~ Error/Variety ~

~ Abbreviations and Definitions ~

2002

AG - About Good. In reference to a coins grade/condition.
AU - Almost uncirculated. In reference to a coins grade/condition.
BREEN - Breen. In reference to varieties attributed by Walter Breen.
BRN - Brown. In reference to the color of copper coins.
Broadstrike - How is a broadstrike made? When the collar is not completely surrounding the coin during the strike, a broadstuck coin is made. The collar floats on springs independant of the die and should completely surround the reverse die to help hold the planchet in place for striking. The collar forms the edges of the coins. On coins with reeded edges, the reeding is in the collar and is formed when the planchet is struck and the collar is in the correct position. Since the collar floats on the springs independantly, it is possible for it to get out of position from dirt and debris creating it to stick in the upward position, resulting in the coin being struck to have outward metal flow, called a broadstrike. If the collar becomes tilted or jams, it causes outward metal flow on one side resulting in a PARTIAL COLLAR broadstrike. Broadstrikes can also be centered or off-center.
Brockage - A brockage can only occur when two coins are involved. One of the two coins will have been struck and improperly ejected. The first coin will work it's way back into the striking chamber and land upon the newly inserted blank planchet to be restuck therefor causing a design transfer which will be reversed on the second coin. The incused second image is known as a "brockage".
BS - 1) Business Strike. A normal coin struck for circulation.

2) Broad Strike. See definition for "broad srtike".

BU - Brilliant Uncirculated. In reference to a coins grade/condition.
CAM - Cameo. In reference to proof coins that exibit frosty reflective surfaces.
CC - 1) Condition Census. An estimation as to the highest grade of a coin known.

2) Carson City Mint.

CH - Choice. In reference to a coins grade/condition.
Cherry Pick - To purchase a coin at normal prices and discover a variety on it making it more valuable.
Clip - A punching-cutting machine is used to make the planchets. Long rolled sheets of metal are automatically feed into the machine. The punching-cutting machine goes up and down, cutting circle planchets out of the thin metal strips. If the metal sheet is not lined up properly with the punch-cutting machine, straight clips can be formed. This is because the metal is feed into the machine to far to the right or left. The punching-cutting machine will cut circles out of the sides of the sheets, which do not fill the area cut by the punch. This leaves one side of the planchet straight. Thus a straight clip. If the metal is not feed into the punching-cutting machine at a steady speed, the movement of the metal does not keep up with the punching. When this happens, the machine is cutting circle planchets out of an area in the metal that has already been cut. This a curved clip. If the roll of metal over feeds the punch-cutting machine, the punching machine cuts the ends of the roll. This forms ragged clips.
Cud - A major die break resulting in excess metal flow where the die was broken.
CW - Clockwise. Commonly referred to with RPMs.
CCW - Counter Clockwise. Commonly referred to with RPMs.
DBL STK - Double Struck. A coin that has been struck twice. Also see DS.
DD - Doubled Die.
DDO - Doubled Die Obverse. A coin that exhibits doubling on the obverse lettering/design in one or more places.
DDR - Doubled Die Reverse. A coin that exhibits doubling on the reverse lettering/design in one or more places.
Die Marker - A characteristic on the coin that helps to distinguish the difference of a particular variety from a normal coin. Characteristics can be: Die gouges, die breaks, polish marks, die chips, etc.
Die State - The age of a die that was used for striking a coin. Higher numbers indicate older dies.
DMPL - Deep Mirrors, Proof Like. A business strike that exhibits highly reflective surfaces and proof like quality. Commonly seen on Morgan dollars.
DS - Double Struck. A coin that has been struck twice.
EDS – Early Die State. A die in its early life with little use.
FBL – Full Bell Lines. In reference to the lines across the Liberty bell on the reverse of Franklin half dollars.
FH - Full Head. In reference to standing Liberty quarters.
FO - 1) Flip Over. Commonly used in conjunction with DS. (f/o d/s)

2) Fold Over.

Fold-Over Strikes - A fold over strike occurs when a planchet enters the striking chamber and stands up on end vertically and gets struck and restruck. These are very scarce above the twenty-five cent denomination.
FR - 1) Federal reserve.

2) Franc.

FS - 1) Fivaz-Stanton. In reference to variety coins attributed by Bill Fivaz and JT Stanton in "The Cherry Pickers Guide" book.

2) Full Steps. In reference to the steps on the reverse of Jefferson nickels.

3) Felix Schlag. Designer of the Jefferson nickel.

