Whether you’re receiving a coin appraisal or just conversing with other collectors, it helps to have the proper vocabulary. In fact, this knowledge could even help you identify a particularly rare coin and score a great deal. While there are a lot of places where you can learn these terms, the best way is to talk directly to the professionals. At Coins Plus, Cincinnati’s leading coin dealer, we strive to educate our customers, so they too can become expert collectors.

Check out these 10 essential coin anatomy terms you need to know: 

• Obverse: Shown on the right in the example above, the obverse refers to the front, or "head," of the coin. It typically features a political portrait or symbol.
• Reverse: The term means the back, or “tail,” of the coin.
• Rim: The rim is the perimeter of both the obverse and reverse. The rim is the scalloped line along the outside of the coin in our example above.
• Edge: The edge, sometimes called the “third side,” is the coin's outermost border. U.S. quarters and dimes, for example, have a reeded edge.
• Mint Mark: The mint mark indicates the specific mint that produced the coin. Not all coins have this mark, so ask a coin dealer if you can't identify the origin.
• Legend: The legend tells the coin collector the coin's country of origin. In our example, the legend reads “Estados Unidos Mexicanos,” or “United States of Mexico.”  
• Motto: The motto refers to an inspirational or historical saying. While there is no motto on this Mexican centavos, you will find two on most U.S. coins: “E Pluribus Unum” and “In God We Trust.”
• Field: This term refers to all the smooth parts on the obverse and reverse.
• Relief: The relief is the opposite of the field as it refers to all the raised parts of the coin.
• Date: The date indicates the year in which a coin was minted. This particular coin, for example, was minted in 1935.

Part of being a coin collector is understanding your collection. With 44 years of coin dealing experience, Coins Plus can help you do just that. For more tips on how to collect and identify coins like an expert, visit our website. If you’re interested in selling, call us at (513) 621-1996 and set up a coin appraisal with one of our dealers.