Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1126700 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) 56090  13.23%
Silver Clad 32982  7.78%
Coin Silver 25059  5.91%
Slabbed Coins 23981  5.66%
BN 23532  5.55%
Encapsulated Coin 22479  5.30%
RB 21987  5.18%
PF (PF60, PF70) 18965  4.47%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18918  4.46%
Reeded Edge 17799  4.20%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 17607  4.15%
Obverse or Face side 17023  4.01%
PR (PR60, PR70) 16979  4.00%
Rarity 16851  3.97%
PQ 16526  3.90%
MS (MS60-MS70) 16215  3.82%
Incuse 15554  3.67%
Coin drop 15405  3.63%
High Relief 15176  3.58%
Reverse Cameo 14920  3.52%