A

AE

A traditional abbreviation for a base-metal coin, usually bronze or another copper alloy.

AG (About Good)

A grading term indicating a heavily worn coin with only the major design elements remaining.

Attribution

The process of identifying and describing a coin using its ruler, mint, denomination, date, inscriptions, and published references.

AU (About Uncirculated)

A grading term describing a coin with only slight wear and most original detail remaining.

B

Banker's Mark

A small punch or test mark applied in antiquity to verify that a coin contained solid precious metal or was otherwise acceptable in commerce.

Billon

An alloy containing mostly copper with a smaller percentage of silver.

Bronze Disease

An active form of corrosion that can permanently damage bronze coins if left untreated.

Brockage

A striking error in which one side of a coin shows a mirror-image impression because a previously struck coin adhered to one of the dies.

BMC

Abbreviation for the British Museum Catalogue, one of the classic reference works still frequently cited by collectors and auction houses.

C

Cabinet Toning

Natural toning that develops over many years while a coin is stored in a collection or coin cabinet.

Cast Counterfeit

A counterfeit coin made by pouring molten metal into a mold instead of striking it with dies.

Centering

How well the design is positioned on the flan.

Control Mark

A small symbol, letter, or device added to help identify a particular issue, mint, workshop, or production series.

Countermark

A secondary mark applied to a coin after it was originally struck.

Crawford (RRC)

Abbreviation for Roman Republican Coinage, the standard reference by Michael H. Crawford for Roman Republican coins.

Cud

A raised lump on a coin caused by a broken section of the die.

D

Denomination

The monetary value or type of a coin, such as a denarius, follis, or tetradrachm.

Die

The engraved tool used to strike a coin.

Die Axis

The rotational alignment of the obverse and reverse dies when the coin was struck.

Die Crack

A raised line on a coin caused by a crack in the die used to strike it.

Die Match

Two or more coins struck from the same die.

Die State

The stage in the life of a die, from freshly engraved to heavily worn.

Double Strike

A coin struck more than once by the dies.

E

Edge Chip

A missing piece along the edge of a coin.

EF (Extremely Fine)

A grading term describing a coin with light circulation wear and excellent remaining detail.

Electrum

A naturally occurring or intentionally produced alloy of gold and silver.

Exergue

The area below the main reverse design where mintmarks often appear.

F

Fabric

The overall physical characteristics of a coin, including its flan, metal, strike, thickness, and method of manufacture.

Field

The flat background area surrounding the design.

Fine (F)

A grading term indicating moderate wear with most major design elements still visible.

Flan

The blank piece of metal that becomes a coin after striking.

Fourrée

An ancient counterfeit consisting of a base-metal core coated with a layer of precious metal, usually silver.

G

Good (G)

A grading term describing a heavily worn coin with major features still identifiable.

Grade

An assessment of a coin's state of preservation.

H

Hammered

A coin struck manually between two dies using a hammer. Nearly all ancient coins were hammered.

Hendin

Abbreviation for David Hendin's Guide to Biblical Coins, the standard reference for Biblical and ancient Jewish coinage.

HGC

Abbreviation for Handbook of Greek Coinage, a modern reference widely used for Greek coins.

Hoard

A group of coins buried or hidden together in antiquity, often providing important evidence about circulation, chronology, and history.

Horn Silver

A pale silver chloride corrosion sometimes found on ancient silver coins.

I

Incuse

A design recessed below the surface of the coin rather than raised.

L

Legend

The inscription or lettering on a coin.

Ligature

Two or more letters joined together into a single engraved character.

M

Mint

The place where a coin was produced.

Mintmark

A symbol or inscription identifying the mint.

Module

The diameter or overall size of a coin.

Moneyer

The official responsible for issuing or supervising certain ancient coinages, particularly during the Roman Republic.

Monogram

A symbol formed by combining two or more letters into a single design.

MS (Mint State)

A grading term indicating a coin with no circulation wear.

O

Obverse

The front of the coin, usually bearing the primary portrait.

Officina

The workshop within a Roman mint that produced the coin.

Overstrike

A coin struck over an earlier coin.

P

Patina

The natural surface layer that develops over time, especially on ancient bronze coins.

Pedigree

A documented chain of ownership connecting a coin to notable collections or sales.

Plate Coin

A coin photographed for publication in a reference book or auction catalog.

Portrait

The primary bust or image appearing on a coin, most commonly on the obverse.

Provenance

The documented ownership history of a coin.

R

Radiate

A portrait wearing a radiate crown, often symbolizing divinity or association with the sun.

Reference

A published catalog used to identify ancient coins. Common examples include RIC, RPC, Hendin, Crawford, Sear, Album, and HGC.

Reverse

The back of the coin.

RIC

Abbreviation for The Roman Imperial Coinage, the standard reference for Roman Imperial coins.

RPC

Abbreviation for Roman Provincial Coinage, the standard reference for Roman Provincial issues.

S

Sear

A reference to the works of David R. Sear, widely used for Roman, Greek, and Byzantine coinage.

Serrate

A coin with a deliberately notched or saw-toothed edge.

Slab

A tamper-evident holder produced by a third-party grading service.

Smoothing

Modern removal of roughness or corrosion from a coin's surface.

SNG

Abbreviation for Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, one of the most important references for Greek coinage.

Strike

The process of impressing a coin's design onto a flan using engraved dies. The term can also describe the quality of that impression.

Style

The artistic execution of a coin's engraving, often used when evaluating authenticity.

Surface

The overall condition and appearance of a coin's metal.

T

Test Cut

A cut made into a coin in antiquity to verify that it was solid metal rather than plated.

Toning

Natural color changes that develop on a coin's surface over time.

Tooling

Modern engraving or alteration intended to improve a coin's appearance.

Transfer Die

A counterfeit die created by copying the design from a genuine coin.

Type

The specific combination of obverse and reverse designs that identifies a coin.

V

Very Fine (VF)

A grading term indicating moderate circulation wear while retaining strong detail.

Very Good (VG)

A grading term describing a coin with heavy wear but more remaining detail than a Good example.

X

XF (Extremely Fine)

Another commonly used abbreviation for Extremely Fine. Many auction houses use EF, while others use XF.

My Advice to New Collectors

Don't worry if you don't recognize every term the first time you encounter it. Ancient coin collecting has developed its own vocabulary over centuries of scholarship, and no one learns it overnight.

Use this glossary whenever you come across an unfamiliar word. As the Collector Academy continues to grow, so will this glossary. Before long, you'll find yourself speaking the language of ancient numismatics with confidence.

Every experienced collector started in exactly the same place you are now.

History wasn't just written. It was minted.