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» Commonly Used Numismatic Terminology
» Bibliography - Coin & Currency
References
» Condition Terminology for Currency
» Printer Abbreviations
» Books Used to Catalogue
Stocks and Bonds
» Terminology Used for Stocks & Bonds
Commonly Used Numismatic Terminology
Bag Marks - Tiny harmless marks on the uncirculated coins caused
by contact with other coins during the minting process.
Planchet - The round blank metal disk used to strike coins.
Full Head
- A term used on Standing Liberty Quarters (1916-1930) and Walking
Liberty Halves (1917-1947) to denote sharpness of hair detail.
Full Bands - A term used for Winged Liberty (Mercury) Dimes
(1916-1945) to denote fullness of strike on the fasces symbol on reverse
side.
Whizzed - A technique by which the coin is wire-brushed
to simulate mint lustre.
Recutting - The re-engraving of
a die to strengthen certain devices.
Arrows - A feature
placed opposite the date that signifies a change of weight, regarding
the planchet.
Trends -A weekly column in Coin World, a numismatic publication.
Abbreviations:
MS - Mint State
PR - Proof, a specially manufactured coin for a collector
usually having a mirror surface.
ND - No Drapery, this refers to an area under Liberty’s
arm lacking that design.
WD - With Drapery, this refers to the area under Liberty’s
arm having that design.
LD - Large Date
SD - Small Date
LL - Large Letters
SL - Small Letters
Third-Party Grading Services:
PCGS - Professional Coin Grading Service
NGC - Numismatic Guaranty Corporation
ANACS - American Numismatic Association Certification Service
ICG - Independent Coin Grading
Mint Marks:
"C" - Charlotte
"CC" - Carson City
"D" - Denver
"O" - New Orleans
"P" - Philadelphia
"S" - San Francisco
"W" - West Point
Grading Terminology:
Circulated coins are graded according to American Numismatic
Association guidelines. Numeral designations for uncirculated coins
are according to generally accepted industry standards:
Brilliant Uncirculated: MS60-62
Choice: MS63
Very Choice: MS64
Gem: MS65 or better
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Bibliography - Coin & Currency References
Ahwash, K. – Liberty Seated Dimes
Akers, D. – U.S. Gold Dollars
Akers, D. – U.S. Half Eagles
Akers, D. – U.S. Quarter Edges
Bart – Comprehensive Catalogue of United States Large Size
Star Notes 1910-1929 (BNR Press, 1996)
Bluestone – The Celebrated Albert A. Grinnell Collection of
United States Paper Currency (Reprinted by Anton/Perlmutter, 1971)
Bolender, M. – U.S. Early Silver Dollars
Breen, Walter – Encyclopedia of U.S. Half Cents
Breen, Walter – Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Proof Coins
Browning, A.W. – United States Quarter Dollars 1976-1838
Cassidy – Illustrated History of Florida Paper Money
Crosby, S. – Early Coins of America
Newman, E. – Studies on Money in Early America
Failor, K. – Medals of the U.S. Mint
Friedberg – Paper Money of the United States 14th Edition
(Coin & Currency Institute, 1995)
Fuld, G. and M. – U.S. Civil War Store Cards
Garland – The History of Early Tennessee Banks and Their Issues
(Paul Garland, 1983)
Haxby – Standard Catalogue of United States Obsolete Banknotes
1972-1866 (KP, 1988)
Hessler – U.S. Essay, Proof and Specimen Notes (BNR Press,
1979)
Hickman & Oakes – Standard Catalogue of National Bank
Notes 2nd Edition (KP, 1990)
John Reich Society – Early United States Dimes 1976-1837
Jones & Littlefield – Virginia Obsolete Paper Money (VNA,
1992)
Kelly – National Bank Notes Third Edition (Paper Money Institute,
1997)
Kelly/Shank, Jr./Gordon – A Catalogue of Maryland’s
Paper Money (MHS, 1996)
Krause – Wisconsin Obsolete Bank Notes and Scrip (KP, 1994)
Krause, C. – 2002 Standard Catalogue of World Coins
M. Friedberg – Encyclopedia of United States Fractional Currency
Maris, Edward – State Coinage of New Jersey
Mitchell/Shafer – Standard Catalogue of National Bank Notes
2nd Edition (KP, 1990)
Newman – The Early Paper Money of America (KP, 1997)
Oakes & Schwartz – Standard Guide to Small Size Paper
Money 1928 to Date 1st Edition (KP, 1994)
Obsolete States Books published by the SPMC, cited by Author.
