Coin Collecting Glossary

Numismatics has a language built over centuries. From grading shorthand to mint marks, these are the terms every collector should know.

A

About GoodAG: A grade for an extremely worn coin where the rim is worn into the lettering and only the outline of the design survives. The date is usually still readable.
About UncirculatedAU: A grade for a lightly worn coin that has only a trace of rubbing on its highest points, covering AU-50 through AU-58. Such coins look almost new at a glance.
Air-Tite: A popular brand of round, sealing plastic capsules that protect a coin from air and handling. A coin in an Air-Tite is raw but well protected inside a snap-together holder.
Album: A book or folder with labeled openings made to organize and display a coin collection by date and mint mark. Albums help collectors track which coins they still need.
Album Slide Marks: Fine scratches across a coin's high points caused by the plastic slide of a coin album rubbing the surface. They lower eye appeal and can affect the grade.
Album Toning: Color that develops on a coin from long storage in a coin album or folder, often appearing as bands near the rim. When attractive it can add value as a form of natural toning.
American Numismatic AssociationANA: The largest US organization for coin collectors, offering education, a magazine, conventions, and grading standards. Membership is open to anyone interested in coins.
American Numismatic SocietyANS: A New York based scholarly society devoted to the study of coins and money, with a major research collection and library. It focuses on research and academics more than retail collecting.
ANACSANACS: A long-established third-party coin grading service in the US, known for grading errors and varieties. It was originally the grading arm of the American Numismatic Association.
Artificial ToningAT: Color added to a coin on purpose using heat, chemicals, or other methods to imitate natural aging. Graders reject AT coins because the toning is not original.

B

Bag Marks: Small nicks and dings a coin picks up from rubbing against others in a mint bag. They are common on large coins like silver dollars and affect the grade and eye appeal.
BIE ErrorBIE: A small vertical die break on Lincoln cents that appears between the B and E of LIBERTY, looking like an extra letter I. It is a popular and easy to spot minor error.
Blank: An unstruck coin disc, another word for a planchet before it receives its design. Blanks that escape the mint without being struck are collected as errors.
Blue Book: The common name for A Handbook of United States Coins, an annual guide showing roughly what dealers pay, the wholesale companion to the Red Book. The Blue Book helps sellers understand likely buy prices.
Blue SheetBluesheet: A wholesale price guide, also written Bluesheet, that tracks sight-unseen values for coins certified by grading services. Blue Sheet prices are usually lower than the Grey Sheet and reflect bulk, sight-unseen trading. Do not confuse it with the Blue Book.
Body Bag: Slang for a coin returned from a grading service ungraded, often because it is damaged, cleaned, or not genuine. The coin comes back in a soft sleeve rather than a sealed slab.
Bourse: The dealer sales floor at a coin show where buyers browse tables of inventory. A coin described as a bourse find or bourse pickup was bought in person at a show.
Brilliant UncirculatedBU: An uncirculated coin with full original mint shine and no wear. It is a common dealer term for attractive, never-circulated coins.
Broadstrike: An error where a coin is struck without the retaining collar, so the metal spreads out wider and thinner than normal with no edge reeding. The design usually stays centered but the coin looks oversized.
Brockage: An error where a previously struck coin sticks to the die and presses a mirror-image, sunken impression into the next blank. The result is one normal side and one incuse reversed image.
BrownBN: A color designation for copper coins whose surfaces have toned mostly brown, with little or no original mint red remaining. BN coins are typically the least expensive of the copper color grades.
Buffalo Nickel: A US five-cent coin made from 1913 to 1938 featuring a Native American on the front and an American bison on the back. It is also called the Indian Head nickel.
Bullion: A coin, bar, or round valued mainly for its precious metal content rather than collectibility. Bullion prices track closely with the live metal market.
Bullion Coin: A government-minted coin made primarily for investors to own precious metal, such as the American Silver Eagle. Its value comes mainly from its metal content plus a small premium.
Burnished: A finish on collector versions of American Eagles, struck on specially polished blanks and usually carrying a W mint mark. Burnished coins have a soft satiny look distinct from both bullion and proof versions.
Business Strike: A coin made for everyday circulation using normal production methods, as opposed to a proof or specimen. Most coins you find in change are business strikes.
Buy It NowBIN: An eBay option that lets you purchase the coin immediately at a fixed price instead of waiting for an auction to end. A BIN listing means you can lock in the item right away.

