Glossary of numismatics


This article is a collection of numismatic and coin collecting terms with concise explanation for the beginner or professional.
Numismatics is the scientific study of money and its history in all its varied forms. While numismatists are often characterized as studying coins, the discipline also includes the study of banknotes, stock certificates, medals, medallions, and tokens.
Sub-fields or related fields of numismatics are:
Adjustment
Alliance coinage
Alloy
Altered Date
Anepigraphic coin
Annealing
Assay
Attribution

B

Bag Mark
Banker's Mark
Base metal
Beading
Billon
Bi-metallic
Blank
Brass
Brockage
Bronze
Bullion
Bullion coin
Bullion Value
Business Strike

C

Cameo
Carat
Cast coins
Centum
Certified Coin
Chop-mark
Church Tokens
Circulated
Clad Coinage
Coin alignment
Collar
Contact Marks
Countermark or Counterstamp
Crown
Cud

D

Debase
Denticles
Designer
Device
Die
Die Clash
Die Crack
Die Defect
Die Marriage
Die State
Die Variety
Dime
Dipped, Dipping
Double Eagle
Double strike
Doubled Die
Doubloon
Dump

E

Eagle
  1. United States $10.00 gold coin minted from 17951933.
  2. Series of US Bullion coins minted from 1986 through the present.
Edge
Ecu
Effigy
Electrotype
Electrum
Elongated coin
Encapsulated Coin
Engraver
Error
Essai, Essay
Exergue'''

F

Face value
Fantasy
Field
Filler
Fineness
Flan
Fleur de coin
Flip Strike

G

Gem
Grade

H

Hammered
High Relief
Holey dollar
Hub

I

Incuse
Ingot
Inscription
Intrinsic value

K

Karat
Key coin

L

Laureate
Legal tender
Legend
Lettered edge
Low relief
Luster

M

Master die
Maundy money
Medal alignment
Medal-coin
Milled coinage
Milled edge
Mint error
Mint luster
Mint mark
Mint roll
Mint set
Mint State
Mis-strike
Monster box
Motto
Mule'''

N

NCLT

O

Obverse
Overdate
Over graded
Overstrike

P

Pattern
Patina
Pedigree
Piedfort
Planchet
Portrait
Privy
Proclamation coins
, proof with cameo
Proof
Proof set
Punch mark

Q

Quarter
Quarter Eagle

R

Raw
Reeded edge
Relief
Re-strike
Repunched date
Reverse
Reverse proof
Rim
Round

S

Series
Scruple
Seigniorage
Silver dollar
Slab
Spanish dollar
Spot price
Stainless steel

T

Token
Tombac
Trade Dollar
Truncation
Type
Type Set

U

Uncirculated
Uniface
Union
Unique
Upset

V

Variety

Y

Year Set

Z

Zinc