Coin Glossary

You can find most popular coin collecting phrases in this coin glossary.

Coin Glossary

R

raw - means the coin has not been certified, slabbed or encapsulated by a coin grading service.

Red Book -The Official RED BOOK of US COINS. A price guide book on US coins and their values by R.S. Yeoman. Perhaps the most popular book for listing US coin retail values, grades, and mintages.

Redfield - Lafavre Redfield.  Silver dollar collector/investor. 

reeded edge - The edge of a coin that has small reed like lines on it. Today's US dimes and quarters are examples of reeded edge coins. See "lettered edge" and "incused edge".

relief - the part of the design that is raised from the surface of the coin. Example: Washington's face on a Washington quarter.

restrike - a coin minted from original dies, however at a later date than originally intended.

reverse - the back side of the coin. Opposite of obverse.

riddler - a machine that sorts out wrong size/defective blanks (planchlets)

rim - the raised edge of a coin created by the upsetting mill. The idea being that if the edge on both sides of the coin is raised like the design it will help protect the coins design from wear.

roll - a group of coins in the same denomination in a paper wrapper package by banks, dealers, or the US Mint. Sometimes a roll is put into a plastic coin tube. The number of coins in a roll depend on the denomination. For US Cents there are 50 in a roll, nickels- 40, dimes- 50, quarters- 40, halves- 20, dollars- 25.

rounds - coin shaped silver pieces. Not official legal tender, however they may be accurate in bullion weight. Like silver bars only shaped like a coin.  

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