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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
" S "
- SBA
- - See Susan B Anthony dollar.
- Sacagewea dollars
- - United States small dollar coins with a design of the Indian
Sacagewea on the obverse. Reverse depicts an eagle in flight. First year
of mintage was in the year 2000. Although golden in color, they are made of a
combination of copper and manganese brass. For a picture
click here.
- Saint-Gaudens
- - Augustus Saint-Gaudens was a well know artist and coin designer of
the early 1900's. Perhaps his most famous coin design is the US $20 gold
piece last minted in 1933. Depicting a standing "Liberty walking toward
you", this US twenty dollar coin has been honored as one of the best US coin
designs from the last century. Sometimes pronounced as "Saint-Gah-dens" or
"Sent-Go-denz". The $20 gold coin design is so well liked it is often called a
"Saint-Gaudens" gold coin.
- sandwich coin
- - nick name for clad coins
that were first made in the US in 1965. Because these coins have a center
layer that is a different material than the top and bottom, they resemble a
sandwich. Also sometimes called a hamburger
coin.
- seller fees
- - fees imposed on the seller when auctioning coins or selling them on
consignment. Also see
buyers fees.
- series
- - collection of coins of one denomination that contains all
the dates and mint marks of that design. For example a Lincoln Cent
Wheat back series
would contain one of each date cent minted from 1909 to 1958, including each mint mark
as well.
- show
- - to display or show a group of coins. Coin shows (or bourses)
occur often in many areas. There dealers may set up tables to display their inventory
in an attempt to sell, buy, or trade coins with the public and / or other dealers.
- silver Clad
- - term referring to US Half Dollars made
from 1965 to 1970. Made with an outer layer of 80% silver and 20% copper bonded to an inner
core of 20.9% silver and .791% copper. Overall 40% silver.
- silver eagle
- - nickname given to one ounce United States "Silver" dollars made from 1986
to the present. Design is of a walking liberty on the obverse (front) and
and eagle on the reverse. Hence the name
"silver eagle".
Sometimes called the "American
Silver Eagle" dollar or
ASE.
- silver price
- - the value of silver in the commodity market. Usually refers to the
market price of one "troy
ounce" of silver. Silver prices change every few minutes during
trading hours.
For the daily silver prices,
click here.
- site unseen
- - an offer to purchase a coin at a certain price
without seeing the item. Although site unseen bids are common, the coin will still have
to meet the grading criteria from the bidder's perspective. Site unseen
auction bids are sometimes used when a coin is graded/certified by a third party grading service, such
as with slabbed coins.
- slab or slabbed
- - slang for a holder holding a coin that has been encapsulated by a coin
grading service. Usually, the coin will graded, authenticated, and encapsulated in a
sonically sealed holder, often by a 3rd party grading service. See PNG, NCG, ANACS, PCGS.
- slab
- - term used to identify a hard plastic
encapsulation method
that some coin grading services use to package/protect a coin. Usually a slabbed coin
is graded and certified by the grading service as genuine. Often slabs are rectangular in
shape and sealed to protect the coin from the elements.
- slider
- -a term meaning the coin simulates a higher grade
than it really is. Often a slider has been cleaned, treated, or whizzed to give the
appearance of being uncirculated. Worth less than the coin that has not
been cleaned or treated.
- split grade
- - a different grade for a coins front (obverse) and back (reverse).
Example, a coin might be very fine condition on the obverse and extra fine on
the reverse. Spit grade coins occur often. However, many coin dealers will
list and sell/buy such a coin at the lower of the two grades.
- spot
- - the price quoted for large transactions of precious metal. These large
metal bars are stored in a certified warehouse. The spot price does not include
broker commissions, shipping, postal insurance, etc. Spot prices may change by
the minute during active trading. When purchasing precious metals in the form of
coins or smaller bars, expect to pay a premium for the manufacture, some kind of
commission or markup, and postage/insurance to receive your precious metals.
Click her for free
precious metals prices listing latest spot precious metals prices.
- spotting or spot
- -
a mark or marks on a coin of a different color. Often looking like spots of something on
the coin. Usually, it is a form of tarnish or staining. Spotting may have a negative effect on the value
of a coin depending on how severe it is, etc. Most professionals will advise you not to try
to clean a spot (or spotting) off of a coin, as it may create friction or surface damage that may
hurt the coins value even more.
- spread
- - The difference in price between a dealer's buy price and sell price.
Example, someone might buy a coin for $30 and sell the same coin for $40.
The coin's spread would be 40-30, or $10.
- state quarters
- - The 50 State Quarter program was started in 1999 by the US government
mint. 5 quarters were produced each year commemorating the joining of states to
the United States of America. A specific design for each commemorated state
was used for the back (reverse) design of each quarter. George Washington's
portrait was used for the obverse (front) of each coin. Quarters were issued in the order that states
joined the union, through the final year in 2008. In 2009 the fifty state
quarters program was replaced with quarters commemorating the US Territories and
Washington DC (District of Columbia).
Click here for list of production mintages.
Click here for a
schedule of when each state's design is to be released.
- statehood quarters
- - same as 50 "State Quarters".
Sometimes abbreviated as SHQ.
- striation
- - fine slightly raised lines on the surface
of a coin. Often best seen with magnification and usually in the
background of the coin's design. Most often caused by polishing the coin
die.
- strike
- - a process of stamping a design into a coin
planchet (blank). Usually metal dies with designs engraved in them are used.
If the dies are struck weakly or just average it may effect the coin's value
negatively vs. a well struck coin. Some U.S. mints were known for making weakly
stuck coins during certain years.
- Susan B. Anthony dollar
- - The United States government made a silver dollar with Susan B. Anthony's
portrait in 1979 to 1981, and then again in one more year, 1999. These
"SBA" dollars were short lived and saw little use in commerce. The size is
smaller than the old silver dollars and slightly larger than a quarter.
Click here for a picture
of what they look like.
- sweating
- - illegal process of removing gold or silver from the surface of a coin.
This method was used during the times when precious metal coins circulated in
everyday commerce. Sweaters would treat a coin (often a gold coin) in an acid
bath to dissolve some of the surface of the coin. Later the dissolved gold
would be removed from the solution and sold. The coin would then be spent
and the process repeated with additional coins. The resulting coins would
be slightly lighter in weight and often have a grainy. pitted, or rough texture.
-
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Popular search
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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. |