Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1135218 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) 56162 13.20%
Silver Clad 33051 7.77%
Coin Silver 25136 5.91%
Slabbed Coins 24062 5.66%
BN 23593 5.55%
Encapsulated Coin 22543 5.30%
RB 22055 5.18%
PF (PF60, PF70) 19047 4.48%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18967 4.46%
Reeded Edge 17863 4.20%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 17661 4.15%
Obverse or Face side 17082 4.01%
PR (PR60, PR70) 17062 4.01%
Rarity 16949 3.98%
PQ 16590 3.90%
MS (MS60-MS70) 16275 3.83%
Incuse 15628 3.67%
Coin drop 15491 3.64%
High Relief 15243 3.58%
Reverse Cameo 14993 3.52%