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Mintage
The total number of copies of a product.
Reverse
The opposite side of a coin or a medal to the obverse
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Relief
The relief is the raised or three-dimensional image found on a coin’s
field..
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Patina
The finish given to a medal, coin or art bronze. A natural patina is the
result of atmospheric corrosion, and is acquired over time. Patinas are applied
by hand using oxidation to reduce shine and emphasize relief. For castings,
they are applied hot to increase the reflective qualities and accentuate
the forms.
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Minting
The various processes involved in converting metals into coins.
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Circulation coin
Circulation coin is the coin we use everyday.
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Collector’s coin
Legal tender coins which however differ from circulation coins in terms
of one or more physical characteristics (size, alloy,weight), or design or
surface finish (proof or brilliant uncirculated quality).
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Ancient coin
Generally, any coin issued before 500 A.D.
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Master Die
Intaglio engraved tool.
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Engraver
The engraver cuts the coin or medal design directly on steel. He can either
do in-depth (intaglio) or in-relief cutting. He uses special tools which
he adapts for himself (scribers, gravers, tools for chasing…) and which
he dreads losing or breaking because it is impossible to replace them with
another which would give identical results on the design in progress. He
also executes models in plastiline or plaster, the metallic or resin replicas
of which are used on the reducing machine to make the medal or coin master
die.
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Blank
A disk of unstamped metal on which the coin or medal design
is impressed
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Striking or stamping
The process of imprinting the design cut in a die onto a coin or
medal blank, using a press. The obverse and reverse are stamped
simultaneously.
Medals can also be produced using the casting process.
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Effigy
An effigy is a portrait found on the obverse side of the coin.
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Mintmark
Symbol placed on a coin to designate the mint responsible for its manufacture.
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Die
The intaglio engraved tool used to strike coins and medals. It is in the
shape of a hardened steel cylindrical block, the face of which carries an
intaglio mirror-image of the design to be impressed in relief on one side
of a blank. This metal contains 0.9 % carbon so that it can undergo the hubbing
process while being hard enough for striking when tempered.
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Field
The plane surface left blank on either side of the main design of a medal.
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Brilliant Uncirculated
A special finish obtained on some collector’s coins. They are struck
with new dies and present a bright and perfect appearance, without any traces
of damage as they have never been circulated.
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Proof
The finest finish on a coin, followed by the Brilliant Uncirculated quality
(B.U.) and the ordinary. A proof coin is a piece produced by a technique
involving specially prepared dies and blanks and special striking, resulting
in particular sharpness of detail and a virtually flawless surface. They
are mirror-like over the field with frosted design.
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Rim
The curved surface of a coin, which may be smooth, reeded, or lettered.
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