1. INTRODUCTION TO THE NUMISMATICS

1.1 Origins of the currency

The first coins were coined by official character in Lidia, in Anatolia's peninsula (today Turkey), about VIIth century B.C., though their origin and use was coming of many years before.

This name comes from the Latin "moneta", I nickname with that there was named the Goddess Juno whose temple in Rome was used to make coins.

Before coins appearance, the business were done by means of barter, or interchange of goods or elements, and also they were managing to pay the goods with ingots of gold and silver. On there having be implemented the use of a currency that had always the same value, they increased the mercantile interchanges.

This function of help to the trade seems to be clear, but it is not the only one that has had along the History. The currency has provided prestige and even in occasions it has had an advertising mission, especially in epochs where the communications were slow and insecure, and the people was for the most part illiterate. Announcements were included in the pieces on relevant facts, as public constructions, commemorations of recent battles, etc..

One of the possibilities, probably intrinsic to the currency, is that of his(her,your) hoarding as way of creating the solid capital and of accumulating immediate liquidity due to his(her,your) unalterability, easy managing and conservation as well as his(her,your) acceptance on the market without problems and in a rapid and sure way.

1.2. Collecting of coins

Numismatics are the interest and the art of collecting coins and banknotes of different epochs and cultures. It is the whole auxiliary science of the History since the motives coined in the different coins allow us to know historical facts, wars, empires, monarches, evolution of the art, of the architecture, of the customs etc., and to join this way the past and the present.

The mainl considerations that we have to bear in mind at the moment of entering this exciting hobby are the following ones:

* Type of collection more indicated according to our interests and economy.
* Way of acquisition of the coins.
* Cataloguing, valuation and verification of the genuineness of the piece.
* Handling of the collections.

We can find several types of collectors. Some of them specialize themselves in certain countries combined with one or several epochs. Others collect coins with a lot of different motives (sports, political, cultural events, etc.). There exist also collectors of "tests(proofs)" (pieces prepared specially for the numismatical market), and even fond of those coins with a high sentimental or historical value for the owner.

1.3. Acquisition of coins

First time, before investing in currency, investing in knowledge on our hobby. It is necessary to have always at least a book of reference that should cover the area of interest wished. After this, the acquisition of pieces can be realized of different ways:

* Requesting, for example to friends who sheep to foreign countries, the coins in traffic of that place.
* Street markets of old objects or of a traditional numismatical character.
* Buy of pieces in public auction.
* The numismatical associations offer to his associates the advantage of being able to acquire pieces in his places to very reasonable prices.
* Specializing shops.
* Interchange of pieces between collectors.
* Internet.
* In some Embassies and Consulates.

2. TYPES OF COINS

Besides the circulating coins, other types of coins exist:

2.1. Mints Bullion

The concept of currency "bullion" is a currency coined in precious metal, whose quote is not fixed by the nominal value of this one, but for the value of fine metal contained in it.

This can arise when the quote of the metal stops being stable and begins to fluctuate, with what the investment becomes interesting in the metal for speculative motives. Many investors prefer the precious metals in shape of currency, before that others like bars, ingots, etc., since the coins do not need to be tested when they are going to be sold.

Many governments, before the demand of this type of coins on the part of the investment public, emit currency of this type, already not as coins of legal tender, but for their specific sale as currency "bullion".

2.2. Commemorative mints

These are pieces coined fundamentally in precious metals (gold and silver) on the celebration of a sports, political or cultural event. This type of coins havea great beauty in their designs and motives and shares aspects of the test, the medal and the currency of normal traffic. They turn into authentic pieces of collection and do not circulate as currency of change. The coins or series of them are thrown in limited issues. They used to be presented in capsules of transparent plastic packed in boxes of wood and of cardboard.

Many reasons exist to acquire a commemorative currency or a series of them:

* We can have it like souvenir or recollection of an event and / or of the place that we have visited.
* Thanks to them admirable designs and motives they turn into magnificent elements of adornment.
* It supposes an original way of doing a gift, which is given very much lately between individuals and companies.
* It turns out to be very wealth-producing to possess a collection of this type of coins, because they are very interesting, beautiful, valuable and rare pieces.
* We can use them as a way of investment, since they accumulate value with time. This character of value does that they are a good way of saving.

3. HANDLING OF THE COLLECTIONS

3.1 Equipment

For the correct managing and contemplation of the pieces is recommended a serie of utensils and objects:

* A rug of felt, or soft similar material, where to place the coins during their manipulation.
* An album or tray, to guard and to protect the coins.
* A few tweezers with chunks of sticking-plaster and of rubber in the ends, to facilitate the extraction of the currency of the album.
* Two magnifying glass: one, of considerable size and of approximately 10 increases for the observation of the currency in his set. Other one, of approximately 15 or 20 increases, for the details.
* A few bags of paper or plastic, for the transport or to store the pieces repeated in boxes.
* A notebook of notes, where we will aim what cost the piece to us; to whom and when we change it whom give to us; state of conservation, rarety, etc.
* A good white light in order that it(he,she) does not distort the colors.
* A cupboard or booth to guard the envelopes and cartons.

