Coin Terminology and Glossary

The Coin Collecting Dictionary includes 546 titles used widely in the coin collectors community, and has received over 1091327 search inquires.

Selected title: Brilliant
Explanation: Untoned, without tarnish or oxidation, preserved with original cartwheel (frosty) or prooflike lustre. A copper coin is considered brilliant if it retains full original red. A silver, nickel or gold coin is usually considered brilliant in the absence of toning or oxidation (although it may have some spots or light toning hues about the periphery) and its original lustre is considerable intact

Most popular coin titles

DefinitionSearchesPercentage
Specimen Proof (SP-70 or PF-70) 55787  13.33%
Silver Clad 32706  7.82%
Coin Silver 24766  5.92%
Slabbed Coins 23681  5.66%
BN 23278  5.56%
Encapsulated Coin 22216  5.31%
RB 21705  5.19%
Deep Cameo (DC or DCAM) 18691  4.47%
PF (PF60, PF70) 18680  4.46%
Reeded Edge 17512  4.18%
Ultra Cameo (UCAM) 17331  4.14%
Obverse or Face side 16795  4.01%
PR (PR60, PR70) 16597  3.97%
Rarity 16527  3.95%
PQ 16257  3.88%
MS (MS60-MS70) 15971  3.82%
Incuse 15278  3.65%
Coin drop 15103  3.61%
High Relief 14926  3.57%
Reverse Cameo 14643  3.50%