C

Cabinet Friction: Light surface rub on older coins caused by sliding in the felt-lined trays of antique coin cabinets. Graders may treat it more leniently than ordinary wear on early coins.
CAC GradingCACG: A grading service launched by CAC that grades and slabs coins itself, rather than only stickering coins graded by others. CACG holders carry the CAC standard built in.
CameoCAM: A proof coin with frosted, white raised designs that contrast against mirrored fields. The frosted-against-mirror look is prized by collectors.
Carbon Spot: A small dark spot, usually on copper or gold coins, caused by a tiny area of corrosion or contamination. Carbon spots can hurt eye appeal and value, especially on otherwise pristine coins.
CC Mint MarkCC: The mint mark of the Carson City Mint in Nevada, which operated in the late 1800s. CC coins, especially Morgan dollars, are popular and often command strong premiums.
Certificate of AuthenticityCOA: A document accompanying a coin or set that vouches for its authenticity and sometimes its specifications. A COA is paperwork and does not grade or independently certify the coin the way a third-party grading service does.
Certified Acceptance CorporationCAC: An independent company that reviews coins already graded by PCGS or NGC and adds a sticker to those it judges solid or premium for the grade. A CAC sticker often raises a coin's value because it signals a second expert agreed with the grade.
Cherrypicking: The practice of spotting a valuable variety or error that the seller overlooked and buying it at an ordinary price. Skilled cherrypickers profit from knowing varieties better than the dealer.
Choice: An informal quality term for an above-average coin within its grade, often used for MS-63 or MS-64 examples. It indicates a coin that is more attractive than typical for that grade.
Choice Brilliant UncirculatedCH BU: An uncirculated coin with bright luster and only light marks, a step above ordinary BU but below Gem. It describes an above-average coin that still has full original shine.
Circulated: A coin that has been used as money and shows wear from handling. Circulated grades range from Poor up through About Uncirculated.
Circulated (listing)CIRC: A listing shorthand for a coin that was used as money and shows wear from handling. Expect softened details, and these typically sell for less than uncirculated examples of the same coin.
Clad: A coin made of layers of metal bonded together, such as the copper-nickel layers over a copper core used in dimes, quarters, and halves since 1965. Clad coins contain no silver unless specifically labeled silver clad.
Cleaned: A coin whose surfaces have been scrubbed, polished, or chemically treated, usually leaving hairlines or an unnatural shine. Cleaning lowers value and often results in a details grade.
Clipped Planchet: An error where the blank was cut improperly, leaving a curved or straight piece missing from the coin. The result is a coin with a bite taken out of its edge.
Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of AmericaCONECA: A national club focused on coin errors and die varieties, offering attribution services and reference listings. Collectors use CONECA to identify and catalog error coins.
Commemorative: A coin issued to honor a person, place, or event, often sold to collectors rather than spent. The US has made commemoratives in both classic and modern eras.
Common Date: A coin date or mint mark that was made in large numbers and is easy to find. Common dates usually trade close to their metal or basic collector value.
Conder Token: A privately made British token from the late 1700s, named after collector James Conder, often traded among token collectors. These are historical exonumia pieces rather than official government coins.
Conditional Census: A ranked list of the highest graded known examples of a specific coin, typically the top few pieces. Registry collectors track the census to know where their coins stand.
Conditional Rarity: A coin that is common in worn grades but genuinely scarce in top condition. Such coins can be inexpensive when circulated yet very valuable when nearly perfect.
Conservation: Professional removal of harmful substances like PVC residue or grime from a coin without improperly altering its surfaces. Services such as NGC's conservation arm aim to preserve a coin without it being considered cleaned.
Contact Marks: Tiny marks left where a coin touched other coins or hard surfaces during handling. The number and location of contact marks help determine an uncirculated coin's grade.
Crossover: The process of submitting a coin already graded by one service to a different service while requesting an equal or better grade. Collectors do this to standardize a collection under one brand.
Cud: A raised blob of metal on a coin caused when a piece of the die breaks away at the rim, leaving a featureless lump. Larger cuds are more dramatic and more valuable.
Cull: A heavily worn, damaged, or otherwise low-quality coin sold cheaply, often for its metal content. Culls are bought by people who want silver or gold weight and do not care about collector condition.