3.2 Correct managing of the collection

We must take certain precautions directed towards the correct managing and conservation of the coins:

* Not to overload the leaves of our file cabinets, because if don´t do it we traverse the risk that they break; besides, if they have very much weight, on having spent them they will strike their pieces of the different leaves.
* Care with the managing of the album; there are some of them that lose the coins if the position is inverted, with the risk that this brings with it.
* Providing that there are going to be extracted the coins of their place, to put on the table a rug of felt or of similar soft matter, avoiding to do the operation in a room which a soft floor. A fall of a currency of silver of certain size, for example, on a hard floor can have disastrous consequences.
* To extract and to handle the piece with a few tweezers with chunks of sticking-plaster or of rubber in the endsin order to not deform the album and not handling currency too much. When we do not have them, to take the currency only for the edge.
* To avoid at all time that currency in touch with an object or material that could stripe it.

Definitively, any precaution is small at the moment of the managing of our collection.

3.3 Cleanliness of the coins

First of all, let's depart from the base from that the coins it is not necessary to clean them, since they get damaged and lose numismatical value. Only for needs of archaeological or historical study they used to procced to clean it..

If really we are sure that the piece that we think to manipulate is not going to suffer damage, we will proceed to his cleanliness. Our method will be based on two products, the water and the neutral soap:

1. We will introduce the currency under a jet of tepid water, in order which the powder or the land becomes detached.
2. Follow that, and with fingers, we will apply with smoothness a bit of neutral soap for both faces.
3. Finally, we will clarify with tepid water, and will dry the piece with a dry and soft towel.

It is not suitable to use a brush, even if it is very soft. The coins can be rubbed, with certain moderation, with a brush of glass fiber in order that dirt becomes detached especially in newly dug up. To coins with patine, already be green or black, they do not suit to them to have, and, to be spent at most by a brush of hair of horse to highlight the natural sheen of the patina.

If after cleaning the piece we observe the presence of some spot that should not be a product of the oxide, we can rub locally with an eraser.

We must never clean our coins of silver with the chemical products of sale on the market, already be liquid, powder or cotton. The coins of copper and of bronze can be cleaned by olive oil, leaving them to dry later in order that they shine.

And as golden rule: if after cleaning carefully a piece, this one continues with dirty aspect, let's not touch it any more. We might spoil her more than it is.

3.4 Passive conservation of the collection

We give later some advices for the passive conservation of our collection:

* Not to expose the collection to substances or circumstances that give occasion to his deterioration for oxidation, deformation, etc.
* The place where we guard the collection has to have a temperature and dampness constant.
* The golden coins do not need big taken care. On the other hand those of silver, bronze, copper and iron are very sensitive to the corrosive ones and to the dampness.
* Not to clean any currency, and much less to use substances that shine.
* To check usually the whole collection, for if some process of oxidation or deterioration has begun and this way, we take it in time.

4. VALUE AND GENUINENESS OF THE COINS

4.1 Cataloguing.

It turns out to be very important for an ideal cataloguing, and a later valuation, to acquire a work - catalogue chosen according to our interests, proceeding then to look for our piece in his pages.

The most important function of the cataloguing is searching and finding the most possible quantity of information with regard to our piece. For it we have to:

* To look in the catalogue to know country of the coin, in case it is a question of a foreign piece and if it is understandable to the first sight.

* To fit the currency inside a reign or political moment, according to the effigy, the legend or another characteristic.

* To try to discover the MINT that coined our piece, in case that there were several houses of emission for same currency in that moment, across the marks or anagrams.

* We must begins looking for coins of equal facial value to ours and, if it is not clear, to those of equal metal and size.

* When we have found a piece that for the photo is equal to ours, to apply the previous thing to her and to look that by date, initials, type, etc., corresponds exactly to ours

4.2 Valuation.

The condition of a currency is summarized normally in the grant to this one of a certain degree. To be able to realize reasonable valuations turns into a very important skill for the collectors, due to the fact that the value of the coins changes considerably according to the degree that has. The correct estimation of the value of a currency is a capacity that only can be developed by searching constant references in the guides of valuation, consulting merchants and expert numismatists and, definitively, accumulating many practice.

A standard typology exists established in order to grant a series of objective criteria for the valuation of coins. But this turns out to be simply an approximation to the determination of the value of market of our currency, since it is very difficult to grant a degree of conservation to the same one as objectively as possible, on having influenced considerably the personal appraisals of every numismatist.

