Coin Collecting A to Z
Coin Collecting Terms - Letter
G
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G / Good - grading term used to describe well worn coins with main features clear and bold although rather flat. On the Sheldon scale this corresponds to a numerical grade of 4 to 6.
Galvano - The large metal relief turned in a portrait lathe to become a steel hub.
Garrett - Term relating to the Garrett family. There were two main collectors, Thomas H. Garrett and John W. Garrett, who formed this extensive collection from the late 1800s through the early 1900s. It was later given to Johns Hopkins University and sold in five auction sales.
Gem - Applied to an Uncirculated or Proof coin, denotes "flawless" and suggest "high aesthetic quality."
Gem BU - Synonym for Gem Brilliant Uncirculated.
German silver - An alloy of copper, nickel and zinc but no silver. Also called American silver, Feuchtwanger's composition, nickel silver.
Gobrecht dollar - Silver dollars dated 1836, 1838, and 1839 struck in those years and later re-struck. Named for their designer, Christian Gobrecht, Chief Engraver at the US Mint from 1840 to 1844.
Gold certificate - A form of U.S. paper money once redeemable in gold coins. Temporarily made illegal for most to hold between 1933 and 1964.
Gold commemorative - Any of the eleven gold coins struck from 1903 until 1926 to honor a person, place, or event. Also, any of the modern United States commemorative gold issues sometimes referred to as modern gold commems.
Gold dollar - Small coins of $1.00 denomination struck from 1849 until 1889.
Goldine - A gold-colored finish often used for medals or tokens.
Grade - Condition assigned to a coin mainly in an effort to determine its relative value.
Grader - A person who evaluates the condition of coins.
Grading - The process of evaluation leading to assignment of a grade.
Grain - A unit of measurement equal to six hundred and forty-eight ten-thousandths (.0648) of a gram.
Gram - A metric unit of weight. A unit equal to three hundred and twenty-two ten thousandths (.0322) of a troy ounce.
Grease mark - Abrasions on a coin's surface, caused by oil or grease dropped onto a die during the minting process.
Greysheet - The nickname given to the Coin Dealer Newsletter, a coin price guide for U.S. issues intended primarily for dealer-to-dealer transactions for uncertified coins.
Coin Collecting Terms (G) to Homepage