D

Dansco: A popular brand of coin albums with slotted pages for organizing a collection by date. A coin listed as coming from a Dansco album was stored long-term in that type of collector book.
Deep CameoDCAM: A proof coin with an especially strong, deep frost-to-mirror contrast, the highest level of cameo effect. NGC uses the term Ultra Cameo for the same quality.
Deep Mirror Proof-LikeDMPL: A designation for business strike coins, especially Morgan dollars, whose fields are so reflective you can read print mirrored in them from a distance. DMPL coins command strong premiums over ordinary proof-like pieces.
Details Grade: A grade given when a coin has a problem such as cleaning, damage, or a repair that keeps it from receiving a straight numeric grade. The slab notes the approximate sharpness plus the problem, and these coins sell for less.
Device: Any individual raised design element on a coin, such as a portrait, eagle, shield, or wreath. The main figure is often called the central device.
Die: The hardened metal stamp engraved with a coin's design that presses the image into the blank. Two dies, one for each side, strike a coin at once.
Die Cap: An error where a struck coin stays stuck on a die and is hammered repeatedly, forming a metal cap shaped like a bottle cap. The trapped coin's design becomes distorted from repeated strikes.
Die Crack: A raised line on a coin caused by a crack in the metal die that struck it. It appears as a thin ridge running across the design or field.
Dipping: Briefly soaking a coin in a mild acid solution to remove toning or grime and brighten the surface. Light dipping is sometimes accepted, but overdipping leaves a coin dull and impaired.
Doily: A rare early PCGS holder with an ornate lace-like pattern printed on the label, named for its doily appearance. Collectors of holder history seek these because very few were made.
Double Eagle: A US twenty-dollar gold coin minted from 1850 to 1933. It is the largest regular-issue US gold denomination and is popular with collectors and investors.
Double Strike: An error where a coin is struck more than once and the second strike lands in a shifted position, leaving overlapping images. It differs from a doubled die because the doubling comes from the strike, not the die.
Doubled DieDDO or DDR: A coin struck by a die that received a doubled image during its making, causing visible doubling in the lettering or design. Famous examples like the 1955 doubled die cent can be very valuable.

E

Eagle: A US ten-dollar gold coin from the classic era, and also the name of modern bullion coins like the American Gold and Silver Eagle. The classic Eagle was a standard gold denomination.
Early ReleasesER: A grading-service label meaning the coin was received within the first weeks of its release. Like First Day of Issue, ER is a marketing designation that can add a premium without changing the grade.
Edge: The outer side surface of a coin, the part you see when looking at it sideways. It can be plain, reeded, lettered, or decorated.
Edge Lettering: Words or symbols stamped onto the edge of a coin rather than the faces, used on coins like Presidential dollars and some early US issues. Missing or doubled edge lettering can create collectible errors.
Eisenhower DollarIke: The large dollar coin struck from 1971 to 1978 featuring President Eisenhower, nicknamed the Ike. Most were clad, though some collector versions contain 40 percent silver.
Enhanced Uncirculated: A finish that uses laser frosting to highlight selected design elements, giving a coin extra contrast without being a proof. The Mint makes these for collector sets.
Environmental DamageED: Corrosion, pitting, or discoloration caused by exposure to moisture, chemicals, or soil. Coins with environmental damage usually receive a details grade rather than a straight grade.
Error Coin: A coin made incorrectly during production, such as one struck off-center or on the wrong blank. Many errors are collectible and can be worth more than normal coins.
Exergue: The lower portion of a coin's face, usually below the main design and often separated by a line. It frequently holds the date or a denomination.
Exonumia: Collectible items related to coins but not official money, such as tokens, medals, and elongated coins. A listing in the exonumia category is offering coin-like collectibles outside regular currency.
Extremely FineXF or EF: A grade for a coin with light, even wear but with most fine details still sharp, graded XF-40 or XF-45. The design remains crisp and attractive.
Eye Appeal: The overall visual attractiveness of a coin, combining luster, color, strike, and freedom from marks. Strong eye appeal can lift a coin's value above others of the same grade.

F

Face Value: The denomination stamped on a coin, such as ten cents on a dime. Collector and metal value are often much higher than face value.
Fatty: Collector slang for an early, thicker NGC grading holder from the company's first years. Some buyers seek Fatty holders because coins in them were graded during a period considered stricter.
Field: The flat, blank background area of a coin surrounding the raised design. On many coins the field is where contact marks and scratches show up most.
Filled Die: An error where grease or debris packed into the die's recesses, leaving parts of the design weak or missing on the coin. It is also called a greaser.
FineF: A grade for a noticeably worn coin where the design is still complete and the main features are visible. Lettering and rims remain readable.
Finest KnownFK: The highest graded example of a particular coin known to exist. Finest known status can drive intense competition and very high prices among advanced collectors.
First Day of IssueFDOI: A label designation meaning the coin was submitted as received on the first official day of its release. Grading services add this notation, and some buyers pay extra for the early-release status.
Flip: A small clear plastic sleeve, usually with two pockets, that folds over to hold a coin and an identifying insert. Sellers ship many raw coins in flips for basic protection.
Friction: Very light rub on a coin's high points, less than full wear, often seen on About Uncirculated coins. Distinguishing friction from a fully uncirculated surface can change a coin's grade significantly.
Full BandsFB: A designation for a Mercury or Roosevelt dime that shows complete separation in the horizontal bands on the reverse. It indicates a sharp, well-struck coin and adds value.
Full Bell LinesFBL: A designation for a Franklin half dollar that shows complete, unbroken lines across the bottom of the Liberty Bell. It marks an especially well-struck example.
Full HeadFH: A strike designation for Standing Liberty quarters where Liberty's head shows complete detail, including the hairline and ear. FH examples are scarcer and worth more than weakly struck pieces.
Full StepsFS: A designation for a Jefferson nickel showing fully defined steps on Monticello's staircase. Coins with clear steps are scarcer and command a premium.
Full TorchFT: A strike designation for Roosevelt dimes where the torch on the reverse shows full vertical and horizontal lines. FT coins are harder to find and carry a premium.