There are 2 types of factors that influence the valuation of a piece:

a) Extrinsic factors: they determine to the currency according to the law of the offer and demand. The principal ones are:

* That the currency has market: the demand comes determined in last instance for the collectors and the investors, and more directly for the merchants.
* The rarety of the piece: this one will come given by the issue that existed in her issue, or for the number of pieces that have come to our days in a condition of reasonable conservation. 5 degrees of rarety exist: current (C), scanty (E), rare (R), very rare (RR) and extremely rare (RRR).

b) Intrinsic factors, which come determined by the own currency:

* The metal of which it is made
* The antiquity of the piece, being this influential factor in the extrinsic ones.
* The degree of conservation of the currency.

The different degrees of conservation that we can be, arranged of better to worse conservation, are the following ones:

- Tries: currency done expressly for collectors or as recollection. These are pieces chosen between those of normal traffic or commemorative, to they there surrenders to a process of pulimenting that will leave the field of the brilliant currency as a mirror. These are not coined to used themuse, though they have equal facial value that the habitually used ones.

- Coin without circulating: here two values are distinguished:

Flower of mold: these are the first coins makes by a new mold, before losing a bit the perfection or depth of the reliefs.
Without circulating: absolute perfection, but with the reliefs slightly softer that in those of flower of mold.

- Extremely well preserved: pieces that are almost flower of mold, but that have certain indications of having circulated or being an evil manipulated in the mint, likewise if it has a strong patina though the original sheen preserves.

- Very well preserved: these pieces that, though one notices that they have circulated, have the very well preserved reliefs, though the most excellent details of the relief are with an incipient wear.

- Preserved well: the spoiled enough pieces, especially in the figure, though still the more or less viewed legend preserve and the date. Also those with strong marks of oxide or with a deep patina.

- To regulate preserved: totally spoiled pieces but that still, with a bit of imagination, stop to guess some detail for their cataloguing. Normally, for the collection they do not cost, except that it is a piece RR. Here the double ones and items are included.

- Badly preserved: those that for the wear or patina are unrecognizable and only their value or type is guessed by the size, weight, metal, etc.

One is in the habit of being added "+" or one "-" to the valuation of the piece, when this one should exceed a degree without coming to the following one or to the low one immediately.

With the studied thing previously already we can come closer the value of market of our currency, looking for it in the catalogue between the columns of prices that give us according to the conservation of the piece and applying it to ours, which already previously we had catalogued and now we value. This process names expertment.

4.3 Monitoring genuineness.

We need mainly a perception or sensibility that we will have acquired after having seen and touched hundreds of coins previously. Therefore, there is recommended providing that some doubt is had, to accompany of the advice of an expert, who will be able to advise us and of whom we will be able to learn very much. After this, already one more technical study in depth will make us determine to what group it belongs, if that is a false coin or doesn´t. Later we find differences between both concepts:

a) False coin: The false currency is that one that was done by intention of defrauding to the State and created in order that was circulating close to the authentic pieces. There is a type between the false ones, the false calls of epoch, which can be from equal or enclosed metal of top value to that of the original one, reaching normally on the market values upper than latter. But, logically, most common frauds are recounted to those of the falsification with metals of low value.

b) Falsified coin: they are pieces realized with an evident criminal zeal to be used inside the numismatical world and of the colllecting of coins. They are introduced on the market as authentic coins, and their perfection comes in occasions to ends so unsuspected that stripe the sauciness. Usually, falsifications do not have any value, except in case they are realized in noble metals.

There exist on the market some catalogues specializing in the topic of the false currency, as well as general works where it has sections in that there appear false detected pieces. But, if you haven´t neccesary experience, the best help is, undoubtedly, to compare it with one which genuineness is out of any doubt. Details as the sound of the metal, the law of the piece and his weight, minims you differentiate in the thickness of the cospel, initials or changed anagrams, almost imperceptible differences in the engraving of the shields, hairs, forms of the letters, etc.

5. PUBLICATIONS

Later, some guides and catalogues are enumerated on the coleccionismo:

