Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1045427 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) 55358  13.57%
Silver Clad 32289  7.91%
Coin Silver 24369  5.97%
Slabbed Coins 23302  5.71%
BN 22873  5.61%
Encapsulated Coin 21879  5.36%
RB 21329  5.23%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18358  4.50%
PF (PF60, PF70) 18061  4.43%
Reeded Edge 17132  4.20%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 16979  4.16%
Rarity 16071  3.94%
PR (PR60, PR70) 16054  3.94%
PQ 15877  3.89%
MS (MS60-MS70) 15630  3.83%
Incuse 14938  3.66%
Coin drop 14681  3.60%
High Relief 14557  3.57%
Reverse Cameo 14242  3.49%
Obverse or Face side 13975  3.43%