Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1124733 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) 56073  13.23%
Silver Clad 32965  7.78%
Coin Silver 25037  5.91%
Slabbed Coins 23969  5.66%
BN 23518  5.55%
Encapsulated Coin 22463  5.30%
RB 21968  5.18%
PF (PF60, PF70) 18941  4.47%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18901  4.46%
Reeded Edge 17782  4.20%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 17590  4.15%
Obverse or Face side 17013  4.02%
PR (PR60, PR70) 16950  4.00%
Rarity 16830  3.97%
PQ 16512  3.90%
MS (MS60-MS70) 16196  3.82%
Incuse 15536  3.67%
Coin drop 15388  3.63%
High Relief 15156  3.58%
Reverse Cameo 14901  3.52%