- Select numismatic bibliography. And. Clain-Stefanelli. New York, 1965.
- Coins and coin collecting. H.Linecar. London, 1971.
- Coins. The beginning collector. R.. Oakes. New York, 1992.
- Coins and Collectors. Q.D. Bowers. Wolfeboro, 1988, and also exemplary of New York, 1971.
- Manual The coin collector's survival: an indispensable guide for collectors and investors (4 ª edition). Scott Travers.
- One-minute coin expert. Scott A. Travers.
- Coin clinic: 1001 Frequently asked questions. Alan Herbert. 1995.
- The world of coins and coin collecting. David L. Ganz.
- World Coins Century XVII. Chester L. Krause, Clifford Mischler. Krause Publications.
- World Coins Century XVIII. Chester L. Krause, Clifford Mischler. Krause Publications.
- World Coins Century XIX. Chester L. Krause, Clifford Mischler. Krause Publications.
- World Coins Century XX. Chester L. Krause, Clifford Mischler. Krause Publications. Edition 2002.
- Coins, an illustrated survey 650 BC to the present day. M.J. Price. London, 1980.
- Him(Her) Franc, argus des monnaies françaises 1795-1999. Editions They Chevaux-légers.
- Monnaies Françaises 1789-1999. Publishing Victor Gadoury.
- To guide book of United States coins 2002 (55 ª ed.). R.S. Yeoman, Kenneth Bressett. Published in 2001.
- Coins of England and the United Kingdom (Standard Catalogues of British coins). H.A. and P.J. Seaby.
- The Charlton Standard Catalog of Canadian coins.
- Standard Catalog of German coins.
- European crowns and thalers (several volumes). Davenport.
- Ancient coin collecting. Wayne G. Sayles.1996.
- Ancient coin collecting the IInd: Numismatic Art of the Greek world. Wayne G. Sayles.1997.
- Ancient coin collecting the IIIrd: The Roman world - Polytics And Propaganda. Wayne G. Sayles.1997.
- Ancient coin collecting the IVth: provincial Roman coins. Wayne G. Sayles.1998.
- Ancient coin collecting V: The Romanian/Byzantine culture. Wayne G. Sayles.1998.
- Ancient coin collecting the VIth: Odd number - classical cultures. Wayne G. Sayles.1999.
- Survey of numismatic research, 1960-1965. VV.AA. Copenhagen, 1967.
- Survey of numismatic research, 1966-1971. VV.AA. New York.
- Survey of numismatic research, 1972-1977. VV.AA. Berne, 1979.
- Official guide to coin garding and counterfeit detection. Published by Professional Coin Grading Service.
- Official A.N.A. Grading Standards for United States Coins, American Numismatic Association, 5 ª edition, Whitman, 1996.
- Photograde, James F. Ruddy, of Bowers and Merena Galleries, 1990.

The Museum Mint (FNMT-RCM), also it have a series of own publications:

- Nvmisma: Magazine of Numismatical Studies. Organ of the Latin-American Society of Numismatical Studies. One or two numbers are in the habit of being edited a year.

- In collaboration with the Numismatical Spanish Association (A.N.E.):

* Introduction to the numismatics. Octavio Gil Farrés, 1993.
* The monetary system visigodo: copper and gold. Miquel Crusafont. 1994.
* Iberian Denarius and quinarius. Study and cataloguing. Leandre Villaronga. 1995.
* Leads and jetons medievil of the Iberian zone. Miquel Crusafont; Jacques Labrot; Bernat Moll. 1996.
* The coins of Segobriga's Roman city. Pere Pau Ripollés; J. Manuel Abascal. 1996.
* Digest parametric -meteorologic ancient. Josep Pellicer i Bru. 1997.
* Ercavica's mint. Mariví Gomis Justo. 1997.
* The warehouse monetal of Torelló d'en Cintes. Alicia Arévalo Gonzalez; Carmen Marcos Alonso.

- In collaboration with Lunwerg:

Or History of the Money. Rafael Feria. Madrid, 1991.

* Collections of the Museum:
* Malaca's coins. Marta Campo; Bartolomé Mora. 1995.
* Macellum de Gerasa's coins. Teresa Marot.

