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Coin terms & definitions

History of New Zealand coins

Coin grading

General coin collecting information

Rarest coins in the world

How to spot fake silver coins

General Numismatic Information

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Different Types of Collectable Coins

Old Coins: 
Any coins that are no longer in circulation
Error coins: 
Any coin with a flaw which distinguishes it from the normal. These are often extremely rare and carry a high price tag.
Proof coins: 
Specially minted for collectors. They have immaculate design and finish made to the highest quality. 
Brilliant Uncirculated coins: 
Coins with a fine mint appearance and lustre and uncirculated. Slightly lower in definition to a proof coin.
Commemorative coins: 
Issued to mark a special event or tribute to an important person. 
Bullion coins: 
Coins crafted from precious metals such as gold, platinum and silver.
Ancient coins: 
Exceptional pieces of history, often handmade, which can date back to Roman or Greek times or earlier
Circulating coins:
The coins in general circulation for daily use.
World coins:
 Any coin which is from a country which is outside New Zealand.

Parts of a Coin

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The OBVERSE is the top or heads side of a coin. Usually the side with the coin’s date and portrait design. Typically the obverse side contains:

• ​Portrait: Generally, the main part of a coin’s design. Common portraits include presidents, kings, queens, and Liberty.
• Date: Indicates the year a coin was minted or first issued.
• Legend: The main letters, often referred to the coin’s inscription.
• Motto: Coin lettering or inscriptions like “In God We Trust,” and “Liberty.”
• Field: The flat area of a coin’s surface that is not raised and doesn’t have any design or inscription.

The REVERSE is the back or tails side of a coins. Typically the reverse contains:

• Relief: The part of a coin’s design that is raised above the surface.
• Designers Initials: The initials of the person who designed the coin.
• Mint Mark: The always small letter or symbol on a coin that indicates where a coin was minted. In the U.S. for example the common mint marks include Philadelphia “P”, Denver “D”, San Francisco “S”.
• Motto: Coin lettering or inscriptions like “In God We Trust,” “E Pluribus Unum,” and “Liberty.”
• Legend: The main letters, often referred to the coin’s inscription.
• Field: The flat area of a coin’s surface that is not raised and doesn’t have any design or inscription.

Coins have two other parts as well:
The Rim: The raised edge on both sides that runs completely around a coin. The design helps protect a coin’s design from wear, and makes coins easier to stack.
The Edge: Often called the “third side” of a coin, the edge is the very outer border of a coin. Edges can be lettered, like the new U.S. Presidential $1 coins, plain, reeded, or decorated.