G

Gem: An informal term for a high-quality uncirculated or proof coin, generally MS-65 or PR-65 and above. It signals strong eye appeal with very few flaws.
Gem Brilliant UncirculatedGBU: A high-end uncirculated coin with strong eye appeal, full shine, and very few marks. The word Gem signals the seller considers it well above an average uncirculated coin.
General Services Administration HolderGSA: A hard plastic holder used when the government sold off hoards of Carson City and other Morgan dollars in the 1970s. GSA dollars, especially those still sealed, are collected as a distinct group.
Generic: A common-date coin valued mainly for its metal content or type rather than for any scarcity. Generic gold and silver coins trade close to bullion-related price levels.
Genuine: A label confirming a coin is authentic but withholding a full numeric grade, usually because of a surface problem. It assures buyers the coin is real while flagging an issue.
Gold CAC Sticker: A gold CAC bean means the coin is judged to be undergraded and likely deserves a higher grade than the one on the slab. Gold stickers are rare and can command large premiums.
GoodG: A grade for a very worn coin where the design is mostly flat but the rim and main outline are still visible. It represents heavy circulation.
Green CAC Sticker: A green CAC bean placed on a slab means the coin is solid or strong for its assigned grade. It is the most common CAC endorsement and reassures buyers the coin is not overgraded.
Grey SheetGreysheet: The common name for the Coin Dealer Newsletter, a long-running wholesale price guide printed on grey paper that reports dealer-to-dealer bid and ask prices. Also written Greysheet, dealers treat it as a benchmark for fair market value.

H

Hairlines: Very fine scratches on a coin's surface, often from wiping or light cleaning. Heavy hairlines lower a coin's grade and can lead to a details designation.
Half Eagle: A US five-dollar gold coin, one of the longest-running classic US gold denominations. It was minted from 1795 into the early twentieth century.
High Points: The raised areas of a coin's design that stand tallest and show wear first. Graders look closely at the high points to judge how much a coin has circulated.
Holder: Any protective case or flip used to store a coin, from cardboard two-by-twos to sealed grading slabs. Good holders shield coins from handling and the environment.

I

Indent: An error where a second blank lay partly on top of a coin during striking, leaving a smooth sunken area where detail should be. The blank blocks the design from forming in that spot.
Independent Coin GradersICG: A third-party grading service that authenticates and grades coins in sealed holders. It is generally considered a second-tier service behind PCGS and NGC.
Indian Head Cent: A US one-cent coin minted from 1859 to 1909 showing Liberty in a feathered headdress. It is an affordable and historic coin for beginning collectors.

K

Key Date: The hardest and most valuable date or mint mark to find within a coin series. Owning the key date is usually the biggest challenge in completing a set.

L

Lamination: A flaking or peeling flaw in a coin's surface caused by impurities or trapped gas in the metal. Laminations can range from thin cracks to pieces of metal that split away.
Legend: The main lettering or inscription on a coin, such as the country name or a motto. On US coins this includes phrases like LIBERTY and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
LighthouseL/H: A well-known German brand of coin albums, capsules, and storage supplies. Seeing it in a listing means the coin comes housed in Lighthouse-brand collector storage.
Lot: A group of coins sold together as a single purchase rather than one at a time. Read the listing carefully to learn exactly how many coins and which dates are included.
Lowball: A collecting style focused on coins in the lowest possible grade, such as the most worn examples that are still identifiable. A coin listed as a lowball candidate is being marketed for its extreme wear, not despite it.
Luster: The way light reflects off the original surface of an uncirculated coin, giving it a shine or glow. Strong, undisturbed luster is a key sign of an undamaged mint-state coin.