FSB - Full Split Bands. In reference to the bands on the reverse of Mercury dimes.
ICG - Independant Coin Graders. A company who specializes in grading and encapsulating coins.
Indent Error - An indent occurs when two blanks are accidently fed into the same chamber with one on top of the other. The die then strikes this combination, causing the coins to squeeze together leaving an indentation in either coin.
K - In reference to O'clock. To define the position an error occured. For example: "Off-Center at K10" or 10 o'clock.
LDS - Late Die State. A die at the end of its life with extreme use.
LIB - Liberty.
MDS - Mid die state. A die in the middle of its life with some use.
NGC - Numismatic Guaranty Corporation
MPD - Mis Placed Date. Commonly found on Indian cents in the denticles.
MS - Mint State. In reference to a coins grade/condition.
NM - No Motto.
Note - Paper currency.
OBV - Obverse. The front, or heads side, of a coin.
OC - Off Center. A coin that was struck off centered. Also referred to as O/C.
Off-Center - An off center coin occurs when the planchet is misfed into the coining press and only part of the coin is struck. Each off center is different and is catagorized in two ways. The amount the strike is off in percentage (ie 10%, 25%, etc) and the location of the strike at a position from 1 to 12 as on a clock dial. An off center strike in the 10 o'clock postition is called: Offcenter @ K10.
Off-Metal - Off metal and wrong planchet errors occur when a correctly made blank from one denomination accidently gets fed into the press of another denomination. (ex: Cent on Dime planchet, Nickel on Cent planchet). An extreme example would be a coin struck on a previously struck planchet.
OMM - Over Mint Mark. A mint mark that has been struck over the top of a different mint mark. D/S, S/D. etc.
PCGS - Professional Coin Grading Services. A company who specializes in grading and encapsulating coins.
PL - Proof Like. A business strike that exhibits proof like qualities. Not a proof coin. Also referred to as PQ.
PR - Proof. A coin struck as a proof.
PUP - Pick Up Point. A characteristic on the coin to look for to determine a particular variety.
Radar Note - In reference to the serial number on paper currancy that reads the same from either left to right or right to left.
RD - Red. In reference to the color of copper coins.
RB – Red Brown. In reference to the color of copper coins.
REV – Reverse. The back, or tails side, of a coin.
RPD – Re-punched Date. A date or part or a date on a coin that has been re-punched or retooled and exhibits two dates in different locations.
RPM - Re-punched Mint Mark. A mint mark that has been repunched creating a doubled, tripled, or quadrupled appearance. P/P, D/D/D. etc.
RR - 1) Rotated Reverse.

2) Railroad Rim.

SAC - Sacagawea Dollar.
SBA - Susan B. Anthony Dollar.
Slab - A reference to a coin that has been encapsulated in an airtite container by a third parting grading company.
SMS - Special Mint Set. Coins produced in 1965, 1966, and 1967 at the Philadelphia mint.
Strike Through - A coin that has been "struck through" something such as grease, scrap metal, cloth, or other foreign objects.
TDO - Tripled Die Obverse. A coin that exhibits tripling on the obverse in the letters/design in one or more places.
TDR - Tripled Die Reverse. A coin that exhibits tripling on the reverse in the letters/design in one or more places.
Tone - A coloring that appears on coins due to age, storage, or mishandling.
Transitional Errors - A transitional error occurs when a coin is struck on a planchet from a previous year with a different metal composition. The most famous error of this kind is the 1943 Cent struck in copper on a 1942 copper planchet.
TT - Two Tailed. A coin that exhibits a reverse (or tails) on both sides of the coin.
Type 1 (Planchet) - A blank that has not gone through the upset mill. Completely flat.
Type 2 (Planchet) - A blank that has gone through the upset mill which creates a raised edge around the rim to prepare the blank for striking and to make it hold up longer in circulation.
UDM - Ultra Deep Mirrors. In reference to business strikes that exibit extremly high reflective surfaces.
UNC - Uncirculated. In reference to a coins grade/condition.
Unplated - A coin that has not been plated with its outside layer of metal. Cents from 1982 that appear "silver" in color are unplated, or missing their outside layer. These can be counterfieted easily and can only be determined genuine with a rim "scratch test".
URS - Universal Rarity Scale. An estimation as to the population of a particular coin. Also referred to as the Rarity Scale.
US - United States.
VDB - Victor D. Brenner. The designers intials of the lincoln cent.
VG - Very Good. In reference to a coins grade/condition.
VF - Very Fine. In reference to a coins grade/condition.
WDDO - Wexler Doubled Die Obverse. In reference to doubled die varieties attributed by John Wexler.
WDDR - Wexler Doubled Die Reverse. In reference to doubled die varieties attributed by John Wexler.
WRPM - Wexler Repunched Mint Mark. In reference to RPM varieties attributed by John Wexler.
Wrong Stock - A coin that is struck on the metal stock meant for a different denomination. The coin exhibits the correct diameter but is either thicker or thinner depending on the stock used. Ex: Quarter struck on Dime stock, Cent struck on nickel stock.
XF - Extremely Fine. In reference to a coins grade/condition. Also referred to as EF.