Acronyms used in Coin Collecting

Acronyms used in Coin Collecting

Also see the following pages

Banknote Collecting - Coins & Cleaning - Banknote Terminology - World Banknote Signatures

ABPN

alt.binary.pictures.numismatic . An internet newsgroup where (large) coin pictures can be posted.

ACG

ACcu-Grade. Grading service. Controversial at present, because the assigned grades seem to be inflated relative to standard services like PCGS and NGC.

aF (VG10)

about Fine. Grade.

AFAIK

As Far As I Know. Internet phrase.

AG (AG3)

About Good. Grade.

ANA

American Numismatic Association. Collector and dealer organization.

ANACS

(originally) American Numismatic Association Certification Service. Grading service. It has since been sold to a company independent of the ANA.

ASE (SAE)

American Silver Eagle. A one ounce silver bullion coin, issued 1986-date.

AU (AU50, AU53, AU55, AU58)

About Uncirculated. Grade.

aVF (F15?)

about Very Fine. Grade.

aXF (VF35?)

about Extremely Fine. Grade.

B# (B1-B10?)

Browning number (1925). Die variety - Bust Quarters, 1796-1838.

B# (B1-B23?)

Bolender number (1950, 1998). Die variety - Silver Dollars, 1794-1803.

BB# (BB1-BBn?)

Bowers and Borckardt number (1993). Die variety - Silver Dollars, 1794-1804 and later.

BG# (BG101-BG1313)

Breen and Gillio number (1983). Die variety - California private gold, 1852-1882.

BIN

Buy It Now. eBay (www.ebay.com) phrase.

Brown. Color grade for uncirculated copper coins (BN, RB, or RD).

BTW

By The Way. Internet phrase.

BU (MS60?)

Brilliant Uncirculated. Vague Grade.

Bullion Value. The value of the coin is closely related to its metallic content (usually silver or gold).

Charlotte (North Carolina). Mintmark, 1838-61, gold coins only.

C# (C1-C23?)

Cohen number (1982). Die variety - Half Cents, 1793-1857.

Carson City (Nevada). Mintmark, 1870-93, gold and silver coins only.

CMM# (CMM1-CMM13?)

Cohen, Munson, Munde number (1971). Die variety - Half Cents, 1793-1857.

CSDG

California Small Denomination Gold.

Coin World. Publication.

Dahlonega (Georgia). Mintmark, 1838-61, gold coins only.

Denver (Colorado). Mintmark, 1906-.

DC (DCAM)

Deep Cameo. High grade proof.

DDO

Doubled Die Obverse. Type of die variety.

DDR

Doubled Die Reverse. Type of die variety.

DMPL

Deep Mirror Proof Like. Business strike, with deep mirrored planchet.

EAC

Early American Coppers, Inc. Collector and dealer organization.

EF (EF40, EF45)

Extremely Fine. Grade.

F (F12, F15)

Fine. Grade.

For Auction. Internet phrase.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Question. List of such questions and answers. Internet phrase.

Flying Eagle (cent). US cent coin, 1856-1858.

Fr (FR2, Fair2)

Fair. Grade.

FRNS

Fellow of Royal Numismatic Society. Collector and dealer organization.

FS# (FS1-FS?)

Fivaz and Stanton number (19xx). Die variety - many series.

For Sale. Internet phrase.

FVF

Final Value Fee. eBay (www.ebay.com) phrase.

FWIW

For What It's Worth. Internet phrase.

FYI

For Your Information. Internet phrase.

G (G4, G6)

Good. Grade.

Golden Dollar. US Sacagawea dollar coin, 2000-date.

GMM

Gallery Mint Museum. A current producer of replicas of early US coins.

HTH

Hope This Helps. Internet phrase.

ICGS

Independent Coin Grading Service. Grading service.

IHC

Indian Head Cent. US cent coin, 1858-1909. (1858 is a pattern)

IIRC

If I Recall Correctly. Internet phrase.

IMHO

In My Humble Opinion. Internet phrase.

IMO

In My Opinion. Internet phrase.

ISO

In Search Of. Internet phrase.

J# (J1-J1778?)

Judd number (1959-77). Pattern or experimental coin.

JR# (JR1-JR13?)

John Reich number (Davis, et al, 1984). Die variety - Bust Dimes, 1794-1837.

KM# (KM1-KM?)

Krause and Mishler number. From Standard Catalog of World Coins. Type of world coin. Includes California, Mormon, Colorado, Hawaii.

LM# (LM1-LM18)

Logan-McCloskey number (1998). Die variety - Bust Half Dimes, 1792-1837.

LOL

Little Old Lady. (Possibly) naive customer/seller. Objectionable term; included here because of the other LOL.

LOL

Laughing Out Loud. Internet phrase.

MS (MS60-MS70)

Mint State. (Uncirculated, business strike). Grade.

N# (N1-N17?)

Newcomb number (1944). Die variety - Large Cents, 1816-1868.

N# (N1-N105?)

Newman number (1952). Die variety - Fugio Cents, 1787.

NARU

Not A Registered User (implies account terminated due to violation of rules). eBay (www.ebay.com) phrase.

Not Collectable. A unique or nearly unique coin. Usually one of Sheldon's die varieties of Large Cents. At the time of Sheldon's "Penny Whimsey" (1958), for a coin to be NC, there had to be less than 3 specimens known.

NGC

Numismatic Guarantee Corporation. Grading service.

NLG

Numismatic Literary Guild. A prestigious organization of writers of numismatically related articles, books, etc.

Numismatic News. Publication.

NPB

Non Paying Bidder. Observed when the high bidder does not follow through with a payment. Auction / eBay (www.ebay.com) phrase.

NTC

Numistrust Corporation. Grading service. (relatively new, reputation unknown)

New Orleans (Louisiana). Mintmark, 1838-1861,1879-1909.

O# (O101-O128?)

Overton number (1970). Die variety - Bust Half Dollars, 1794-1836.

OMM

Over MintMark. Two different mintmarks involved. (versus RPM, which is the same mintmark punched more than once). Type of die variety.

Off Topic. Internet phrase.

OTOH

On The Other Hand. Internet phrase.

Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). Mintmark, 1942-45 (5c only), 1979- (all but 1c). Sometimes denotes absence of mintmark.

PCGS

Professional Coin Grading Service. Grading service.

PCI

Photo-certified Coin Institute. Grading service.

PF (PF60-PF70)

Proof. Type of coin production and/or Grade. Contrasts with business strike.

Proof Like. Business strike, with mirrored planchet.

PNG

Professional Numismatists Guild. Dealer organization.

Premium Quality. Sometimes part of the sealed slab grade, such as a MS64 PQ (not quite good enough for MS65). Often it is just a hype adjective like "Choice" or "Select".

Pr (PR1, Poor1)

Poor. Grade.

PR (PR60-PR70)

Proof. Type of coin production and/or Grade. Contrasts with business strike.

PVC

Poly Vinyl Chloride. An ingredient of soft plastic "flip" coin holders which will damage coins over time.

R# (R1-R8)

Rarity scale. R1 most common; R8 least common. The often used Sheldon scale is:

R8 = 1-3 known (estimated), "Unique or Nearly Unique"
R7 = 4-12 known, "Extremely Rare"
R6 = 13-30 known, "Very Rare"
R5 = 31-75 known, "Rare"
R4 = 76-200 known, "Very Scarce"
R3 = 201-500 known, "Scarce"
R2 = 501-1250 known, "Uncommon"
R1 = over 1251 known, "Common"

Red-Brown. Color grade for uncirculated copper coins (BN, RB, or RD).

Red. Color grade for uncirculated copper coins (BN, RB, or RD).

RIC

Roman Imperial Coinage.

RNS

Royal Numismatic Society. Collector and dealer organization.

ROFL

Rolling On the Floor Laughing. Internet phrase.

RPC

Roman Provincial Coinage.

RPD

RePunched Date. Type of die variety.

RPM

RePunched Mintmark. Type of die variety.

RSC

Roman Silver Coinage.

San Francisco (California). Mintmark, 1854-1955, 1968-.

S# (S1-S295?)

Sheldon number (1949). Die variety - Large Cents, 1793-1814.

S# (S1-S9?)

Snow number (1992). Die variety - Flying Eagle and Indian Head Cents, 1856-1909.

SAE (ASE)

Silver American Eagle. A one ounce silver bullion coin, issued 1986-date.

SBA

Susan B. Anthony (dollar). US coin, 1979-1981,1999.

SEGS

Sovereign Entities Grading Service. Grading service.

SLQ

Standing Liberty Quarter. US coin, 1916-1930.

Specimen. Better than business strike, but not quite a proof.

TIA

Thanks In Advance. Internet phrase.

TTFN

Ta Ta For Now. Internet phrase.

UC (UCAM)

Ultra Cameo. High grade proof.

UNC (Unc., MS60?)

Uncirculated. Grade.

V# (V1-V10?)

Valentine number (1975). Die variety - Half Dimes, 1794-1873.

VAM# (VAM1-VAM230?)

Van Allen and Mallis number (1976). Die variety - Morgan Dollars, 1878-1921.

VG (VG8, VG10)

Very Good. Grade.

VF (VF20, VF30, perhaps VF35)

Very Fine. Grade.

West Point (New York). Mintmark, 1984-.

Walking Liberty (half dollar). US coin, 1916-1947.

WTB

Wanted To Buy. Internet phrase.

XF (XF40, XF45)

Extremely Fine. Grade

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