6. GLOSSARY

ADJUSTEMENT MARKS: Marks caused by filing a planchet before striking to reduce its weight to the standard, as was sometimes done for early U.S. coinage
ALBUM: A book-like holder with slots for storing coins
ALTERED: Intentionally modified after the minting process, such as by changing the date or by adding or removing a mintmark, usually in an attempt to deceive collectors (example: 1944-D Lincoln cent altered to appear to be a much more valuable 1914-D)
ANCIENT: A coin produced prior to about 500 A.D.
ARTIFICIAL TONING: coloration added to a coin by treatment with chemicals or other "doctoring"
ATTRIBUTE: n. A characteristic of a coin; v. To identify a coin by determining the country of origin, denomination, series, date, mintmark and (if applicable) variety
AUTHENTIC/AUTTHENTICATION: An original, non-counterfeit coin; determination by an expert on whether or not a coin is authentic
BAG MARKS: Small scratches and nicks resulting from movement of coins in the same bag (also known as contact marks or keg marks)
BANK NOTE: Paper money issued by a bank
BAR: A non-numismatic form of precious metal bullion
BAS RELIEF: Design elements are raised within depressions in the field
BILLION: An alloy of silver and another metal, usually copper, which is less than 50% silver
BI-METALLIC: A coin or coin-like object combining parts composed of two different metal alloys, such as the Canadian two dollar coin.
BIT: Pieces of eight were physically cut into eighths; each piece is one bit
BLANK: A piece of metal being prepared for coinage before the rims have been raised by passing through the upsetting mill
BOURSE: A location where dealers buy and sell coins with each other and the public, such as at a coin show
BROADSTRIKE/BROADSTRUK: A coin struck without a firmly seated collar, resulting in "spreading" outwards, but still showing all design details
BROCKAGE: A mirror image of the design from one side of a coin impressed on the opposite side - occasionally, a newly struck coin "sticks" to a die, causing the next coin struck to have a First Strike Mirror Brockage of the coin stuck to the die; by the second strike the mirror is distorted, and later strikes are termed Struck Through A Capped Die
BULLION: A coin or other object composed primarily of a precious metal, with little or no value beyond that of the metal
BUREAU OF ENGRAVINBG AND PRINTING: An agency of the U.S. Treasury Department responsible for production of currency
BUSSINESS STRIKE: A coin struck for circulation
CANADIAN: Post confederation Canadian numismatics
CAMEO: A coin, usually struck as a Proof, with a frosted or satiny central device surrounded by a mirrorlike field
CARTWHEEL: The pattern of light reflected by flow lines of mint state coins, resembling spokes of a wheel; Name given to the British pennies and twopences of 1797 due to their unusually broad rims
CERTIFIED COIN: A coin authenticated and graded by a professional service
CHERRYPICK: To find and purchase a coin worth a premium over the seller's asking price (generally a rare die variety priced appropriately for a more common variety)
CHOP MARK: A symbol added to money by someone other than the government which issued it to indicate authenticity
CIRCULATED: Denotes money that is no longer in mint state, generally as a result of normal handling and exchange
CLAD: Composed of more than one layer, such as the copper-nickel over copper composition of U.S. dimes, quarters, and halves minted presently
CLASH MARKS: Outlines and/or traces of designs from the opposite side of a coin resulting from die clash
CLEANING: any process that removes foreign substances, corrosion or toning, e.g. application of solvents, dipping, and rubbing with abrasive materials or substances
CLEANED COIN: while any coin subjected to a cleaning process could technically be considered cleaned, this term most commonly refers to those which have been abrasively cleaned (a coin which has been abrasively cleaned generally has a lower numismatic value than an otherwise comparable uncleaned specimen)
CLIP: A coin, planchet or blank missing a portion of metal from its periphery, caused by an error during blank production; types of clips include curved (most common), ragged, straight, eliptical, bowtie, disk and assay
CLIPPING: Deliberate shearing or shaving from the edge of gold and silver coins; patterns and mottos are included on edges to discourage the practice
COIN: A piece of metal with a distinctive stamp and of a fixed value and weight issued by a government and used as money (source: Webster's New World Dictionary)
COIN SHOW: An event where numismatic items are bought, sold, traded and often exhibited
COLLAR: A device present in a coining press to restrict the outward flow of metal during striking and to put the design, if any, on the edge of the coin
COLLECTION: The numismatic holdings of an individual in total or of a particular type
COLONIAL: In general, a coin or token used in a colony
In the United States, the term refers to coins and tokens struck during the colonial era by some of the colonies and by private manufacturers, as well as by the states during the first several years following the Declaration of Independence
COLORIZED: indicates that paint, enamel or a color sticker has been applied after the minting process
COMMEMORATIVE: A coin with a design commemorating a person, place or event
CONDITION CENSUS: A list of the finest known specimens of a particular variety of coin
CONTACTS MARKS: Small surface scratches or nicks resulting from movement of coins in the same bag or bin
COUNTERFEIT: An imitation of a coin or note made to circulate as if actually money;
An altered or non-genuine coin made to deceive collectors, usually a more valuable date or variety
