Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1122151 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) 56055  13.24%
Silver Clad 32949  7.78%
Coin Silver 25016  5.91%
Slabbed Coins 23945  5.66%
BN 23500  5.55%
Encapsulated Coin 22453  5.30%
RB 21953  5.19%
PF (PF60, PF70) 18925  4.47%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18889  4.46%
Reeded Edge 17765  4.20%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 17572  4.15%
Obverse or Face side 16998  4.02%
PR (PR60, PR70) 16928  4.00%
Rarity 16815  3.97%
PQ 16495  3.90%
MS (MS60-MS70) 16175  3.82%
Incuse 15519  3.67%
Coin drop 15360  3.63%
High Relief 15144  3.58%
Reverse Cameo 14880  3.51%