Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1139635 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) 56203 13.19%
Silver Clad 33084 7.76%
Coin Silver 25178 5.91%
Slabbed Coins 24094 5.65%
BN 23634 5.55%
Encapsulated Coin 22581 5.30%
RB 22093 5.18%
PF (PF60, PF70) 19076 4.48%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18994 4.46%
Reeded Edge 17900 4.20%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 17692 4.15%
Obverse or Face side 17112 4.02%
PR (PR60, PR70) 17108 4.01%
Rarity 16995 3.99%
PQ 16627 3.90%
MS (MS60-MS70) 16301 3.82%
Incuse 15663 3.68%
Coin drop 15530 3.64%
High Relief 15275 3.58%
Reverse Cameo 15032 3.53%