M

Machine DoublingMD: A flat, shelf-like doubling caused by the die shifting slightly as it strikes, not a true die variety. Machine doubling adds no premium, unlike a genuine doubled die, so collectors learn to tell them apart.
Market Acceptable: A coin that has been lightly cleaned or conserved in a way the hobby tolerates, so it can still receive a straight grade. The line between market acceptable and problem coins is a matter of judgment.
Matte Proof: A proof coin with a dull, grainy, non-reflective surface, used on certain early 1900s US issues. It looks very different from the mirror-finish proofs most collectors expect.
Melt Value: The value of the metal in a coin if it were melted down, based on its weight and current metal prices. It sets a baseline price for silver and gold coins.
Mercury Dime: A US ten-cent silver coin made from 1916 to 1945, named for the winged Liberty head that looks like the god Mercury. It is prized for its design and silver content.
Milk Spot: A whitish, milky blemish that appears on modern silver coins like Silver Eagles, often from residue in the minting process. Milk spots are hard to remove and lower a coin's desirability.
Mint Error: A coin with a mistake made during production at the Mint, such as an off-center strike or wrong planchet. Genuine mint errors can carry significant premiums, so verify the error is real and not post-mint damage.
Mint Mark: A small letter on a coin showing which US Mint facility struck it, such as D for Denver, S for San Francisco, or P for Philadelphia. Coins with no mint mark are usually from Philadelphia.
Mint Set: An official set of uncirculated business-strike coins for a given year, sold by the US Mint in original packaging. It differs from a proof set, which contains specially made proof coins.
Mint StateMS: A grade for a coin that was never used in circulation and shows no wear, ranging from MS-60 to MS-70. It is the standard designation for uncirculated business-strike coins.
Mintage: The total number of coins of a given date and mint mark that were produced. Low mintage often, though not always, means greater scarcity and value.
Misplaced DateMPD: An error where part or all of a date was punched into the wrong area of the die, leaving date digits in places like the denticles or design. MPD coins are collected as varieties.
Morgan Dollar: A large US silver dollar struck from 1878 to 1904 and again in 1921, designed by George T. Morgan. It is one of the most widely collected US coins.
Mule: An error coin struck from two dies that were never meant to be paired, such as one denomination's obverse with another's reverse. Mules are rare and highly prized.

N

Natural ToningNT: Color that forms on a coin slowly over time from contact with air, storage materials, or other natural causes. NT is accepted by graders and can add value when attractive.
Net Grade: A grade lowered from what wear alone would suggest because of a problem like a scratch or cleaning. ANACS in particular uses net grading to reflect both detail and damage in one number.
NGC Coin Explorer: NGC's free online reference covering US and world coins with descriptions, specifications, and price guides. It serves as NGC's counterpart to PCGS CoinFacts.
No Grade: A coin a grading service declined to assign a numeric grade, typically due to a problem or authenticity concern. It is the formal outcome behind the slang term body bag.
No ReserveNR: An auction with no hidden minimum price, so the coin sells to the highest bidder no matter how low the final bid is. No Reserve listings can be a chance to win a coin cheaply.
Not Intended For CirculationNIFC: A coin the Mint made for collectors rather than for spending, so it was never released into general use. These are often sold in sets and exist only in collector channels.
Numismatic Guaranty CompanyNGC: One of the two leading third-party coin grading companies in the US, alongside PCGS. It verifies authenticity and assigns a grade in a sealed holder.
Numismatic Value: The collector value of a coin beyond its metal content, driven by rarity, condition, and demand. A coin can be worth far more for its numismatics than for its metal.
Numismatics: The study and collecting of coins, paper money, tokens, and related items. A person who does this is called a numismatist.

O

O Mint MarkO: The mint mark of the New Orleans Mint, used on coins struck there in the 1800s and early 1900s. It helps identify the origin and rarity of older silver and gold coins.
Obverse: The front or 'heads' side of a coin, usually showing a portrait, date, or main design. It is the side most people think of as the face of the coin.
Off-Center Strike: An error where the coin was struck while not properly lined up, leaving part of the design missing and a blank crescent. The further off center, the more dramatic and collectible it usually is.
Old Green HolderOGH: An older style of PCGS slab with a green label insert from the 1990s. Many collectors pay a premium for OGH coins, believing they were graded more strictly than today and may be undergraded.
Or Best OfferOBO: The seller lists a price but will consider lower offers you submit. When you see OBO you can negotiate rather than pay the full asking amount.
Original: A coin with undisturbed, natural surfaces that has not been cleaned, dipped, or doctored. Many collectors prefer original coins even with some toning over coins that have been altered to look brighter.
Original Government PackagingOGP: The coin or set comes in the original box, capsule, or holder the US Mint shipped it in, often with the paperwork. Buyers value OGP because it confirms the item has not been swapped out and includes everything that came from the Mint.
Original Skin: Slang for a coin's untouched, never-cleaned surfaces showing its natural aging. Collectors prize original skin because it cannot be restored once a coin has been cleaned or dipped.
Over Mint MarkOMM: A coin struck from a die where one mint mark was punched over a different mint mark, such as an S over a D. OMM varieties are scarce and collected like overdates.
Overdate: A coin where one date was punched over a different date in the die, leaving traces of both numbers. An example is a 1918 over 1917 nickel.