Overton, Al C. – Early Half Dollars: Die Varieties
Rulau, R. – U.S. Merchant Tokens
Schingoethes’ and Shafer – College Currency Money for
Business Training (BNR Press, 1993)
Sheldon, William – Penny Whimsy
Swiatek, A. – Silver and Gold Commemorative Coins
Valentine, D. – U.S. Half Dimes
Yeaoman, R.S. – A Guide Book of U.S. Coins
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Condition Terminology for Currency
Gem Unc. (Gem Uncirculated) - The perfect uncirculated item,
clean, bright, vivid, crisp (where paper permits), well-margined,
unimprovable, without folds.
Choice Unc. (Choice Uncirculated) - A lovely uncirculated
item, having only a hint of aging or unevenness of the margins,
face or back, or narrow margins which take it out of the "Gem"
class.
Unc. (Uncirculated) - As made or issued, but margins may
be poor, the item lightly aged, with border trimming.
Choice AU (Choice Almost Uncirculated) - Essentially a mishandled
uncirculated item with deficiencies like a corner fold, teller counting
smudge or count wrinkling.
AU (Almost Uncirculated) - There is one fold, a teller counting
smudge or counting wrinkling present.
EF (Extremely Fine) - An item which may, at first glance,
look uncirculated, but which has several petty folds, or a hard
crease down the center perhaps with corner folds. Crisp, bright,
vivid and pleasing, the paper as made, permitting.
VF (Very Fine) - Typically an item marked by moderate quarterfolds
with perhaps a few other signs of handling. Should be clean, not
seriously aged, torn, or pinholed.
F (Fine) - The last grade of an item in which the paper
still has body. The folds are numerous and the design is beginning
to show signs of soiling wear.
VG (Very Good) - A well-circulated item, complete, unimpaired
except for petty tears and splits, pin holes, some surface splitting
along heavy folds and soiling.
Good - An even more heavily circulated item with body holes,
petty tears and splits, very soiled and tired, scarcely legible.
Fair - Heavily worn, split, holed, up to 10% gone, legibility
seriously impaired.
Poor - A mere remnant, tattered and torn, scarcely readable
with typically more than 10% of its surface area gone.
Abt (before a grade) - A shade below the grade it precedes.
Plus or + (following a grade) - A shade better than
the grade.
VF-EF (hyphen between grades) - The grade is about halfway
between the two grades shown.
VF/Good (slash between the two grades) - Face and back are
two different grades. The grade preceding the slash is for the face.
The grade following is for the back.
