Articles

Today, we're diving into the intriguing world of 'Weak Strike' for our weekly glossary. When not enough pressure is used to strike the coin, the design will appear to be weak and an uncirculated coin will look like a used example. next...

We turn our attention to another term in the field of numismatics this week, known as the "Harp Strings". In the reign of Charles II and some other reigns the number of harp strings on the reverse varied, possibly to indicate which dies were being used. next...

This week, we are exploring a fascinating term in numismatics: the "Snick". This refers to a small incision or cut made into the edge of a hammered coin to verify its metal content. Most famously mandated by King Henry I, these official test cuts proved the coin was solid silver all the way through without actually removing any metal—reassuring a sceptical public while preserving the coin's full weight. next...

We're back with another term from the world of numismatics, this time we're diving into the definition of "Grain". A weight where one grain equals 0.064799 grams. next...

This week's numismatic term is "Petition Crown". Thomas Simon submitted the design for a crown to Charles II in 1663. The workmanship was excellent and Simon managed to get two lines of text on the edge of the coin. next...

We are back with another numismatic definition: Mint Sport. A coin struck illicitly but from genuine dies to produce an error or novelty of some kind. next...

Another week, another numismatic term for you, this time it is 'Early Striking'. When a new pair of dies is first used they are heavily polished and thus the first few coins struck will have a prooflike appearance. next...

The numismatic term for the week is "Mestrelle or Meystrell". A French engraver who introduced the method of striking coins that we call today `milled coinage'. Elizabeth I experimented with coins struck on a screw press between 1561 and 1571. Very neat workmanship and of a vastly superior quality than hammered coins. But the Mint employees feared that this new machinery would put them out of a job and Mestrelle was dismissed. In 1578 he was hung for counterfeiting! next...

This week's numismatic term 'Mule'. If you take one die from one coin and another die from a second coin and combine the two dies to make a third coin, this third coin is called a mule. When Taylor had the Soho Mint dies, he muled many different coins to come up with an equal number of new varieties. next...

Today, let's delve into another term from our glossary of numismatics. We'll be focusing on "Low Relief". Dies which are cut with the design in relief which does not protrude from the surface a great deal. next...