P

Pattern: An experimental or proposed coin design that was struck for evaluation but not adopted for regular production. Patterns are rare and highly prized by collectors.
PCGS CoinFacts: An online PCGS database with photos, mintages, values, and population data for US coins. Collectors use it to research a coin's history and rarity.
Peace Dollar: A US silver dollar minted from 1921 to 1935 to commemorate peace after World War I. It followed the Morgan dollar and is a favorite among silver collectors.
Pedigree: A coin's link to a famous past collection or noted owner. A respected pedigree can raise a coin's desirability and price.
Planchet: The blank metal disc that becomes a coin once it is struck with a design. Problems with the planchet can create collectible errors.
Plus Grade+: A plus sign added after a numeric grade (such as MS65+) meaning the coin sits at the high end of that grade, just short of the next number up. Both PCGS and NGC use it to recognize quality within a grade.
PoorP: The lowest grade on the scale, for a coin so worn that it can barely be identified by type. Often only enough remains to tell what the coin is.
PopulationPOP: The number of coins a grading service has certified at a given grade, as listed in its population report. A low pop at a high grade can make a coin much more desirable.
Population ReportPop Report: A grading service's published count of how many coins it has certified of each date and grade. Collectors use pop reports to judge rarity, though the numbers include resubmissions and crossovers.
Premium: The amount a coin sells for above its face value or melt value. It reflects collector demand, rarity, or dealer markup.
Premium QualityPQ: An informal seller's term for a coin that looks better than typical examples of its grade. It carries no official certification and should be judged on the coin itself.
Problem Coin: A coin with an issue such as cleaning, damage, corrosion, or a repair that keeps it from grading straight. Problem coins sell at a discount and often end up in details holders.
Problem-Free: A seller's claim that a raw coin has no cleaning, damage, scratches, or other issues that would keep it from a straight grade. Treat it as the seller's opinion and inspect the photos closely.
Professional Coin Grading ServicePCGS: One of the two most respected third-party coin grading companies in the US. It authenticates, grades, and seals coins in protective holders.
Professional Numismatists GuildPNG: An organization of leading coin dealers who agree to a code of ethics and dispute resolution. Buying from a PNG member offers added buyer protection.
ProofPR or PF: A coin made using a special high-quality minting process for collectors, often with mirror-like surfaces. Proof grades run from PR-60 to PR-70 and describe how it was made rather than its level of wear.
Proof Set: A packaged set of proof coins of each denomination for a given year, sold by the US Mint to collectors. The coins come in special holders with mirror-like surfaces.
Proof-LikePL: A regular business-strike coin with unusually reflective, mirror-like fields that resemble a proof. NGC and others add a PL designation for qualifying coins, especially Morgan dollars.
Provenance: The documented ownership history of a coin. A clear provenance can add value and confidence, especially for rare pieces.
PVC DamagePVC: A green, sticky film that forms on coins stored in soft plastic flips made with polyvinyl chloride. The residue is corrosive and must be removed carefully to prevent permanent harm.

Q

Quarter Eagle: A US two-and-a-half-dollar gold coin from the classic era. Its small size makes it an affordable entry point into classic US gold.

