Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1038535 search inquires.

Selected title: Cameo
Explanation: A coin, usually struck as a Proof, with a frosted or satiny central device surrounded by a mirrorlike field. Modern day proof coins are struck from specially treated dies to give this frosted (cameo) appearance. On older proof coins, the first produced by a die might have a cameo appearance. Later, as the dies starts to wear (or break in) the coins produced will have less and less of the cameo frosting. Most proof US coins prior to the mid 1960's will have a mirror like surface over the whole coin. One with a frosted cameo design will bring a premium, sometimes a substantial one. Even today, some coins sell for more if the cameo effect is more pronounced than the typical coin

Most popular coin titles

DefinitionSearchesPercentage
Specimen Proof (SP-70 or PF-70) 55284 13.59%
Silver Clad 32222 7.92%
Coin Silver 24318 5.98%
Slabbed Coins 23238 5.71%
BN 22809 5.61%
Encapsulated Coin 21830 5.37%
RB 21271 5.23%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18283 4.50%
PF (PF60, PF70) 18004 4.43%
Reeded Edge 17062 4.19%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 16926 4.16%
PR (PR60, PR70) 15995 3.93%
Rarity 15978 3.93%
PQ 15823 3.89%
MS (MS60-MS70) 15573 3.83%
Incuse 14881 3.66%
Coin drop 14616 3.59%
High Relief 14500 3.57%
Reverse Cameo 14188 3.49%
Obverse or Face side 13921 3.42%