Numismatic Dictionary

A token issued by haciendas to pay their workers in the 19th century. They were used during times when there were coin shortages and circulated as authorized issues within the hacienda’s community.

Thin, shallow scratches on the surface of a coin usually caused by improper cleaning or mishandling.

A United States copper coin struck from 1793 through 1857 whose face value was one-half of one cent. See also bit.

An obsolete British coin equivalent to two shillings and sixpence (2½ shillings), or one-eighth of a pound. Great Britain stopped issuing the half crown in 1967 and demonetized in 1970 ahead of decimalization.

A silver coin with a five-cents face value minted in the United States from 1794-1873.

A silver coin with a five-cents face value minted in the United States in 1792. See also half dime.

Official name for a United States gold $5 coin.

A British coin struck pre-decimalization worth one-half of a penny.

The upper die that is non-stationary, usually the obverse of the coin or medal being struck.

Coins that were manufactured by hammering the dies to impress the image into the coin blanks. This practice ended following the invention of the coin mill.

Large cent-sized copper tokens struck from 1834 through 1841 that served as an unofficial currency during a coin shortage. Hard Times Tokens looked similar to the Large Cent but had advertizing, political, or satirical messages in their design.

French for high relief.

A series of currency issued by the United States with "HAWAII" overprinted on the reverse and brown-colored seal on the front. Issued after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the currency ($1 silver certificate and $5, $10, and $20 Federal Reserve Notes) it would allow the government to quickly demonetize the notes in the event that the Japanese captured Hawaii. See also North Africa Notes.

An eagle used as part of a coat of arms. For U.S. coins, the Heraldic Eagle owes its heraldry to Liberty. Heraldic Eagle is used on the Great Seal of the United States.

The designing of a die so as to create a deep, concave field upon the surface of a coin, for maximum contrast with the devices or raised parts of the coin.

A large or significant disorganized group of coins held for either numismatic or monetary reasons.

An individual who amasses a large quantity of numismatic items.

United States law (Pub. L. 93-167, 87 Stat. 686,15 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.) that requires a copy or replica of any numismatic item sold in the U.S. to be marked with the word COPY in capital letters and in English on the surface of the item. See also copy.

An Indian Head (Buffalo) nickel that has been engraved with the portrait of a hobo or other character often by a hobo. There are modern Hobo Nickels made by very talented artists that are also collectible.

Any toning acquired by a coin as a result of storage in a holder.

A coin that has a hole punched or drilled through it, often so that it may be used for jewelry.

An image that appears to be three-dimensional when examined under light. Holograms are used as a security device on currency and credit cards. Some mints print hologram designs on non-circulating legal tender coins.

Nickname for the large-size currency notes that were issued prior to 1929. Large-size currency measures 7 3/8-inches long by 3 1/8-inches wide. Modern, small-size currency measures 6 1/8-inches long by ​2 5/8-inches wide.

A piece of die steel showing the coinage devices in relief, or raised, as they are on a coin. The hub is pressed into the blank die, resulting in an incused, mirror image on the die. The die is then pressed into a planchet, or coin blank, on a coining press, to produce a coin. See also error.

Refers to the doubling of the elements on a coin that was caused by the hub being pressed more than once into a die in different angles. See also error.