Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1043025 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) 55335  13.58%
Silver Clad 32260  7.92%
Coin Silver 24352  5.98%
Slabbed Coins 23277  5.71%
BN 22850  5.61%
Encapsulated Coin 21861  5.36%
RB 21315  5.23%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18332  4.50%
PF (PF60, PF70) 18041  4.43%
Reeded Edge 17106  4.20%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 16958  4.16%
Rarity 16040  3.94%
PR (PR60, PR70) 16032  3.93%
PQ 15862  3.89%
MS (MS60-MS70) 15607  3.83%
Incuse 14920  3.66%
Coin drop 14656  3.60%
High Relief 14535  3.57%
Reverse Cameo 14220  3.49%
Obverse or Face side 13956  3.42%