corrosion and post-Mint damage.
6. Weigh and measure when relevant: especially for wrong-planchet and transitional claims.
7. Seek professional authentication before making a major rarity claim.

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Continue learning

• Lincoln Wheat Penny: Major Varieties and Mint Errors
• Lincoln Memorial Penny: 1982 Transition Year
• 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Cent Series

Sources

1. U.S. Mint: Coin Term Glossary. Official terminology for coins, production and collecting.
2. U.S. Mint: Coin Production. Official description of the blanking, planchet preparation, striking and inspection process.
3. American Numismatic Association: Official Grading Standards. Official adjectival and numerical grading terminology.
4. NGC: Numismatic Glossary of Industry Terms. Collector, grading and marketplace terminology.
5. NGC: Coin Grading Scale. Sheldon scale, strike types and grading abbreviations.
6. CONECA: Glossary of Error-Variety Terms. Specialist definitions for die varieties and Mint errors.

Editorial note: The definitions are intentionally written in plain English. Specialized catalogs and grading services sometimes use narrower definitions or service-specific designations. When a CoinHunt guide names a catalog number or grading-service designation, follow the linked attribution source for that exact coin.

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