CUD: A raised lump of metal on a coin caused by a piece of a die having broken off
CULL: A coin that is extremely worn and/or damaged
cupro-nickel (or copper-nickel)
Composed of an alloy of copper and nickel, as for example U.S. 5 cent coins (other than half dimes) and Canadian 5 cent coins produced since 1982.
CURRENCY: Paper money
DAMAGE: Physical change to a numismatic item, such as a scratch, nick, ding, cleaning, hole or pitting
DATE: The year(s) shown on a coin, usually the same as the year it was minted
DEALER: A person or company that regularly buys and sells numismatic collectibles
DEEP MIRRO PROOFLIKE(DMPL): Having highly reflective mirrorlike fields, similar to a coin struck as a Proof
DELAMINATION: Metal missing or retained but peeling from the surface due to incomplete bonding or impurities in the planchet
DENARIUS: An ancient Roman silver coin weighing about 3 grams, roughly the same size as a U.S. dime but thicker
DENOMINATION: The face value of a coin
DENTICLES: Tooth like raised features just inside the rim of some coins (also known as dentils)
DESIGN: The devices, lettering, etc. appearing on a coin and their arrangement with respect to each other
DESIGNER: The creator of a coin design
DEVICE: A major design element, such as the bust of a person
DIE: A usually cylindrical piece of steel bearing at one end the incuse design of one side of a coin (except for coins with incuse detail, where the die details are in relief)
DIE CHIP: A small fragment broken off from a die; metal flowing into the resulting hole during striking results in a small raised lump on the surface of the coin
DIE CLASH: Upper and lower dies coming together in a coin press without a planchet between them; design details may be partially impressed in the opposite dies and subsequently as mirror images on coins struck from the clashed dies.
DIE CRACK: A narrow fissure in the surface of a die; coins struck with such a die have a narrow raised line corresponding to the crack
DIE EROSION: Wear on a die from use in the minting process
DIE FLOW LINES: see flow lines
DIE STATE: The condition of a die at a particular point in its life
DIE POLISH: Small raised lines in the field of a coin resulting from polishing of a die to remove chips, clash marks, etc.
DIPPING: Cleaning by immersion in a liquid capable of removing molecules from the surface, such as a solution containing thiourea
DISME: The original spelling of dime, 1/10 of a dollar
DOUBLE DENOMINATION: A rare error in which a previously struck coin is restruck by the die pair of another denomination
DOUBLE DIE: A dubious term sometimes intended to mean a doubled die coin and sometimes indicating machine doubling (because there is often a substantial difference in value between the two, a savvy buyer will be sure to determine which case is true for any coin described as such)
DPUBLED DIE: A die with doubled device details, letters and/or numerals resulting from any of several possible differences between the multiple hub impressions during its manufacture; a coin struck from such a die
DOUBLE EAGLE: A U.S. gold coin with a face value of $20, first minted in 1849 and last officially minted in 1932
DRACHMA: An ancient Greek silver coin weighing about 3 grams, roughly the same size as U.S. dime but thicker
EAGLE: A U.S. gold coin with a face value of $10, first minted in 1795 and last minted in 1933; also, the current U.S. $50 face value gold bullion coin.
EDGE: The "third side" of a coin, encompassing the perimeter
ERROR: Any unintentional deviation in the minting process resulting in one or more coins with a different appearance than intended
EXERGUE: The lower part of a coin or medal, usually divided from the field by a line and often containing the date, mintmark or engraver's initial(s).
EXONUMIA: Tokens, medals and other non-monetary coin-like objects
EYE APPEAL: Overall attractiveness (beauty is in the eye of the beholder)
FACE VALUE: The ordinary monetary worth of a coin or note at the time of issue
FIELD: The flat background on a coin, medal or token
FISHCALE: Canadian 5 cents silver; U.S. 3 cent silver coin
FLAN: British term for a planchet
FLIP: A soft plastic holder normally used for a single coin
FLOW LINES: Microscopic lines in the surface of a coin resulting from the outward flow of metal during striking
FIAT MONEY: Money that is not backed by specie and is legal tender by decree
FRACTIONAL CURRENCY: Paper money with a face value of less than one dollar
FUGIO CENT: The first coin issued by authority of the United States, produced by contractors in 1787
GALVANO: An epoxy coated plaster relief model of a coin, token or medal created by electrodeposition (much larger than the dies later created from it)
GRADE/GRADING: One of several terms summarizing the overall condition of a coin or other numismatic item; the process of evaluation leading to assignment of a grade
GREYSHEET: the Coin Dealer Newsletter, a price guide for U.S. coins intended for dealer-to-dealer sight seen transactions
HAIRLINES: Light scratches in the surface of a coin
HALF CENT: A U.S. coin with a face value of 1/200th of a dollar first minted in 1793 and last minted in 1857
HALF DIME: A U.S. coin with a face value of 5 cents issued with dates between 1794 and 1873; originally called a half disme
HALF EAGLE: A U.S. gold coin with a face value of $5 first minted in 1795 and last minted in 1929
HOBO NICKEL: A coin (usually a U.S. Buffalo nickel) physically modified into a substantially different design
HOLED: Having a hole drilled or punched through it, often so that it may be used for jewelry
HOLDER: Any device designed for storage and sometimes display of numismatic items
HUB: A steel bar used to make dies having the same raised design on one end as one side of the coins ultimately produced
