| 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. |
| BN -- | Brown. Color grade for uncirculated copper coins (BN, RB, or RD). |
| BTW -- | By The Way. Internet phrase. |
| BU (MS60?) -- | Brilliant Uncirculated. Vague Grade. |
| BV -- | Bullion Value. The value of the coin is closely related to its metallic content (usually silver or gold). |
| C -- | Charlotte (North Carolina). Mintmark, 1838-61, gold coins only. |
| C# (C1-C23?) -- | Cohen number (1982). Die variety - Half Cents, 1793-1857. |
| CC -- | 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. |
| CW -- | Coin World. Publication. |
| D -- | Dahlonega (Georgia). Mintmark, 1838-61, gold coins only. |
| D -- | 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. |
| FA -- | For Auction. Internet phrase. |
| FAQ -- | Frequently Asked Question. List of such questions and answers. Internet phrase. |
| FE -- | 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. |
| FS -- | 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. |
| GD -- | 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. |
| NC -- | 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. |
| NN -- | 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) |
| O -- | 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. |
| OT -- | Off Topic. Internet phrase. |
| OTOH -- | On The Other Hand. Internet phrase. |
| P -- | 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. |
| PL -- | Proof Like. Business strike, with mirrored planchet. |
| PNG -- | Professional Numismatists Guild. Dealer organization. |
| PQ -- | 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:
|
| RB -- | Red-Brown. Color grade for uncirculated copper coins (BN, RB, or RD). |
| 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. |
| S -- | 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. |
| SP -- | 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. |
| W -- | West Point (New York). Mintmark, 1984-. |
| WL -- | Walking Liberty (half dollar). US coin, 1916-1947. |
| WTB -- | Wanted To Buy. Internet phrase. |
| XF (XF40, XF45) -- | eXtremely Fine. Grade. |
| YMMV -- | Your Mileage May Vary. Internet phrase. |
Please send additions, corrections, and comments to
Clint Cummins
clint@leland.stanford.edu .
rev. 7/15/2003