Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1101260 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) 55883  13.30%
Silver Clad 32788  7.81%
Coin Silver 24843  5.91%
Slabbed Coins 23767  5.66%
BN 23348  5.56%
Encapsulated Coin 22291  5.31%
RB 21795  5.19%
PF (PF60, PF70) 18770  4.47%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18759  4.47%
Reeded Edge 17594  4.19%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 17401  4.14%
Obverse or Face side 16866  4.02%
PR (PR60, PR70) 16706  3.98%
Rarity 16622  3.96%
PQ 16343  3.89%
MS (MS60-MS70) 16036  3.82%
Incuse 15357  3.66%
Coin drop 15181  3.61%
High Relief 14993  3.57%
Reverse Cameo 14728  3.51%