IMPAIRED PROOF: A proof coin with wear or damage resulting from circulation or other handling
INCUSE: The opposite of relief -- design elements are impressed into the surface
INDIAN PEACE MEDALS: Medals presented to native Americans by European governments, fur trading companies, Quakers, and, later, by US government representatives, as a show of friendship and peace.
KEY DATE: The rarest (or one of the most rare) and therefore most expensive members of a coin series, e.g. the 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent or 1916-D Mercury dime
KRAUSE: A numismatic publishing company (Krause Publications); this company's Standard Catalog of World Coins
LAMINATION FLAW: See delamination
LARGE CENT: A U.S. coin with a value of 1 cent, minted from 1793 to 1857, composed primarily of copper and larger in diameter than the current U.S. quarter;
A similar Canadian coin issued between 1858-1920
LEGAL TENDER: Money that may be legally offered in payment of an obligation and that a creditor must accept (source: Webster's New World Dictionary)
LEGEND: Lettering on a coin other than the denomination or nation which issued it
LOONIE: Popular name for the Canadian loon dollar coin first issued in 1987
LOUPE: A type of magnifying glass used by numismatists and jewelers
LUSTER: The brilliance of a coin, resulting from reflection of light off die flow lines
MACHINE DOUBLING: Doubling of details resulting from loose dies during striking (generally considered to have no numismatic value)
MAIL BID: An auction format in which bids are submitted by mail; the highest offer for each lot received by the closing date wins the lot (several other rules usually apply)
MATTE PROOF: A proof coin with a granular (rather than mirrorlike) surface produced by dies treated to obtain a minutely etched surface
MEDAL: A coin-like object struck to honor one or more persons or events depicted or mentioned in its design; an object awarded to persons in recognition of service or other accomplishment
MELT VALUE: The worth of precious metal in a coin, determined by multiplying the amount of the metal it contains by the spot price of the metal
MINT: A facility for manufacturing coins
MINTAGE: The quantity of a denomination of coins produced at a mint during a period of time (usually one year)
MINT BLOOM: The original surface of a newly minted coin
MINTMARK: A letter or symbol designating the mint which produced the item bearing it
MINT SET: A specially packaged group of uncirculated coins from one or more mints of the same nation containing at least one coin for most or all of the denominations issued during a particular year
MINT STATE: In the same condition as when delivered from the mint (natural toning excepted); uncirculated
MISPLACED DATE: One or more digits of a date punched away from the intended location, such as in the denticles or in the central design
MOTTO: A phrase imprinted on a coin, for most U.S. coins "E PLURIBUS UNUM"
MULE: A coin struck from two dies not intended to be used together
MULTIPLE STRIKE: A coin struck more than once as a result of not being properly ejected from the coining press
NATURAL TONING: Coloration resulting from chemical change on the surface during normal environmental exposure over a prolonged period
NET PRICE: A term signifying that the seller is unwilling to sell for less than the price marked
NUMISMATICS: The collection and study of coins, tokens, medals, paper money and other objects exchanged for goods and services or manufactured by similar methods
NUMISMATIST: A person who collects and/or studies numismatic items
OBOL: A small silver coin of ancient Greece, originally a day's wages for a rower on a galley or a citizen on jury duty.
OBVERSE: The front or "heads" side of a coin, often bearing a portrait and date
OFF CENTER: Incorrectly centered during striking, resulting in part of the design missing (off the edge)
ORIGINAL TONING: Having natural surfaces resulting from long exposure to ordinary environmental conditions; uncleaned
OVERDATE: A coin struck from a die with at least one digit of the date repunched over a different digit, e.g. 1809/6 or 1942/1.
OVERGRADED: Designated with a higher grade than merited
OVER MINTMARK: One mintmark on top of a different mintmark, such as a 'D' over an 'S' (denoted D/S)
PAPER MONEY: Paper notes with standardized characteristics issued as money
PARANUMISMATICA: British term for exonumia
PATINA: A thin layer of naturally oxidized metal on the surface of a coin acquired with age
PATTERN: A coin struck as a test piece for a new design, sometimes without a date
PICK UP POINT: An area where a feature, such as die doubling, is most evident
PIECE OF EIGHT: A former Spanish coin with a face value of eight reales; the U.S. dollar was originally valued at and tied to eight reales
PITTED: Having a rough surface due to loss of metal by corrosion
PLANCHET: A piece of metal prepared for coinage with raised rims but as yet unstruck
PLUGGED: Denotes that a holed coin has been filled
POROUS: Having a granular surface as the result of oxidation, most frequently found with older copper coins
PRESTIGE SET: A set of coins produced by the U.S. Mint containing one or more proof commemorative coins released in the same year, as well as a proof cent, nickel, dime, quarter and half
PROBLEM COIN: Any coin that has been cleaned or damaged or has other undesirable characteristics
PROOF: A coin specially manufactured to have extra sharp detail, mirrorlike fields and sometimes frosted or "cameo" devices, produced for sale to collectors at a premium or for exhibition or presentation
PROOFLIKE: Having mirrorlike fields, similar to a coin struck as a Proof
PROOF LIKE: A coin specially manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint with mirror fields
