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Dictionary of Coin Collector Terms and Definitions:

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Abbreviations & acronyms

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Where the investor goes to buy precious metals.

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Trade online, in amounts as small as $20 at a time.

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

" F "

face value

- the exchange value for which a coin is intended to be spent or exchanged. Example: A US quarter's face value, or spendable value, is 25 cents. Note that if a coin is silver (or a rare date) the collector value or silver content may be worth more than the face value. Face Value is Not its collector or precious metal value. It is a coin's spendable value.

fair

- A very heavily worn coin. Date may only be partially visible. One of the lowest grades of a coin, F-2.

fiat money

- currency or coin that looses it's value, retaining no substantial backing.

Suggested reading - "Fiat Money Inflation in France"

filler

- a coin used to "fill in" the place in a collection until a better grade coin can be found or purchased to take its place. Often a low grade or damaged coin may be used as a filler until a nice one can be found.

field

- the background surface of a coin not used for the design or inscription. Often the field is flat and may not have any design to it.

fine

- one day I told my wife she looked "fine". She got upset. To me I was saying she looked "nice". To her I was saying she looked "just Okay". The same can be said when using this coin grading term. Fine is a medium grade coin. It corresponds to F-12 and F-15 of the current accepted grading standards. A Fine coin will have some detail present in the recessed areas. However, it is not sharp and there are some details still missing. You may be pleased to locate a fine grade coin, particularly when the coin is scarce or rare. However, a fine coin when dealing with common coins is not as great a treasure. A bit of advice - If your wife asks you how she looks, tell her she looks like a GEM! :-) See "GEM" BU.

fine gold

- the purity of a gold coin or metal. (See fineness below.) A .999 fine gold coin is about as pure a gold coin as you can get. .999 fine gold means the item is 99.9% pure solid gold. .999 fine silver would be 99.9% pure silver. Most US silver coins minted up through 1964 were .90 fine, or 90% pure silver.

fineness

- the purity of a coin, medal, or precious metal item. Uses a scale of 0 to 1.000. Examples: A silver coin with fineness of .999 would be as pure as a coin can be. A silver coin with fineness of .500 would be made of 50% silver. Most 1964 and earlier US silver coins were .900 fine, or 90% pure silver.

First Spouses

- gold coins issued by the US government mint beginning in 2007. Four gold coins produced each year depicting the spouses of the Presidents of the United States. These "first lady" gold coins are sometimes called "presidential wives" or 1st spouses gold coins.

See articles about US President's first spouses gold coins issued in 2007:

flan

- a planchet or coin blank. (Coin that has not yet been stamped with a design.

floral edge

- design on the edge of a coin that looks like flowers or tulip bulbs laid on their side in a row. Found on some older coins like the Pillar dollars. Edge designs were more common on gold and silver coins years ago. Having a design on a coin's edge prevented unscrupulous people from shaving off some of the silver or gold. Any filing of the edge would be noticable, because the edge lettering would be missing.

Franklin Half dollar

- Franklin Half dollars are sometimes called Liberty Bell halves because of the Liberty bell design on the reverse. The United States government made the Benjamin Franklin Half dollar from 1948 to 1963. Large numbers of them were melted during the big silver meltdowns of the late 1900's.

FREE GOLD AND SILVER PRICE QUOTES

- web site that lists the current precious metals spot prices (per ounce). click here.

friction

- A frontiersman might rub two sticks together and the result is a fire. The rubbing of a coin can result in a wear on its surface. Typically, friction causes various degrees of noticeable wear and results in lowering the desire (and value) of a coin. Friction can be caused by a coin sliding in a holder, coin drawer, or even by a good intending collector who tries to "clean" the coin.

frosted proof

- a proof coin that has a mirror like surface in the background with a frosted (or dull) surface on the design. Proofs prior to 1937 and again beginning in the 1970's have frosted designs. Sometimes occurs in other years although not as often. Some frosted proof coins will bring a premium price.

full bell lines