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Dictionary of Coin Collector Terms and Definitions:
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Information about
New Presidential Dollar coins:
~Unusual
Edge Letters on Dollars
~US mint press release.
~Production Schedule of Dollars to be released
~Legislation Authorizing Presidential Dollars in 2007 |
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"A Glossary of Coin Collecting Words and Definitions"
Locate the meaning of coin dealer and numismatic words.
COIN COLLECTOR WORDS
that start with the letter
" R "
- rare
- - a coin or collectible that is very limited in
availability. Can also mean that there are few in existence, very limited
availability, or that the item is very uncommon. A rare does not
necessarily mean a coin is very valuable. The demand from collectors in
addition to the degree of rarity combine to influence the market price for any
item. Usually, a "rare coin" means it is harder to find than a "scarce"
coin.
- raw
- - means the coin has not been certified,
slabbed or encapsulated by a coin
grading service.
- rabbit coins
- - Minted in 1999. First year
of a series of animal coins minted in Australia. 1999 was the Chinese
lunar "Year of the Rabbit".
Silver and
gold rabbit coins were minted
to celebrate this special year. A small number of other countries have minted
coins with Rabbit designs. Australia has minted coins with
several other
animal designs in this lunar series.
- real or reales
- - Spanish money used primarily prior to the
1800's. (Sometime pronounced
"ree-owl".) Spanish real silver coins were popular in the American colonial days
and circulated in the USA for a number of years until the United States was able
to make sufficient quantities of their own coins. Usually is equivalent to
about 1/8th of a dollar. Sometimes called "pieces
of eight" or "bits".
- Red Book
- -The
Official RED BOOK of US COINS. A price
guide book on US coins and their values by R.S. Yeoman. Also called the
Official Guide to United States Coins. Perhaps the
most popular coin collecor's book for listing US coin retail values, grades, and mintages.
For a book on dealer "buy" prices see the "Blue
Book".
- Redfield
- - Lafavre Redfield. Silver dollar collector/investor.
Click here to read an
interesting article about his great silver dollar hoard.
- reeded edge
- -
The edge of a coin that has small reed like groove lines on it. Today's US dimes and quarters are
examples of reeded edge coins. Today's pennies and nickels have a
plain edge,
not a reeded edge. See "lettered edge" and "incused edge".
The 2007 presidential dollar coins
have a lettered edge.
- relief
- - the part of the design that is raised from the
surface of the coin field (background). Example: Washington's face on a Washington quarter.
(The opposite of "incused".)
- repaired
- - a coin or currency note that has been fixed to
look like nothing has been wrong with it. The repair being done to fix damage, a
hole or defects. The seller's description should mention that the coin was
repaired. Often repaired coins will bring less than a coin (of equal
grade) that has never had anything wrong with it, but sell for more than a fully
damaged coin. The key point being, that the buyer needs to know about anything
that was done to the coin in order to make a fair judgment when making a
purchase decision.
- replica
- - a coin copy or reproduction. Sometimes called a copy of facsimile.
Resembles the original in design. For a replica of a US coin or currency
to be legally sold in most countries it must meet certain governmental criteria.
One point being that it must have the word "copy", "replica", or "facsimile"
plainly visible. Another point being that it can not be presented as being
an original. US coins and currency replicas must also be of a certain
(government required) degree larger or smaller than the original so that there
is no confusion with the original. Additional government laws must be met
when dealing with government issued money, certificates, and copyrighted and
trademarked items. A replica coin is different than a
counterfeit coin.
- restrike (re-strike)
- - a coin minted from original dies, however at a later date than originally intended.
Example, confederate (civil war) restrike tokens.
- Sometimes used to mean a fake coin, as in "the gold coin in this ring is a
jeweler's restrike".
- reverse
- - the back side of the coin. Sometimes called the "tails" side of the coin,
because in many years there was an eagle design with it's tail feather's
showing. Opposite of obverse or
heads side of the coin.
- reverse proof
- -
proof coins normally have a mirror like background (field) and a frosty or
regular raised design. A reverse proof will have a mirror like raised
design and a frosty or normal appearance to the coins background. Both
regular proof coins and reverse proof coins are technically "proof" coins.
The difference is in the areas of the coin that are frosted and mirror-like.
Click here for an example.
- riddler
- - a machine used in the minting process that sorts out wrong
size/defective blanks (planchlets).
- rim
- - the raised edge of a coin created by the upsetting mill. The idea being that if the edge
on both sides of the coin is raised like the design it will help protect the coins design from wear.
- roll
- - a group of coins in the same denomination in a paper wrapper package by banks, dealers, or
the US Mint. Sometimes a coin rolls are put into a plastic coin tube. The number of coins in a roll depend on the denomination.
For US Cents there are typically 50 coins in a roll, nickels- 40, dimes- 50, quarters- 40, halves- 20, dollars- 25.
- rounds
- - coin shaped silver pieces. Not official legal tender, however they may
be accurate in bullion weight. Like silver
bars only round shaped to look like a coin.
-
rust
- - rust is a oxidizing reaction causing the surface of a metal coin to
corrode or decay. US pennies (cents) minted during World War 2 (in 1943)
were made of zinc plated steel. Once the zinc plating wore off, the coin surface
became exposed to the air and often rusted. Other coins, such as copper and even
silver are subject to similar oxidation when exposed to air, moisture, or
environmental chemicals.
- rust spot
- - Reddish or rust color spots can appear on gold coins, as well as coins
made of other metals. Spotting can be from something on the surface of the coin
or actually from impurities in the coin's metal. See this
interesting
article explaining how brown-rust spots can appear on gold coins or gold
bars. See brown spots.
-
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Where the
investor goes to buy precious metals.
Get a
FREE
gram of gold when you sign
up! For a limited time!
Trade online, in amounts as small as $20 at a time
New Presidential Dollar coins:
~Unusual
Edge Letters on President coins
~US mint
$ coin press release.
~Production Schedule
for upcoming Dollars.
~Legislation Authorizing Presidential Dollar
Coins in 2007. |