Coin Terms Glossary

Coin Terms Glossary

We are going to take this up and post it a bit at a time and then archive it for reference.

This is a glossary of coin terms that you might find on this site or elsewhere.

Do you have any suggestions or comments? Words you'd like to see added to the glossary? By all means, please let us know!


Blank
A flat disk of metal intended to become a coin but which has not yet been impressed with the coin's design. Also called a "planchet".
Brilliant Uncirculated
Refers to a coin which has not been circulated and which still retains the majority of its original mint luster.

Sometimes "Uncirculated" and "Brilliant Uncirculated" are used interchangeably. However "Brilliant" would not be applied to a coin which has significant defects impairing its eye appeal or which is lacking in luster.
Blue Ike
In 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974 the US Mint issued 40% silver Eisenhower Dollars for collectors in colored packaging. The Proof version was issued in a brown box and the Brilliant Uncirculated version was issued in a blue envelope. Thus coin collectors and dealers have adopted the terms "Brown Ikes" and "Blue Ikes" to refer respectively to the proof and BU silver Eisenhower Dollars of these years
Brown Ike
See Blue Ike.
BU
(abbr) see Brilliant Uncirculated.
Business Strike
Refers to a coin which was made to be circulated in everyday financial transactions.

Business strike is only one of the methods of manufacturing coins that a mint can use. See Proof for comparison photographs.
Cameo
The frostiness of the raised portions (such as the device or the lettering) of some proof coins.

Visually, this frostiness makes the raised portions of the coin look whitish and completely eradicates the mirror-like finish one would otherwise see on these parts of the proof coin. When only the raised portions of the coin have this cameo effect, it creates an appealing contrast against the mirror-like finish of the coin's field.

The physical texture of the cameo effect can be compared to that of glass which has been acid etched.

Example of a Deep Cameo coin Example of a cameo coin Example of a coin with no cameo
Deep Cameo Cameo No Cameo

Prior to the 1970s the US mint was not entirely consistent in creating coins with complete, attractive cameo. Coin making equipment would be polished and prepared and the first many coins produced for that year or for that batch may have had a nice, deep cameo. As the equipment would begin to wear the cameo effect would diminish to the point where we would only classify the coins as "cameo". When the cameo has diminished to the point where it was significantly incomplete, no cameo designation is warranted at all.

In the 1980s the US mint perfected their methods and for modern years almost all proof coins you find will have a very complete, deep cameo finish on the device and lettering. Generally the earlier you go, the less likely proof coins are to have complete or attractive cameo on them.

Since cameo is desired by many proof coin collectors, earlier coins with attractive cameo tend to cost more.