Characteristics of a coin
Heads or Tails. Remember that little game we used to play as a kid to decide the winner. How many times has this shiny object been the deciding factor where the toss of a coin can determine life decisions and choices.
In this article, we will explore the anatomy of a coin and what determines the design of a collectible coin today. “Face Value”, “Purity”, “High Relief”, “Proof Coin”. These are the common jargon used by collectors but confusing for a newcomer.
The head of a coin is known as the “Obverse” and the tail is known as the “Reverse”. Now, looking at a collectible coin, can you guess which side is the obverse.
“Face Value”, “Purity”, “High Relief”, “Proof Coin”. These are the common jargon used by collectors but confusing for a newcomer.
Now, did you guess it correctly ? If so, here is a free coin for you. A coin image
The reverse of a coin usually features the image of your desire together with the face value, purity and the jargons indicated in the image above.
- FACE VALUE: Stated value on the coin. This is not what you pay for nor the market value. It is simply a minimum price which the government guarantees to pay you. This is why a coin with face value is also known as legal tender
- PURITY: Precious metal content in a coin. You will often see 999 fine silver or gold which means that the coin is made of 99.99% of the stated material.
- WEIGHT: In the bullion industry, the unit of measurement is in ounce. 1 troy ounce is equivalent to the weight of 31.1 gram.
- FIELD: Flat part of the coin. Collectible coin is usually struck in proof quality that give rise to their shiny and reflective appearance.
- EDGE: Outer border of a coin. They can be plain or milled which refers to the thick lines when you touch the coin.
- RELIEF: Raised image of the coin. You will often notice the central image appears bumped creating a 3D kind of feel. So high relief refers to the bumped image and ultra high relief raise even higher elevating the details of the coin.
The obverse of a coin usually shows the issuing country and the year of issue that marks a timeline for those collecting or receiving the coin as a gift. The often overlooked symbol is the mark indicated in the image above known as the “MINT MARK” . This little symbol identifies the Mint which made the coin. Coins that bear this mark is made by the Singapore Mint. The mint mark could also be identified by a letter such as “P” for perth mint and “W” for west point mint in united states.
Now that you have understood the characteristics of a coin, we would like to invite you on a coin collecting journey with us as we usher in the year of the pig!
