Glossary

If you’re going to talk about coins, it helps to know some coin words.

Alloy

A mixture of more than one metal.

Authentication

An authoritative determination of a coin’s genuineness.

Blank

A piece of coin-shaped metal that is stamped to be made into a coin.

Burnishing

A form of surface preparation on proof or uncirculated blanks, using steel balls and detergent to remove any unwanted watermarks from the surface of the blank.

Circulating coin

A coin that has been issued by a bank.

Coin

Usually a piece of metal marked with a device, issued by a government authority, and intended to be used as money.

Denomination

The stated face value of a coin.

Die

A hardened metal tool, the face of which carries an engraved design that is to be stamped onto a blank.

Effigy

A sculpted image of a person, usually a monarch, to appear on the obverse of a coin.

Frosting

An effect in which parts of a coin are slightly dulled (using sandblasting techniques) to provide a contrast to the shinier parts of metal.

Grade

A carefully constructed series of guidelines to determine the condition and therefore the rarity and value of a coin.

Mint mark

A letter or symbol, indicating the mint of origin.

Mule

A coin, token or medal whose obverse design is not matched with its reverse.

Numismatics

The science, study or collecting of coins or similar objects.

Numismatist

A collector or knowledgeable person in the field of numismatics.

Obverse

The ‘heads’ side of a coin, usually carrying the effigy of the ruling monarch.

Pickling

A process in which proof blanks are cleaned in acid to remove oil, directional rolling lines and dirt from their surface.

Plaster

A model made during the design process, to help refine the image and its details.

Proof coin

A coin struck carefully using special dies, with frosted images on a mirror-like background. Proof is a method of manufacture, not a condition or grade.

Reverse

The ‘tails’ side of a coin, carrying a design to distinguish coins from one another.

Rim

A raised area of metal around the edge of a coin. It is intended to protect the rest of the coin from wear.

Uncirculated coin

A coin which has not been distributed or used as currency.

Uniface

A coin, medal or token which has only been struck on one side.