Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1048172 search inquires.

Selected title: Breast feathers
Explanation: The central feathers seen on numerous eagle designs. Fully struck coins usually command a premium and the breast feathers are usually the highest point of the reverse. (They are the most deeply recessed area of the die, so metal sometimes does not completely fill the breast feather area, usually because of insufficient striking pressure. Incorrectly spaced or lapped dies will also cause 'striking' weakness)

Most popular coin titles

DefinitionSearchesPercentage
Specimen Proof (SP-70 or PF-70) 55381  13.56%
Silver Clad 32310  7.91%
Coin Silver 24400  5.98%
Slabbed Coins 23316  5.71%
BN 22891  5.61%
Encapsulated Coin 21895  5.36%
RB 21347  5.23%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18374  4.50%
PF (PF60, PF70) 18077  4.43%
Reeded Edge 17148  4.20%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 16994  4.16%
Rarity 16095  3.94%
PR (PR60, PR70) 16074  3.94%
PQ 15895  3.89%
MS (MS60-MS70) 15648  3.83%
Incuse 14954  3.66%
Coin drop 14699  3.60%
High Relief 14569  3.57%
Reverse Cameo 14257  3.49%
Obverse or Face side 14000  3.43%