As in any industry, numismatists, jewelers and collectors devised specific terminology to describe the attributes of an item. Some of the terms are standardized, while others are slang and can change over time. Our Glossary is a current list of standard and colloquial terms. This list is not all inclusive. If you run across a term, you don't see here,  let us know so we can add it.

A - B

C - F

G - L

M - P

Q - T

U - Z

- A / B -

• Ae - See Bronze
  

• Ag - See Silver
  

• Al - See Aluminum
  

• Alignment
  

Coin -      The traditional strike is such, the obverse and reverse are aligned at a rotation of 180 degrees from each

       other. In some instances, usually through error a coin or medal series is struck in both coin and medal

       alignment.

Medal  -  The traditional strike is the obverse and reverse are aligned at a rotation of zero or 360 degrees from each

       other. In some instances, usually through error a coin or medal series is struck in both coin and medal

       alignment.

Paper  -  Pertaining to printing and usually described as a percentage of off-center, either vertical or horizontal.

• Aluminum -  Pure aluminum is a silvery-white metal, lightweight to volume and non-magnetic.
  

• Au - See Gold
  

• Avoirdupois Weight - US standard for weighing--sixteen ounces equal one pound. AKA, bathroom scale pound or postal ounce.
  

• Billon - An alloy used for producing coins or medals, containing a very small amount of precious metal and a base metal. Prevalent, but not exclusive to ancient and medieval coinage.
  

• Brass - A hard yellow alloy composed of copper and zinc.
  

• Bronze -  An alloy of copper and tin.
  

- C / D -

• CN - Copper-nickel amalgam used to produce coins or medals.
  

• Cape - A degree of color, not colorless. See Diamond Color Grading.
  

• Chop or Chop Mark - Slang synonymous with counter mark or counter stamp.
  

• Coin - An object officially designate by national authority as legal tender. Usually made of metal alloys, but not exclusively.
  

• Counter Mark - A mark or device, struck randomly by hand with a punch, to a host coin. Usually to validate or hallmark a coin's authenticity. Thus, allowing it to circulate for commerce in a foreign country; not to be confused with a counter stamp.
  

• Counter Stamp - A mark or device struck, with a set of dies, on a host coin to indicate a change in valuation of the host coin.
  

• Cu - Copper
  

• Cull - Very low grade. See Coin Grading - Poor
  

• DAV (or DV) -  plus an alphanumeric moniker is a reference number, annotating coin type and variety of a specific country, It is an older reference system derived from the out of print  Davenport Standard Catalog of World Coins.
  

• Demonetized - Money no longer accepted as legal tender. Officially withdrawn from circulation and no longer redeemable. Synonymous with Obsolete.
  

• Dentinal - A symmetrical teeth-like design.
  

• Devices - The specific designs and images found on an item, not including letters and numerals; unless they are incorporated into the design, i.e. the word LIBERTY on the headband of a crown or shield.
  

• Dipped - slang for harsh or improperly cleaning a coin or medal in a chemical substance.
  

• DWT - Abbreviation for penneyweight
  

- E / F -

• Emergency Issues - Officially sanctioned under emergency conditions, private or local business' issue legal tender. i.e. political or financial destabilization, war, etc.
  

• Fantasy Piece - Private issues manufactured for sale as a novelty item, which have no value as legal tender or trade value.
  

• Field - The flat smooth area behind the design & devices on a coin or medal.
  

• Filler - Very low grade. See Coin or Paper Grading - Poor
  

• Fine, or Fineness - Usually illustrated as a fraction (000/0000) or decimal number (.000), states the purity of precious metal.
  

• Flat Struck - a term used to describe a striking anomaly whereby the die does not complete fill with metal. Thus, the devices are not sharp and full, but flat and grainy.
  

• FL - Flawless. See Diamond Clarity Grading.
  

• Flawless - A diamond clarity grade said to be completely without any natural imperfections as observed by an expert  using 15x magnification.
  

