Alloy: the proportionate metallic compound of a coin.
Silver: a very malleable metal in its pure state, strengthened with copper to make the coin hard enough.
Mint: place where coins are struck, sometimes indicated by a letter or a motif.
Obverse (or right): side with the principal design (the type).
Billon: alloy of copper (over 50%) and silver.
Bronze: alloy of copper and tin (4 to 22%).
Field: flat background area, with no engraved motif, between the subject and legend if any.
Die: often produced in bronze and made up of two parts, the die has the recessed inverse image to that on the coin, which is struck using a hammer. Dies are changed after a certain number of strikes (depending on the coin metal).
Evaluation: price of a coin on the collectors’ market.
Electrum: natural alloy of gold and silver.
Exergue: the area at the bottom of a coin, below the design, sometimes separated by a line.
Flan: blank metal disk cut out or cast then weighed before being struck to produce a coin.
Fourrée: coin, often bronze, plated with silver or gold, to produce a counterfeit.
Beading: series of dots, points or teeth forming a circle near the rim.
Legend: inscription, on the obverse (or) on the reverse of the coin.
Rim: smooth or raised border to reduce wear on the coin.
Gold: bright yellow precious metal, combined with silver or copper to make the coins harder.
Potin: alloy of copper and tin (25%).
Reverse: second side of the coin, it bears the face value on modern coins.
Edge: space corresponding to the thickness of the coin.
Type: the main design on each side of a coin. Coins with the same type form a type set.
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