Glossary of Numismatic Terms

---

S

scarce: Not common, but not as uncommon as rare.

screw press: Early hand-operated machine for striking coins. First type of press used by U.S. Mint, beginning in 1792.

scrip: Paper currency usually of denominations less than $1 issued as substitutes for currency by private persons or organizations. Tokens issued by coal mines and sutlers also are called scrip.

scripophily: The study and science of collecting financial documents, including stock certificates, shares, government and private bonds, and checks. A student of scripophily is a scripophilist.

seal: A device placed on paper money indicating authority of issue. Modern Federal Reserve notes have two seals, a green Department of Treasury seal and a black Federal Reserve seal.

seigniorage: The profits resulting from the difference between the cost to make a coin and its face value, or its worth as money and legal tender. Most coins cost less to make than their face value; when it becomes too expensive to make a certain coin, size, weight and composition are often changed.

serial number: Number used chiefly on paper money and sometimes on limited-issue medals to indicate order of production.

series: Related coinage of the same denomination, design and type, including modifications, or varieties, of design. The Lincoln, Wheat cents of 1909 to 1958 represent a complete series.

sestertius: An ancient Roman coin; plural: sestertii.

shekel, sheqel: Shekel is a silver coin of ancient Judea of various weights; sheqel is modern Israeli denomination; plural: sheqalim.

silver certificate: Authorized by the Acts of Feb. 28, 1878, and Aug. 4, 1886. Were redeemable in silver coin, and in early to mid1960s, silver bullion. No longer produced, but all examples remain legal tender although the notes can no longer be redeemed in silver.

slab: Popular nickname for certain kinds of protective coin encapsulation methods, especially those that are permanently sealed and rectangular.

slug: A term applied to the gold $50 coin or ingot issued by various private mints in California from 1851 to 1855 occurring in both round and octagonal shapes. Term also used for tokens manufactured expressly for use in certain coin-operated machines.

small date: A variety of coin on which the date is physically smaller than other varieties of the same year. Similar varieties include medium date and large date.

so-called dollar: A silver dollar-sized medal commemorating a special event.

souvenir card: Popular collectible item, usually well-printed on heavy paper using an engraving used on paper money. They also contain information of a historical or commemorative nature.

Souvenir Mint sets: An issue of the U.S. Mint, containing the coinage of one Mint. It is generally sold only at the Mint represented by the coins.

Special Mint sets (SMS): Coins produced under special conditions by the United States Mint at San Francisco during the years 1965, 1966 and 1967. These coins have no Mint marks.

specie: In the form of coin, especially precious metal coin; paper money redeemable in coin. From Latin meaning "in kind"; see also fiat money.

star notes: Mainly intended as replacements for notes that were damaged or produced with errors or mistakes at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. On modern Federal Reserve notes, a solid star appears at the end of the serial number; on earlier notes, the star appears at the beginning of the number. Until the 1980s, star notes were also used to represent the 100 millionth note since the serial numbering machinery has only eight digits.

state coinages or notes: Refers to coins issued by one of three state governments (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey) between the Declaration of Independence and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution when the states' rights to issue coins were suspended. Among paper money, refers to notes issued between Declaration of Independence and Civil War by state governments. See also Colonial.

stater: Greek coin equal to two drachms or didrachm, or 12 obols.

Stella: A gold $4 pattern never issued for circulation. Also struck in other metals.

sterling silver: Silver that is .925 fine; in Israel, .935 fine silver. From the British standard "pound sterling."

store card: A token bearing a business name and/or address, and often intended as a local or ad hoc medium of exchange as well as an advertisement for the issuer.

strike: The act of impressing the image of a die into a planchet, making a coin. The quality of strike is important when determining the amount of wear on a coin.

strip: Rolls of coinage metal to be punched into blanks.

subtype: Intentional variation made to a design type that leaves the overall design identifiable as a type. For example, the Bison on Plain and Bison on Mound designs for the Indian Head 5-cent coin are different subtypes. The Bison design is the specific type, with the subtypes representing variations on the main theme. Some authorities use "type" or "variety" instead of "subtype."

surcharge: An extra charge placed on an item, the revenue of which is usually earmarked for a specific fund. Since 1982, it has been the practice of the United States Congress to place a surcharge on noncirculating commemorative coins, generally to benefit a worthy organization or cause.

syngraphics: The study of printed currency and related items; from "syngraph," a writing signed by all parties to a contract or bond.