Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1043300 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) 55340  13.58%
Silver Clad 32264  7.92%
Coin Silver 24354  5.98%
Slabbed Coins 23281  5.71%
BN 22853  5.61%
Encapsulated Coin 21866  5.36%
RB 21318  5.23%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18334  4.50%
PF (PF60, PF70) 18044  4.43%
Reeded Edge 17107  4.20%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 16960  4.16%
Rarity 16044  3.94%
PR (PR60, PR70) 16038  3.93%
PQ 15864  3.89%
MS (MS60-MS70) 15610  3.83%
Incuse 14923  3.66%
Coin drop 14662  3.60%
High Relief 14538  3.57%
Reverse Cameo 14224  3.49%
Obverse or Face side 13960  3.42%