• Foreign Exchange or FX - A conversion of one country's current circulating legal tender into another country's current circulating legal tender. i.e. Pesos to Dollars
  

• Foxing - A soft, rough edge to paper that may include, but not limited to, discoloration, tiny nicks or tears in paper. Usually due to excessive handling and age.
  

• Fractional Currency - Official currency issued in fractional denominations of the single monetary unit. Usually due to a shortage of metal, thus restricting the striking of coins.
  

- G / H -

• Gold - Soft yellow metal used for coins, medals, jewelry and industry. Usually alloyed with other metals to create color and hardness applicable to its purpose.
  

• Guilloche - The geometric design printed as a security device.
  

• Hell Money - Fantasy notes used in ceremonial burial rites by the Chinese.
  

• High Relief - A design technique during the die making process where either the field of the coin or medal is not flat but carved deeply or, the devises are built up showing extra detail. The result is a coin or medal with a greater depth of field than regular issues.
  

• Holes
  

Coins  -      Usually associated with drilling for jewelry purposes. Not to be confused with Pits or Pitting

Medals  -  Usually associated with drilling for jewelry purposes. Not to be confused with Pits or Pitting

Paper

Pin or Staple - Tiny symmetrical holes found in paper money, script, and documents cause by staples or pins.

Worm - Asymmetrical holes of varying size found in paper. Caused by larvae eating the paper, the result of

improper storage

- I / J -

• IF - Internally Flawless. See Diamond Clarity Grading.
  

• Internally Flawless - A diamond grade said to be without natural imperfections internally, but may have surface very minor surface imperfection; as observed by an expert  using 15x magnification.
  

• Incuse - A striking process whereby the devices and/or characters are incised into the metal, rendering a design that is below the surface of the planchet.
  

• Intaglio - A printing method of three-dimensional character from engraved plates or dies.
  

- K / L -

• Karat, Kt, or K - A nomenclature used in conjunction with jewelry to describe the ratio of pure gold to alloy. Karat correlates to fineness; i.e. 14 K = 58.33% pure gold by weight.
  

• KM -  plus an alphanumeric moniker is a reference number, annotating coin type and variety of a specific country, derived from Krause Standard Catalog of World Coins.
  

• LC - Flawless. See Diamond Clarity Grading SCAN D.N..
  

• Lead (Pb) - A soft grayish-white metal with a specific gravity close to gold. Contemporary counterfeits or replicas of gold coins or medals are often struck in lead and plated.
  

• Lithograph - Also known as Offset printing. A method of surface printing with a thin flat layer of ink.
  

• Luster - During the striking process, intense pressure and heat cause delicate, micro-fine flow lines to form on the flat surfaces of a planchet. When light reflects off these flow lines, it produces sheen on the surface and underneath the devises.
  

- M / N -

• Medals - Private or government issues usually made of metal, to honor, commemorate, or award an achievement or event.
  

• Military Payment Certificate - Official notes issued to military personnel stationed overseas for use in local commerce.
  

• MPC - See Military Payment Certificate
  

• Nickel (Ni) - (a) hard white base metal. Nickel alloy used to give a final product a measure of hardness. (b) a US nomenclature for a five cent coin, because it was made of nickel.
  

- O / P -

• Obsolete - No longer valid as legal tender. See Demonetized
  

• Obverse - Front or ‘heads’ of a coin or medal.
  

• Occupation Money - Money issued by a post battle occupying country and used in the occupied country to replace the local legal tender.
  

• Outmoded - Legal tender officially withdrawn from circulation and no longer accepted in trade. However, for a finite time period, it is  redeemable at the central banks. At the end of this period, it is demonetized.
  

• Overprint - An ancillary printing to the original previously printed notes, which annotate a change; including, but not limited to, cancellation or revaluation.
  

• P -  plus an alphanumeric moniker is a reference number, annotating paper money type and variety of a specific country, derived from The Standard Catalog of World Paper Money, by Albert Pick.
  

• Pb - See Lead
  

• Pennyweight - a fractional unit of measure for a Troy ounce--twenty pennyweights (dwt) equal one troy ounce.
  