R

Rainbow Toning: Bands of multiple colors that form naturally on silver coins over time, prized when bright and well arranged. Buyers should beware of artificial versions made to imitate the look.
Rattler: An old first-generation PCGS holder, nicknamed because the coin can rattle inside the loose-fitting slab. Coins in Rattlers are prized since they were graded in PCGS's early, conservative era.
Raw: A coin that has not been graded or encased by a third-party service. Raw coins are sold loose or in basic holders and rely on the buyer's own judgment.
RedRD: A color designation for copper coins meaning at least roughly 95 percent of the original mint red color remains. RD copper usually brings the highest prices among the three copper color codes.
Red Book: The common name for A Guide Book of United States Coins, an annual retail price and reference guide known for its red cover. Beginners use the Red Book for mintages, history, and rough collector values.
Red-BrownRB: A color designation for copper coins that have lost some original red and show a mix of red and brown surfaces. RB coins sit between full Red and full Brown in value.
Reeded Edge: An edge with many small vertical grooves or ridges around the coin. It was originally added to silver and gold coins to discourage people from shaving off metal.
Registry: A reference to the online Registry Sets run by grading services where collectors compete to build the highest-quality matched collections. A coin marketed as a Registry coin is being pitched as top-tier for that competition.
Registry Set: An online competitive listing where collectors register their graded coins and compare set quality and completeness with others. PCGS and NGC each host their own registry programs.
Relief: The part of a coin's design that is raised above the field. High relief means the design stands up more sharply from the surface.
Repunched DateRPD: A variety where the date was punched into the die more than once in slightly different spots, leaving doubled or shifted digits. RPD coins are collected much like repunched mint marks.
Repunched Mint MarkRPM: A variety where the mint mark was punched into the die more than once and slightly off, showing as doubling or a shadow. These are popular among collectors who hunt varieties.
Restrike: A coin struck from original or copied dies at a later date than the original issue. Restrikes are made after the coin's official year of production.
Reverse: The back or 'tails' side of a coin, often showing an emblem, animal, or denomination. It is the opposite side from the obverse.
Reverse Proof: A proof coin with frosted fields and mirrored devices, the opposite of a standard proof's mirrored fields and frosted devices. The Mint uses it on special collector releases.
Rim: The raised edge that runs around the outer border on both faces of a coin. It is designed to protect the design from wear and to help coins stack.
Rotated Die: An error where the obverse and reverse are misaligned in their rotation, so the reverse is turned away from its normal position when you flip the coin top to bottom. Larger rotations are more collectible.

S

Sacagawea Dollar: The golden-colored dollar coin introduced in 2000 featuring Sacagawea and her infant son. Despite the color it contains no gold and is made of a manganese brass clad composition.
Satin Finish: A smooth, low-sheen surface used on certain US Mint set coins in the mid 2000s. It looks softer than a normal business strike and is collected separately.
Semi-Key: A date or mint mark that is scarcer and pricier than common issues in a series but not as tough as the key date. These coins often carry a moderate premium.
Sheldon Scale: The 1 to 70 numbering system used to grade coin condition, where 1 is barely identifiable and 70 is flawless. Nearly all US coin grades are expressed as a number on this scale.
Silver Clad: A layered composition with silver-bearing outer layers, used on some half dollars and dollars in the 1960s and 1970s. These coins contain less silver than older 90 percent coins but still carry bullion value.
Slab: The sealed, tamper-evident plastic holder a grading service uses to encase and label a graded coin. It protects the coin and displays its grade and certification number.
Slider: An About Uncirculated coin with only a trace of wear that is sometimes sold or passed off as Mint State. Buyers pay close attention because the price gap between AU and MS can be large.
Sovereign Entities Grading ServiceSEGS: A third-party coin grading and authentication company. Like ICG it is regarded as a lower-tier grader compared with PCGS and NGC.
Special Mint SetSMS: Sets the US Mint sold from 1965 to 1967 in place of proof and mint sets, struck with a finish sharper than business strikes but not full proof. SMS coins are collected as their own category.
SpecimenSP: A grading label for coins struck with special care that fall between a normal business strike and a full proof. Specimen striking is often used for presentation pieces and certain modern issues.
Spot: The current live market price for an ounce of a precious metal like gold or silver. Bullion coins are priced as a small premium over spot.
Star DesignationStar: An NGC designation, shown as a star after the grade, awarded for exceptional eye appeal such as outstanding luster or attractive toning. It signals a coin stands out among others of the same grade.
Strike: The act of stamping a design onto a blank coin, and how completely that design transferred. A strong strike shows sharp, full detail while a weak strike looks soft or incomplete.
Struck Through: An error where debris such as grease, cloth, or a wire sat between the die and blank during striking, leaving an impression or missing detail. The shape of the missing area often reveals what caused it.
Susan B. Anthony DollarSBA: A small-size dollar coin made from 1979 to 1981 and again in 1999, often confused with the quarter due to its size. It was the first circulating US coin to honor a real woman.

