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EAC
Abbreviation for Early American Coppers

Eagle
A gold coin with a face value of ten dollars. Along with the dollar, the eagle was the basis of the U.S. currency system from 1792 through 1971.

Early American Coppers (Club)
A club dedicated to advancing the study of pre-1857 United States copper coinage including Colonials.

ED
Acronym for environmental damage.

Edge
The third side of a coin. It may be reeded, ornamented, or plain.

Edge device
Letters or emblems on the edge of a coin. Examples would be the stars and lettering on the edge of Saint-Gaudens double eagles.

EF
Acronym for Extremely Fine

Electrotype
A duplicate coin created by the electrolytic method, where metal is deposited into a mold made from the original. The obverse and reverse metal shells are then filled with metal and fused together. The edges are then sometimes filed smooth to obscure the seam.

Elements
The various devices and emblems seen on coins.

Eliasberg
Short for Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr., who was the only collector ever to assemble a complete collection of United States coins.

Emission sequence
The order in which die states are struck. Also, the die use sequence for a particular issue.

Engraver
The person responsible for the design and/or punches used to craft a coin.

Envelope toning
Coloration that results from storage in small manila “coin envelopes”. Most paper envelopes contain reactive chemicals.

Environmental damage
Corrosion-effect seen on a coin that has been exposed to the elements. The damage may range from minor dulling to severe pitting.

Eroded die
Synonym for a worn die.

Error
A numismatic item that unintentionally varies from the norm. Overdates and overmintmarks are not considered errors since they were done intentionally. Other die-cutting “mistakes” are considered errors. Double dies, planchet clips, and off-metal strikings are also considered errors.

Essai
Term for trial or pattern strikings. The anglicized version is essay and literally means a test or trial.

Exonumia
The study and collecting of objects that are related to coins, but not coins. This includes items such as tokens and medals, as well as wooden money, elongated and encased coinage, checks, credit cards, and similar items. It is not at all uncommon for numismatists to be interested in exonumia as well as numismatics

Expert
A specialist in a particular numismatic area. (i.e. A gold expert, a Morgan Dollar expert, a CC-Mint expert, etc.)

Extra Fine
Alternate term for Extremely Fine.

Extremely Fine
Term for the grades EF40 and EF45.

Extremely High Relief
The 1907 double eagle issue designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The coin had so much depth that multiple punches from a powerful press were required to fully bring up the detail. Because of this difficulty, the design was lowered, resulting in the High Relief. This too was lowered to create the Standing Liberty double eagle, or Saint.

Eye appeal
The aesthetic effect a coin has on its viewer. Although quite subjective, like any form of art, that which constitutes eye appeal is generally agreed upon by most experienced numismatists.

- F -

F
Abbreviation for Fine

Fair
The grade FR-2.

Fake
A counterfeit or altered coin.

Fantasy piece
A term applied to coins struck at the whim of Mint officials. Examples include the various 1865 Motto and 1866 No Motto coins.

Fasces
Term referring to the motif on the reverse of Mercury dimes. The design consists of a bundle of rods banded (wrapped) around an ax with a protruding blade. The designation “full bands” refers to fasces on which there is complete separation in the central bands across the rods.

Fat head
Term for the Small Size Capped Bust quarters and half eagles.

FB
Acronym for Full Bands.

FBL
Acronym for Full Bell Lines.

FH
Acronym for Full Head.

Fiat currency
Coins or paper money that do not have metal value or are not backed by metal value.

Field
The flat (or slightly curved) portion of a coin where there is no design.

Fine
Term for the grades F-12 and F-15.

Finest known
The best-known condition example of a particular numismatic item.

First shot
Term for the opportunity to buy a numismatic item before it is offered to others.

First strike
A coin struck early in the life of a die. First strikes can be characterized by striated or mirror-like fields if the die was polished. First strikes are almost always fully or well struck, with crisp detail.

Five Indian
Term for the Indian Head half eagles struck from 1908 to 1929.

