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A LITTLE NUMISMATIC GLOSSARY
The descriptions are very short, incomplete and maybe inaccurate for english language: if you can, see also italian glossary.
For inexpert in numismatics: see also the legend and, to ask any question about italian medieval and modern coins, without pledge, contact us! We quickly answer...
| Acmonital | Word used in Rome mint to identify a particular type of stainless-steel; "Acciaio monetario italiano". |
| Anepigraph | A coin w/o inscriptions. |
| Billon | Silver alloy, low title (< 50%). |
| Bracteate | Medieval silver coins, with bockage proceeding (incuse) and with big diameter and with very thin edge. |
| Bronzital | Word used in Rome mint to identify a particular type of copper-aluminum-nickel alloy. |
| Carat (K) | For numismatics is the measure unit explaining the noble-metal quantity into the coin, in 24 parts for 1 unit: for example, gold 750/.. is 18k gold. Etymology: arab qirat, the Carob seed. |
| Field | The coins' sectors not occuped by pictures, letters, numbers,..... |
| Consecration coin | In roman coinage: a coin struck after death of who's displayed (under another emperor), for his/her deification. |
| Countermark | Letter, symbol, monogram punched on a coin's side - for example, to change his value or, frequently, to guarantee its weight and fineness - by the State or by private persons. Sometimes a countermark is used with political meaning, to state an authority, w/o a coins' circulation changement. (Photo: Caivs Vibivs Pansa's denarivs, 90 b.C.) |
| Serrated | A coin with the edge "regularly irregular" (it is not plain, but like a saw), to prevent filing proceeding. It's a common proceeding for many roman republican denarii (photo: Cornelivs Scipio Asiagenvs, denarius, 105 b.C.; Ivppiter-head). |
| Edge | "Thickness" of the coin; may be plain or reeded, or show symbols, mottos, etc.; in the beginning edges were decorated to avoid illegal filings of gold or silver. |
| Electrum | A natural or created alloy of gold and silver. |
| Exergue | On reverse, the area below pictures, often delimited with a line. |
| Brockage/Incuse | A punch-mark, a hollowed picture on the coin. In the ancient Greek (and Roman, other classic, etc.) coinage there're some coin-types inwich the reverse is the incuse obverse; brockage may result when a coin sticks in a die following striking; if the mint-worker doesn't remove it, the next coin receives the impression of the coin rather than the die. The resulting impression is identical to the other side of the coin but incuse and reversed. Brockages showing the reverse are much less common since mint workers would be more likely to see the stuck coin in the anvil die. |
| Ex-Jewelry | These coins, coming from objects where they were positioned, are considered damaged by collectors and sell for much less than perfect coins. |
| Intrinsic | Is the content of "noble" metal (gold, silver...) in the alloy. |
| Italma | Word used in Rome mint to identify an aluminum alloy. |
| Legend | What's writed on the coin's sides. |
| Nominal | Is the legal tender of the coin for circulation. |
| Obsidional | A coin struck under siege. |
| Pātina, Patination |
The colour "absorbed" by the coin because of surroundings factors: the ground-type, contact with other metals or with sea-water, minerals, etc.; patina(tion) is typical for bronze or copper coins (not for gold coins; for silver pieces there is often only sulphuration) and maybe a good authenticity-guarantee and important for worth (especially if whole, regular and brilliant). Patina may be green (more tonalities; photo: Hemilitron from Agrigentum, in Sicily, ca. 425 b.C.), yellow, brown, black, red, blue (rare), etc. |
| Obverse | The most important side of a coin, representing the authority. Often is the "anvil-side". |
| Restitution/Restoration coin | In roman coinage, is a coin-type re-struck under another emperor with the pictures of original emission and the name of the new emperor. |
| Retrograde | A coin called Retrograde is a coin with legend going left all around the "brink". See photo: a Titvs' aureus (79-81 a.D.). |
| Ribattitura | Imperfezione dovuta al conio o ad uno spostamento della moneta fra i successivi colpi di martello. Anche "salto di conio". |
| Right and Left | Here: right and left for the observer, not for heraldry. |
| Scyphate | A coin concave because of a particular production proceeding. Typical are some Byzantine and medieval, created with a particular proceeding using the die. The picture shows an aspron of Isaac II (1185-1195), in electrum (see). |
| Sovrabattitura | La sovrabattitura di una moneta č il riutilizzo della stessa, in luogo di un tondello nuovo, per un nuovo procedimento di coniazione. Spesso rimangono tracce della prima battitura. |
| Lined - Sandwich | Coins with the "heart" in poor metal, plated with silver or others. For example some Roman republican or imperatorial Denarii. |
| Fineness | The content (in %) of a metal in the alloy. |
| Blank | tondello Il disco metallico costituente la moneta da coniare. |
| Tosatura | Illegal filing of the edge of gold or silver coins. |
| Reverse | Il lato opposto a quello ritenuto il dritto; in genere č preso come riferimento per la distinzione immediata delle varie tipologie. |
| Uniface | A coin struck only on a side. The reverse is plain. |
| LEGEND - ABBREVIATIONS | NUMISMATIC GLOSSARY | FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |