Keeping up with the Terms, Abbreviations and Jargon
can be sometimes frightening - We made is easier to understand
We hope that the following Coin Collecting Glossary on the most frequently used terms, acronyms, and definitions will be beneficial to you.
Coin Term Glossary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | JK | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ | |||
W | Mintmark used by the West Point, New York branch mint. |
W-Mint | A term applied to the coins struck at the West Point, New York branch mint. |
Walker | Jargon for a Walking Liberty half dollar. |
Walking Liberty | A common name for a Walking Liberty half dollar. |
Walking Liberty Half Dollar | Half dollars struck(1916 to 1947) |
Want List/Wish List | A term used in reference to a list of coins that a particular collector, investor or dealer wishes to acquire. |
War Nickel | Short for Wartime nickel |
Wartime Nickel | Refers to the five-cent coins struck during World War II comprised of 35% silver, 9% manganese, and 56% copper. |
Washington Quarter Dollar | The John Flanagan designed quarter dollar first struck in 1932 as a circulating commemorative coin. This coin was minted to celebrate the two-hundredth |
Watery Look | A look was seen on the surfaces of most close-collar Proof coins. Highly polished planchets and dies give the faces an almost “wavy” look. |
Weak Edge Lettering | Indicates the edge lettering is weaker than normal and has a portion of a letter/star or inscription missing. |
Weak Strike | A term used to describe a coin that does not show anticipated, detail due to improper striking pressure or improperly aligned dies. These coins are not of a high standard. |
Weenie | An individual who is obsessed with a particular series or group of series. Examples are Silver(Protea) R1 weenies, ZAR weenies, etc. |
West Point Mint
| The West Point Mint was originally opened in 1937 as a bullion depository and was officially designated by Congress as a Mint on March 31, 1988. This mint uses the “W” mintmark. |
Wheel Mark | Synonymous with “counting machine mark.” A small circular scratch on the surface of a coin caused by a coin counting machine. Wheel marks are considered damaged, and coins so marked cannot be encapsulated. |
Whizzing | Term to describe the process of mechanically moving the metal of a lightly circulated coin to mimic lustre. |
Wonder Coin | Jargon for a coin whose condition is particularly superb also referred to as the Perfect Coin |
Working Die | A die actually used to strike the coins. This die is prepared from a working hub and used to strike coins. |
Working Hub | A hub created from a master die and used to create the many working dies required for coinage. |
World Coins | A term applied to coins from other, foreign countries. |
Worn Die
| After extended use, the die starts losing detail and needs to be replaced. Coins struck from worn dies will often appear weak and of a low standard. |
If we missed a word or phrase, please let us know. We would like to grow and expand this list with your help.