Five Lib
Term for the Liberty Head half eagles struck from 1839 until 1908.

Flat edge
Term referring to the particular specimens of High Reliefs that do not have a wire edge.

Flat luster
A subdued type of gray or dull luster often seen on coins struck from worn dies.

Flip
A clear, flexible plastic holder used to display and store coins. Also see: PVC.

Flip rub
Discoloration, often only slight, on the highest points of a coin caused by contact with a flip.

Flow lines
Lines, sometimes visible, resulting from the metal flowing outward from the center of a planchet as it is struck. Cartwheel lustre is the result of light reflecting from flow lines.

Flowing Hair
The design of Miss Liberty with long, flowing hair that is attributed to Mint engraver Robert Scot.

Flying Eagle
Term for Flying Eagle Cent.

Flying Eagle Cent
The small cent, struck in 88% copper and 12% nickel, that replaced the large cent.

Focal area
The area of a coin to which a viewer’s eye is drawn. Liberty’s cheek is the focal point of the Morgan Dollar.

Foreign
A numismatic item not from the United States.

Four-dollar gold piece
An experimental issue, also known as a stella, struck in 1879-1880 as a pattern coin.

FR
Acronym for Fair.

Franklin half-dollar
The half-dollar struck from 1948 until 1963 designed by John Sinnock. The coin featured Ben Franklin on the obverse and the Liberty Bell on the reverse.

Friction
A disturbance which appears either on the high-points of a coin or in the fields, as a result of that coin rubbing against other objects. A coin is said to have friction when only the lustre is disturbed, and no actual wear of the metal is visible to the naked eye.

Frost
An effect seen on the raised parts of a coin whereby the metal appears crystallized.

Frosted devices
Raised elements on coins struck with treated dies to impart a crystallized appearance.

FS
Acronym for Full Steps.

Fugio cents
1787 one-cent coins that are considered by some to be the first regular issue U. S. coin. Since they were authorized by the Continental Congress, this would seem to be a logical assumption. However, Congress did not pass the Mint Act until 1792, so an argument for the half dismes (half-dimes) of 1792 as the first regular issue is also valid.

Full Bands
Abbreviated as FB, this term is applied to Mercury (Winged Liberty Head) dimes when the central band is fully separated.

Full Bell Lines
Abbreviated as FBL, this term is applied to Franklin half-dollars when the lower sets of bell lines are complete.

Full Head
Abbreviated as FH, this term is applied to Standing Liberty quarters when the helmet of the head has full detail.

Full Steps
Term applied to a Jefferson five-cent piece when 5½ or 6 steps of Monticello are present.

Full strike
A numismatic item that has full detail. The metal flows into all areas of the die.

FUN Show
The annual convention sponsored by the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) held in early January. Considered by most dealers to be the best coin show of the year!

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Galvano
The large metal relief turned in a portrait lathe to become a steel hub.

Garrett
Term relating to the Garrett family. There were two main collectors, Thomas H. Garrett and John W. Garrett, who formed this extensive collection from the late 1800s through the early 1900s. It was later given to Johns Hopkins University and sold in five auction sales.

Gem
An adjective that the A.N.A. applies to coins which grade Mint State or Proof-67. Most dealers, however, apply the adjective to any coin which they grade MS/Proof-65.

Gem BU
Synonym for Gem Brilliant Uncirculated.

Gem Uncirculated
See Gem.

Gobrecht dollar
Silver dollars dated 1836, 1838, and 1839 struck in those years and later restruck. Named for their designer, Christian Gobrecht, Chief Engraver from 1840-44.

Gold commemorative
Any of the eleven gold coins struck from 1903 until 1926 to honor a person, place, or event. Also, any of the modern United States commemorative gold issues sometimes referred to as modern gold commems.

Gold dollar
Small coins of one-dollar denomination struck from 1849 until 1889.

Good
The grades G-4 and G-6.

Grade
The numerical or adjectival condition of a coin.

Grader
A person who evaluates the condition of coins.

Grading
The process of numerically quantifying the condition of a coin.