• Pique - Imperfect and/or included. Diamond Clarity Grading.
  

• Pitting or Pits -  tiny asymmetrical indentations, usually caused by corrosion, which has subsequently been removed. through a cleaning process.Planchet -A blank, flat metal disk ready to be stamped as a coin or medal.
  

• Platinum (Pt) - a very hard, white conductive metal used in jewelry, coin, and industrial applications.
  

• POW Notes - Prisoner Of War. Money issued for exclusive use in a POW camp.
  

• Prison Tokens - Money used by prisoners within a penal system. Usually made of Bakelite or plastic.
  

• Proof
  

Coins -      A special striking process for collector coins or presentation pieces. Both die and planchet undergo special

        polish and strike techniques to create mirror-like surfaces.

Medals -  A special striking process for collector coins or presentation pieces. Both die and planchet undergo special

        polish and strike techniques to create mirror-like surfaces.

Paper -   The final full or partial printing of a note or document before authorizing a general issuance.

• Propaganda Notes - Usually a facsimile (copy) of a note, issued during wartime. with a propaganda message printed on one side.
  

• PS -  plus an alphanumeric moniker is a reference number, annotating paper money type and variety of a specific country, derived from The Standard Catalog of World Paper Money Specialized Issues, by Albert Pick.
  

• Pt - See Platinum
  

- Q / R -

• Remainder Notes - Leftover original notes which were not put into circulation. Usually without signatures, numbers, or date.
  

• Replacement Notes - A special printing run to replace damaged notes. Usually annotated by a special device, i.e. a star, letter, or special character.
  

• Reprint - A note printed from original plates, usually many years later for commemorative purposes.
  

• Restrike - A coin struck from original dies, usually many years later for commemorative purposes.
  

• Reverse - Back or ‘tails’ of a coin or medal.
  

- S / T -

• Short Snorter -Slang for banknotes signed by soldiers usually during WWII, and used for local trade credit at the bar or pub.
  

• Siege Notes - Localized emergency money issued during a siege of a city.
  

• Silver -  Pure silver has a brilliant white metallic luster. It is a little harder than gold and is very ductile and malleable.
  

• Slab -  Slang for a numismatic item which has been graded by an independent grading service and hermetically sealed in an inert plastic holder.
  

• Sn - See Tin
  

• Specimens - Samples of original banknotes distributed between banks to familiarize the staff with new designs or issues. Usually with over prints, cancellation or special numbers. Sometimes issued for collector purposes.
  

• Split Grade - Slang, a term not used much anymore. The designation is used to describe an uncertified  coin or medal. 1.) Usually, the item is better than the lower grade; but does not quite meet the standard of the higher grade. or, 2.) one side of a coin is not the same grade as the other side. This will occur when there is a heavy design on one side and not on the other. i.e. a high relief.
  

• Stamp Currency - Revenue or postage stamps used as emergency money.
  

• Star Notes - See Replacement Notes.
  

• Steel - A hard white to gray alloy composed of iron, carbon, and trace amounts other metal elements.
  

• Tin (Sn) - Soft grayish-white base metal. Usually seen in collectibles other than numismatics.
  

• Tone or Toning - The discoloration formed on any metal as it oxidizes. It can occur naturally, which generally is not harmful; or can be created artificially. Artificial toning can be harmful and devalue a piece. Tone (natural) is a controversial issue amongst collectors; mostly whether to clean or not clean an item.
  

• Troy Weight - Worldwide standard for weighing precious metals.
  

- U / V -

• Validation - Official endorsement in the form of perforation, hand stamp, adhesive stamp, tax stamp, etc.
  

- W / X  -

• Watermark - A hidden design in paper that is visible only when the paper is held to the light. Used as a security device in currency and official documents.
  

• Whiz, Whizzed - Slang for a  technique designed to alter the surface of a coin or medal, in an effort to mask the true condition. The tool used is a high-speed wire brush.
  

- Y / Z -

• Zinc (Zn) - Grayish white, brittle metal.
  

• Zn - See Zinc
  

Glossary