More from Welcome to Coin Collecting!

Yesterday, we introduced a “found treasure” in the form of a Welcome to Coin Collecting booklet from 1966. For the most part, its details still hold true today. But, there are some pieces of information that, though correct, are not used that frequently. Other pieces are correct, but not correct for every coin.

For example, lets take a look at two coin diagrams, one of the obverse and one of the reverse, showing various coin terms pointing to parts of the coin.

First, the coin’s obverse diagram:

Welcome to Coin Collecting booklet obverse terminology

Next is the coin’s reverse view:

Welcome to Coin Collecting booklet reverse terminology

It’s interesting to note that the US Mint has similar views on their web site showing the anatomy of a coin including terminology for the obverse and reverse of a coin. But, neither their Anatomy of a Coin page nor their glossary of coin terms include all of the terms in the diagrams above.

For example, the US Mint does not define truncation.  In the latest Guide Book of United States Coins 2012, truncation is defined as the sharply cut-off bottom edge of a bust or portrait.

It’s not often you hear truncation used in discussing coins – it’s correct, just not that often used by coin collectors.

Similarly, how many times do you hear the word exergue when discussing coins? The US Mint does not show and does not define that term either.

Turning again to the Guide Book of United States Coins 2012, exergue is that portion of a coin beneath the main design, often separated from it by a line, and typically bearing the date.

Using that definition, not all of our coins will have an exergue area with the date since several contain the date to the side of the main design.

As another difference in the diagrams above, today’s mint marks can be found in different locations.

Our most common circulating coins – the penny, nickel, dime, quarter and even half dollar – have the mint mark on the obverse (front) of the coin. On the other hand, our modern commemorative coins have the mint mark on either the obverse or reverse of the coin.

But, a few years ago, the US Mint introduced the presidential dollar coins with the mint mark moved into the edge lettering. This same mint mark location was chosen for the new Native American golden dollar coins as well.

Basically, the little booklet still has a lot of good information, it’s just not comprehensive enough to include all the options. Then, again, the booklet is less than 20 pages, total.

It’s interesting, though, that the US Mint’s coin collecting pages are brief in their descriptions.

That’s OK. There are plenty of other coin collecting resources – people, books, clubs, shows – to help individuals with the hobby of numismatics.