Numismatic Glossary

Altered - An altered coin has been tampered with in some way after leaving the Mint, generally for the purpose of increasing its value to collectors. Typical altering involves adding or removing a mintmark or adding artificial toning to enhance eye appeal or to hide marks.

A.N.A. - American Numismatic Association.

Bag Marks -Scratches or minor abrasions caused by coins knocking against each other in bags. As the Mint transports its coins in bags, it is natural for uncirculated specimens to exhibit such abrasions.

Bar Cent - A token struck in this country shortly after the War of Independence, so called because it carries a series of bars on the reverse. On the obverse is the lettering "U.S.A." in script, without any further design or date.

Barber Dime, Quarter, Half Dollar - Coins of these denominations designed by Charles E. Barber, chief engraver at the mint in the late 19th century.

Base Metal - Any metal other than Gold, Silver or Platinum.

Bath Metal - Metal made from an alloy of zinc and copper. Used in Britain in the 18th century for tokens and sometimes for medals.

Blank - Another term for planchet or flan: the circular piece of metal, of the size and weight of the finished coin, prior to striking. Today blanks are stamped out by machine in a high-speed process. In early times they were customarily cut with special shears from a cob of metal.

Booby Head - A variety of the Large Cent for 1839, in which the portrait of Liberty is amateurishly engraved and has a clownish appearance.

Bourse - A gathering of coin dealers at a show or convention, generally at tables.

Broadstrike - Coin of a larger than normal diameter. This is actually not a planchet but a striking error. The coin is struck without a protective collar and is then spread by impact beyond its normal dimensions.

Bronze - A composition generally of 90% copper, 4% tin, 1% zinc, used for coinage since ancient times. The formula has varied in different places and eras.

BU - Brilliant Uncirculated, Best Uncirculated or Bright Uncirculated. It can also be described as UNC, Uncirulated or Mint State.

Bullion - A metal which has yet been struck into coinage. Gold and Silver coins frequently use this term as bullion content to describe the amount of gold or silver in a minted coin.

Bust - Usually referred to as the portrait on a coin. A bust could be anything from a head and neck to a likeness encompassing a third of the body, but most often meant to mean the head, neck and upper portion of the shoulders.

Casting - A method of manufacturing coins, in which striking is not done. The metal is poured while molten hot into dies bearing recessed designs, and fills up the the crevices of the design. When dry and hard, the finished coin is removed from the mold or cast, and has an appearance similar to that of a struck coin. Casting was the usual process for making medals.

Clashed Die - When coin Dies are driven together, in the act of striking, but because of mechanical failure no planchet has come between them, they "Clash." It is customary in these instances for an impression of each die to be transferred to the other, and for coins subsequently struck from those dies to carry traces of the ghost image.

Coining - The manufacturing of coins.

Collar - A circular steel ring, into which the planchet is set prior to striking. It serves to prevent the planchet from spreading out from the force of impact of the dies. If the coin is to have a reeded edge, these markings will be present on the collar, to be transferred to the planchet.

Commemorative - A coin or medal designed to honor some person, place or event, often of an anniversary nature.

Counterfeit - A coin or article made in the syle of a genuine specimen but made to deceive buyers.

Cracked Skull - Coin obverse struck from a defective die, showing a line or lines in the portrait's head.

Cull - A coin in defective condition.

Device - A symbol of local significance, used on the reverse of a coin in conjunction with a motto. The Eagle has been a frequent device on U.S. Coins.

Die - A thick metallic disc, bearing the design and lettering, ect. for one side of a coin in incuse or recessed image. A set of two dies, one representing the obverse and one the reverse, is used for striking the planchet or blank being sandwiched between them and squeezed very hard.

Dollar - The U.S. coin valued at 100 cents, introduced in 1793.

Double (d) Die - Two impressions of the die on a coin, caused by mechanical malfunction.

Double Eagle - U.S. gold coin with a face value of $20. Its physical size ia about that of a silver dollar. Struck from 1849 to 1933.

Draped Bust - A coinage portrait on which clothing is indicated. The draping may be a filmy veil of classical style or a military jacket or just about anything else.

IGC - Independent Coin Grading Company.

Mint State (MS) - The term Mint State (MS) can be interchanged with Uncirculated (UNC) to describe "new" coins showing no trace of wear.

NGC - Numismatic Guarantee Company.

PCGS - Professional Coin Grading Service.

Proof (PR) - A specially made coin distinguished by sharpness of detail and usually with a brilliant mirrorlike surfaces. Proof refers to the method of manufacture and is not a condition. Pre-1968 proofs were made only at the Philadelphia Mint except in a few rare instances in which presentation pieces were struck at branch mints. Current proofs are made at the San Francisco an West Point mints.