T

Third-Party GradingTPG: The practice of having an independent company authenticate and grade a coin rather than relying on the buyer or seller. It adds trust and consistency to coin transactions.
Token: A coin-like piece issued by a business, transit system, or organization rather than the government, usable only for a specific purpose. Tokens are collected but are not legal tender.
Toned: A coin that has developed surface color over time from natural chemical reactions, ranging from light gold to deep blues and purples. Attractive toning can raise value, while dull or blotchy toning may lower it.
Toner: A coin that has attractive surface color from toning, offered as a selling point. Listings use Toner to highlight colorful coins that some buyers actively seek.
Toning: The natural color change that develops on a coin's surface over time from contact with air and storage materials. Attractive, even toning can add value while spotty or dark toning can lower it.
Type 1, 2, and 3: Labels for the major design or hub versions within a coin series when the design changed during production. Identifying the type matters because some are scarcer or more sought after, which affects pricing and completing a set.
Type Coin: A single representative example of a particular coin design or series, collected to show the type rather than every date. Type collecting lets people own one of each design without chasing rare dates.
Type Set: A collection that includes one example of each design type in a series rather than every date and mint mark. Listings may offer coins chosen to fill a type set or sell a complete type set at once.

U

Ultra CameoUCAM: An NGC designation for proof coins with strong frosted devices contrasting sharply against deeply mirrored fields. It is NGC's equivalent of the PCGS Deep Cameo designation.
Uncirculated: A coin that was never spent and shows no wear, the same as Mint State. It may still have minor marks from the minting and storage process.
Uncirculated (listing)UNC: A listing shorthand for a coin that never went into everyday spending and shows no wear. It signals fresh, like-new condition, though the coin may still have minor bag marks from the minting process.

V

Van Allen-MallisVAM: A numbering system that catalogs die varieties of Morgan and Peace silver dollars, named for researchers Van Allen and Mallis. Collectors use VAM numbers to identify specific varieties like doubled dates and clashed dies that can be worth far more than common pieces.
Variety: A coin with a small but consistent difference from the standard design caused by the die, like a doubled date or extra mint mark. Varieties were repeated on many coins, unlike one-time errors.
Very FineVF: A grade for a moderately worn coin where the major details are clear but finer features are softened. It is a common grade for circulated collector coins.
Very GoodVG: A grade for a heavily worn coin with the design well outlined but most fine detail gone. The overall image is still clear enough to identify.

W

W Mint MarkW: The mint mark of the West Point Mint in New York, found on many bullion, commemorative, and special collector coins. A W can mark a coin as a scarcer collector version.
Walking Liberty Half Dollar: A US fifty-cent silver coin minted from 1916 to 1947, showing Liberty striding toward the sunrise. Its design was later reused on the American Silver Eagle bullion coin.
War Nickel: A Jefferson nickel made from 1942 to 1945 that contains 35 percent silver, unlike normal nickels which have none. Sellers list these for their silver content, and they carry a large mint mark above Monticello.
Wheat Penny: A nickname for the Lincoln cent made from 1909 to 1958, named for the two wheat stalks on the reverse. These pennies are commonly found and collected by beginners.
Wheel Mark: A line or band of damage left when a coin passed through a coin counting or wrapping machine. Wheel marks are a form of post-mint damage that lowers grade.
Whitman: A widely used brand of coin folders and albums, including the classic blue cardboard folders many collectors start with. A Whitman folder reference tells you how the coins were housed.
Whizzed: A coin treated with a wire brush or rotary tool to fake mint luster, leaving a telltale grainy texture and tiny parallel lines. Whizzing is considered damage and the coin will not grade straight.
Widget: Dealer slang for a common, easily traded coin that sells quickly at a predictable price. Widgets are bought and sold more for liquidity than for rarity.
With Certificate of Authenticityw/COA: The item includes a certificate, usually from the Mint or a private mint, stating the coin is genuine. The COA adds confidence and is most meaningful for modern commemoratives and bullion products.
Wrong Planchet: An error where a coin is struck on a blank meant for a different denomination or country, such as a cent struck on a dime blank. These off-metal errors can be very valuable.

Y

Young NumismatistYN: A young coin collector, typically under 18, recognized by clubs that offer them special programs and discounts. Some sellers note YN-friendly pricing to appeal to younger or beginning collectors.

#

2x2: A two-inch by two-inch cardboard holder with a clear window that staples or self-seals around a single coin. These inexpensive holders are common for shipping and storing raw coins.
40 Percent Silver40%: Kennedy half dollars from 1965 to 1970 that contain 40 percent silver, less than the older 90 percent coins. Sellers list these separately because their silver content and value differ.
90 Percent Silver90%: US dimes, quarters, and half dollars made in 1964 and earlier that contain 90 percent silver. Listings use 90% to describe classic circulated silver coins sold by weight or face value.