PROOF SET: A specially packaged group of coins containing at least one of most or all of the denominations of proof coins struck by a nation in a particular year
QUARTER EAGLE: A U.S. gold coin with a face value of $2.50 first minted in 1796 and last minted in 1929
RARITY: An infrequently encountered or available item; the number of surviving specimens of a particular issue, as may be indicated by a rarity scale index
RARITY ESCALE: A convention for designating the rarity of a coin, such as Sheldon's system (with values such as R1 for common pieces and R6 for extremely rare specimens) and the Universal Rarity Scale invented by Alan Herbert (with designations such as URS3)
REAL: A former basic monetary unit of Spain and Spanish colonies in the Americas
RED BOOK: The Handbook of U.S. Coins, a retail price guide for U.S. coins published annually, originally written by R.S. Yeoman
REEDED EDGE: An edge with raised parallel lines, a.k.a. milled or grained
RELIEF: Features rising above the field
REPUNCHED DATE: A date with one or more of the digits punched more than once in different locations and/or orientations
REPUNCHET MINTMARK(RPM): A mintmark punched more than once in different locations and/or orientations
RESTRIKE: A coin struck with authentic dies later than the date it bears
REVERSE: The back or "tails" side of a coin
RIM: The outer edge of a coin, often raised to avoid premature wear
ROUND: A disc shaped piece of precious metal bullion
SCRIP: A note issued by and redeemable at a merchant or group of merchants
SERIES: Coins of the same major design and denomination, including every combination of date and mintmark minted, e.g. Morgan dollars
SHELDON SCALE: A numerical grading system ranging from 1 to 70 created by Dr. William H. Sheldon to denote proportional values of large cents minted from 1793 to 1814 and subsequently adaped as a general grading scale
SHINPLASTER: Canadian fractional banknotes
SIGHT SEEN: Available for examination to a potential buyer before a purchase decision is made
SIGHT UNSEEN: Not available for examination to a potential buyer before a purchase decision is made, as is usually the case with mail order transactions
SILVER CERTIFICATE: A note (paper money) once redeemable for its face value in silver
SILVER CLAD: A clad coin with one layer containing silver, such as U.S. halves struck from 1965 to 1970
SILVER EAGLE: A coin produced by the U.S. mint beginning in 1986 containing one ounce of silver and having a nominal face value of $1 (not released for circulation)
SLAB: A coin certified by a professional grading service as authentic and encapsulated in a sealed hard plastic holder also containing a label bearing the service's opinion of its grade and other information (see detailed discussion in FAQ)
SLIDER: A coin with very slight traces of wear, such that it almost passes for an uncirculated specimen
SPECIE: Precious metal used to back money, usually gold and silver
SPLIT GRADE: Different grades for the obverse and reverse sides
SPOT: Short for spot price; A small area of corrosion or foreign substance
SPOT PRICE: The market price for immediate delivery of a commodity, such as a precious metal
SPREAD: The difference between buy and sell prices on the same item(s) of a dealer, broker, etc. The extent of separation between impressions on a doubled die.
STELLA: A U.S. gold coin pattern with a face value of $4 minted in 1879 and 1880
STRIATIONS: Incuse marks caused by rolling bars during planchet production
STRIKE: The process of impressing the design from a die into a planchet to make a coin, token or medal; The completeness of detail (as in weak strike, full strike, etc.) created during this process
STRIKE DOUBLING: See machine doubling
TETRADRACHMA: An ancient Greek silver coin weighing about 13 to 17 grams, roughly the same size as a U.S. quarter but three times thicker
THUMBING: The rubbing of skin oil onto a coin in an attempt to hide contact marks
TOKEN: A coin-like object redeemable for a particular product or service, such as transportation on a bus or subway; an unofficial coin issued by a business or town to be used as small change, e.g., in 17th-19th century Britain, and in France in the 20th century
TONING: Color acquired from chemical change on the surface
TRADE DOLLAR: A U.S. coin with a face value of $1 minted from 1873 through 1885 specifically for commerce in the Orient; A U.K. coin with a face value of $1 minted from 1895 through 1935 specifically for commerce in the Orient
TRIME: A U.S. coin with a face value of 3 cents minted in predominantly silver alloys from 1851-1873
TUBE: A plastic container designed for storing a roll or other quantity of coins of the same size
TYPE COIN: Any coin of a particular design and denomination, usually one of the more common dates
TYPE SET: A collection of coins of various designs; rather than try to complete the series, the goal of the type collector is to obtain at least one example of several different types
UNCIRCULATED: Never circulated; without any wear
VAM: Any variety of U.S. silver dollar described in the book Morgan and Peace Dollars by Van Allen and Mallis.
VARUETY: Any coin struck from a die pair that differs from others with the same date and mintmark, such as one exhibiting die doubling, different style letters or numerals, or a repunched mintmark
WANT LIST: A tabulation of collectibles sought by a collector, often including limits on condition and/or price
WATER MARK: A design put into paper at the manufacuring stage by pressing it while wet between rollers bearing the design
WEAR: Metal lost during handling and contact with other objects
WHIZZING: Alteration by mechanical polishing to produce a shiny surface
WORL COINS: Coins issued by various nations, as in a collection comprised of coins thereof