Numismatic Dictionary

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There are currently 51 names in this directory beginning with the letter D.
Dahlonega
A city in Lumpkin County, Georgia that housed a branch of the United States Mint. The Dahlonega Mint was established in 1835 and opened in 1838 to assay and minting gold coins from the Georgia Gold Rush. The mint was closed in 1861 at the outbreak of the Civil War. Coins struck in Dahlonega have a "D" mintmark.

date
The numerals on a coin representing the year in which it was struck.

date set
A collection of numismatic items from a specific year or date.

DDO
Double-die obverse when the elements on the front of the coin appear to be doubled. See also double die or error.

DDR
Double-die reverse when the elements on the back of the coin appear to be doubled. See also double die or error.

dealer
A person whose occupation is buying, selling, and trading numismatic items.

decimalization
The process of converting a currency and coinage system from a non-decimal denomination to a decimal (base 10) system.

deep cameo
A term applied to proof coins that have deeply frosted devices that contrast with the mirrored fields. See also proof.

deep mirror prooflike
Businesses strike coin that has mirror-like fields.

delamination
A form of planchet flaw caused by imperfections in the metal whereby a thin strip of the metal separates itself from the coin.

Demand Notes
The first paper currency printed by the United States government as loans to the government during the Civil War to be paid on demand following a maturity date.

demonetized
Coins or currency that the issuing government declares that they are no longer legal tender. See also legal tender.

Denarius
A small Roman silver coin first minted about 268 B.C.E. during the Second Punic War.

denomination
The value assigned by a government to a coin.

denticles
A small tooth-like projection that usually appears around the rim of a coin. Denticles do not appear on United States coins.

dentils
Synonym for denticles.

Denver
That state capital of Colorado that houses a branch of the United States Mint. It was established in 1863 as an assay office but was converted to a branch mint striking its first coins in 1906. Coins struck in Denver have a "D" mintmark.

Department of the Treasury
United States cabinet department that manages the U.S. Mint and Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

desiccant
A substance used to capture moisture from the air.

designer
The artist responsible for creating a particular design used on a numismatic item. See also engraver.

device
The design element of a coin.

device punch
A steel rod with a raised device on the end used to punch the element into a working die. This technique was used before hubbed dies.

die
A cylindrical piece of metal containing an incuse image of a coin design that imparts a raised image when stamped into a planchet on a coining press.

die alignment
Term to indicate the relative position of the obverse and reverse dies.

die break
A raised area of a coin that was struck into a coin that is the result of a broken die.

die clash
This occurs when the dies collied with each other when a planchet fails to be fed into the coining press. The force of the strike can make impressions of the oposite designs on the dies. The subsequent coins will include those images know as clash marks. See also clash marks.

die cracks
Raised lines that appear on a coin as a result of that coin having been struck by a cracked die.

die line
Raised lines, which appear on a coin as a result of polish lines on the die. See also polished die.

die rust
Pitting or roughness appearing on a coin as a result of that coin having been struck by a rusted die.

die state
The status of a die relative to wear, breaks, and condition

die striations
Raised lines on coins that were struck with polished dies.

die trial
Coins created by dies that were used to test the design during various stages of productions.

die variety
Term describing the pairing of an obverse die and reverse die that can be identified by distinctive differences unique to each die that were present when the dies were produced.

die wear
The loss of detail on a coin due to wear on the die used to strike it.

dime
A United States coin worth 10-cents or one-tenth of a dollar

dinar
An Islamic gold coin first issued in the latter half of the seventh century. In modern times, the main currency unit in nine mostly-Islamic countries.

dinero
The Spanish word for money. It was derived from the Arabic word dinar.

ding
Term describing for a small to medium-sized mark on a coin

dipped
A coin which has been cleaned in a soap or chemical solution that results in the dulling of the coin’s natural luster or unnatural appearance.

disme
The original spelling of dime based on the French work for one-tenth. Please note that the "s" is silent and pronounced as if it was spelled without its presence.

DMPL
Abbreviation for Deep Mirror Prooflike.

doctored
A term used to describe a coin that has been altered to enhance its appearance.

dollar
The unit currency of the United States as authorized by the Mint Act of 1792.

double die
See also doubled die.

Double Eagle
The official name for the U.S. gold $20 coin struck for circulation from 1849 through 1932.

double-struck
A condition that results when a coin is not ejected from a die and is struck a second time.

doubled die
A die that has been struck more than one time by a hub in misaligned positions, resulting in doubling of design elements. See also error.

doubloon
Nickname for a Spanish gold coin. The term meaning "double" was used to describe the 16 Escudos gold coin (or two Spanish Milled Dollars in modern terms).

Draped Bust
The design of Lady Liberty with her dress draped across her bust. This is attributed to Mint engraver Robert Scot, who presumably copied the design after a portrait by Gilbert Stuart.

ducat
A gold or silver coin used as a trade coin in Europe from the later medieval centuries until the mid-20th century.

dull
Term for a coin or medal that lacks luster by natural or artificial conditions.

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