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Printer Abbreviations
ABN - American Bank Note
BA - Bald, Adams
BC - Bald, Cousland
BWA - Baldwin, Adams
BBC - Baldwin, Bald & Cousland
BW - Bradbury, Wilkinson
BABN - British American Bank Note
CBN - Columbia Bank Note
DB - Danforth, Bald
DH - Danforth & Hufty
DP - Danforth, Perkins
DSH - Danforth, Spencer & Hufty
DU - Danforth, Underwood
DUBS - Danforth, Underwood, Bald & Hufty
DW - Danforth, Wright
DC - Draper
DT - Draper, Toppan
DTL - Draper, Toppan, Longacre
DWC - Draper, Welsh
ABD - A.B. & C. Durand
ADW - A.B. & C. Durand, Wright
EAW - E.A. Wright
FDU - Fairman, Draper & Underwood
FBN - Franklin Bank Note
FLB - Franklin Lee Bank Note
HBN - Hamilton Bank Note
HLB - Homer Lee Bank Note
HL - Hoyer & Ludwig
HD - Hufty & Danforth
IBC - International Bank Note
JDW - Jocelyn, Draper, Welsh
KB - Keating & Ball
LR - Lenny & Rollinson
JAL - John A. Lowell Bank Note
PM - Peter Maverick
MDF - Murray, Draper, Fairman
NBN - National Bank Note
NEB - New England Bank Note
NYB - New York Bank Note
WLO - W.L. Ormsby
TPC - Terry Pelton
RB - Rawdon, Balch
RC - Rawdon, Clark
RW - Rawdon, Wright
RWH - Rawdon, Wright & Hatch
RWHE - Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson
AR - Abner Reed
RBN - Republic Bank Note
SBN - Security Bank Note
SCB - Security Columbian Bank Note
TDL - Thomas de la Rue
CT - Charles Toppan
TP - Toppan
TC - Toppan, Carpenter
TCC - Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear
TL - Toppan, Longacre
UBS - Underwood, Bald & Spencer
UBSH - Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty
UBN - Union Bank Note
WECO - Walker, Evans & Cogswell
WS - Waterlow & Sons
WBH - Wellstood, Benson & Hawks
WHHW - Wellstood, Hanks, Hay, & Whiting
WHW - Wellstood, Hay & Whiting
WBN - Western Bank Note
WH - Woodruff & Hamond
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Books Used to Catalogue
Stocks and Bonds
1. Anderson -- The Price of Liberty
2. Criswell -- Confederate and Southern States Bonds
3. Falater - American Automotive Stock Certificates
4. Garbani -- Arizona Mines and Mining Companies
5. McDonald & Holabird -- Nevada Mining Stock Certificates and
Bonds
6. Cox -- Stocks and Bonds of North American Railroads
7. Edson -- Railroad Names
8. Kuhlmann -- China's Foreign Debt 1865-1982
9. Drumm/Hensler -- Russian Railway Bonds; Chinese Bonds; Russian
City Bonds; Ottoman Empire & Turkey etc.
10. Castenholz & Sons -- Field Guide to Revenue Stamp Paper
11. Scott's -- Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps
12. Hessler -- An Illustrated History of U.S. Loans 1775-1898
13. Hessler -- The Engraver's Line
14. Poors' Manuals of Railroads
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Terminology Used for Stocks & Bonds
Unlike coins and paper money, the grading of stocks and bonds has
not developed to the point where everyone agrees on or uses similar
standards. The very nature of stocks and bonds defies a grading
system based, for example, on wear, or folds. Instead of trying
to develop a strict grading system, we have used terminology designed
to convey a strictly subjective impression of the items we endeavor
to describe.
Fair -- A certificate with extreme handling, fold splitting,
stains, small pieces or tears.
Fine -- Slightly below average. Folds may be heavy with splits
slightly into the design elements, but with no pieces missing. More
severe flaws will be mentioned.
Very Fine (VF) -- The average grade of most of the stocks
and bonds we encounter. A Very Fine share certificate will have
several light to moderate folds, and the paper will show obvious
wear or softness. Bonds that were originally folded by the printer
may have several additional folds. There may be minor edge roughness,
but any splits that extend into the designs will be described. Very
light soiling is typical, but heavier stains or foxing will be mentioned.
Very Fine+ (VF+) -- Obviously used or worn, but brighter
or cleaner than the average example.
Extremely Fine (EF) -- A well above average example. Stocks
may show a few light to moderate folds. Bonds that were originally
folded may have a few light to moderate extra folds. The paper will
retain most of the original crispness and brightness. The margins
will be free from noticeable edge splits, stains or other problems.
Extremely Fine+ (EF+) -- As made, or nearly so.
All certificates are Very Fine unless otherwise mentioned.
"NC"After a grade means there are no cancellations.
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