Glossary of Numismatic Terms

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accolated, conjoined, jugate: Design with two heads facing the same direction and overlapping.

accumulation: Coins, tokens, etc., unsorted, unclassified, and unattributed; not a collection.

adjustment: Filing down the face of an overweight planchet. Such filing marks often survive the coining process. This is common on 18th century coins.

aes grave: Cast bronze issue of the Roman republic; literally "heavy bronze."

aes rude: Large cast rectangular bronze coin, one of the earliest Roman coins.

alloy: Mixture of more than one metal.

altered: A coin or other numismatic item that has been deliberately changed, usually to make it resemble a rare or more valuable piece.

American Arts Gold Medallions: A series of 1ounce and half-ounce gold bullion medals issued by the U.S. Mint from 1980-84. Medals depict great American artists, writers and actors. See also medallion.

American Eagle: Bullion coins released by the U.S. Mint beginning in October 1986. Nine coins are available: a 1-ounce, .999 fine silver coin with $1 face value; a 1-ounce, .9167 fine gold coin with $50 face value; a half-ounce, .9167 fine gold coin with $25 face value; a quarter-ounce, .9167 fine gold coin with $10 face value; and a tenth-ounce, .9167 fine gold coin with $5 face value; a 1-ounce, .9995 fine platinum coin with $100 face value; a half-ounce.9995 fine platinum coin with $50 face value; a quarter-ounce, .9995 fine platinum coin with $25 face value; and a tenth-ounce, .9995 fine platinum coin with $10 face value. Coins are sold at prices based on current metal prices plus a markup. See also eagle.

ancient coin: Generally any coin issued before A.D. 500.

anneal: To soften dies, planchets or metal by heat treatment.

ant nose: Primitive copper money of China ca. 600 B.C.

as: (Plural: asses) Bronze or orichalcum coins of the Roman republic.

assay: Analytic test or trial to ascertain the fineness, weight and consistency of precious or other metal in coin or bullion. An assay piece is one that has been assayed.

attribution: The identification of a numismatic item by characteristics such as issuing authority, date or period, Mint, denomination, metal in which struck, and by a standard reference.

auction: Method of selling by which items are presented for sale to the highest bidder.

authentication: Authoritative determination of the genuineness of a numismatic item.