Coin Collecting A to Z
Coin Collecting Terms - Letter
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Tab toning - Term referring to toning often seen on commemorative coins which were sold in cardboard holders with a round tab. Such coins have a circle in the center and are said to have “tab toning”.
Tail feathers - Refers to the tail feathers on the Eagle on the reverse of certain U.S. coins. Particularly, the Morgan Silver Dollars.
Target toning - Toning effect that resembles an archery target - with deeper colors on the periphery often fading to white or cream color at the center.
Technical grading - A system of grading which only takes into account that which has happened to a coin after the minting process. Technical graders often ignore factors such as strike and eye-appeal.
Teddy's Coin - Affectionate name for JUDD-1776 - the 1907 $20 Eagle. Considered my many to be the most desirable and valuable of all US coins. It is a gold coin the size of a $20 Saint with the design of a $10 Indian. Only one is known to exist.
Ten - Slang for an eagle or ten-dollar gold coin.
Ten Indian - Synonym for an Indian Head eagle.
Ten Lib - Synonym for a Liberty Head eagle.
Territorial Gold - Coins and bars privately struck during the various gold rushes.
Territorial gold coins - Pieces of various shapes, denominations and intrinsic worth privately struck in the general area of recently discovered gold deposits, and used for the needs of local commerce.
Tetradrachm - An ancient Greek silver coin weighing about 13 to 17 grams, similar in size to a U.S. quarter but much thicker.
TF - Abbreviation for Tail Feathers.
Thin Market - Term used to describe less-than-great market fundamentals (supply & demand) for a given coin. A "Thin Market" suggests very few interested buyers for a certain coin.
Three - Synonym for the Indian Head three-dollar gold coin.
Three Cent Nickel - Three-cent coins composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel struck from 1865 -1889. The Liberty Head design by James Longacre was copied from the earlier Liberty Head motif by Christian Gobrecht.
Three Cent Silver - Three-cent coin with a star motif that was struck in silver alloy.
Three Legger - Name for the famous three-legged variety of Buffalo nickels minted in 1937 at the Denver Mint.
Thumbed - Term for a coin that has been doctored in a specific way to hide marks, hairlines, or other disturbances. The thumb is rubbed lightly over the disturbances, and the oils in the skin help to disguise any problems.
Thumbing - The rubbing of skin oil onto a coin in an attempt to hide contact marks.
Tissue toning - Color, often vibrant, acquired by coins stored in original Mint paper. The toning is caused by sulfur in the paper reacting with the coin.
Token - A privately issued piece with an exchange value, but not an official government coin.
Toned - An adjective which describes a coin with toning.
Toning - Color acquired from chemical change on the surface of a coin.
Tooled - Term used in reference to the engraving of a coin, usually outside the Mint, in an effort to artificially enhance a coin's appearance and value.
Tooling mark - A line, usually small and fine, found on both genuine and counterfeit coins. They are caused by touch-ups to dies.
Trade dollar - A U.S. silver coin issued from 1873 until 1885 that is slightly heavier than the regular silver dollar. These coins were specifically made for commerce in the Orient.
Transfer die - A die created by sacrificing a coin for a model.
Transitional - Synonym for transitional issue.
Transitional issue - A coin struck after an “official” series ends, or before an “official” series starts. It can also refer to a coin struck with either the obverse or the reverse of a discontinued or upcoming series.
Treasure coin - A coin known to have come from a shipwreck or from a buried or hidden source.
Treasury note - Sometimes called a coin note. Issued under the Act of July 14, 1890. Redeemable in silver and gold coins.
Tree coinage - Silver coins issued by the Massachusetts Colony in three forms: Willow Tree, Oak Tree and Pine Tree. Issued between 1652-82 although all but one are dated 1652.
Trends - A market value guide based on averages derived from auction results, dealer advertisements, price lists and other sources. Represents a guide, not firm buying or selling prices.
Tribute penny - A silver denarius of the Roman emperor Tiberius.
Trime - Another name for three-cent pieces stuck in silver (1851-1873).
Troy Ounce - A weight measurement used for coinage consisting of 20 pennyweights or 480 grains = 31.1 grams = 1/12 Troy pound. Term used primarily in bullion coinage.
Truncation - The sharply cut off bottom edge of a bust.
TRVST - The word TRUST, spelled with the Latin V instead of the more common U, and which appears prominently on the obverse of the Peace Dollar and the Standing Liberty Quarter. The Latin alphabet did not contain the letter U, and instead used a V both as a vowel and a consonant. One of the most common questions that numismatists get is about the Peace Dollar with a misspelled "TRUST"; if it were spelled with a U instead of a V, it really would be a rarity!
Tube - A plastic container designed for storing a roll or similar quantities of coins of the same size.
Turban Head - Synonym for Classic Head.
Twenty - Synonym for a double eagle or twenty-dollar gold coin.
Twenty Lib - Synonym for a Liberty Head double eagle or twenty-dollar gold coin.
Two and a Half - Synonym for a quarter eagle or two-and-one-half dollar gold coin.
Two-cent piece - Synonym for the Shield two-cent coin struck from 1864 - 1873.
Type - A date or group of dates encompassing all of a particular standard design. Example: Lincoln cents. A type set is a collection of coins formed by one example of each type of coin.
Type coin - A representative coin, usually a common date, from a particular issue of a specific design, size, or metal.
Type One - Term for any coin from the first Type within a Series.
Type One Buffalo - A 1913-dated Indian Head nickel with the reverse bison on a raised mound.
Type One Gold Dollar - The Liberty Head design gold dollar struck from 1849 until mid-1854 in Philadelphia and for the full year in Dahlonega and San Francisco.
Type One Nickel - The Jefferson Head five-cent coin struck from 1938 until mid-1942 and from 1946 until today. Also may refer to the Type One Buffalo nickel.
Type One Quarter - The Standing Liberty quarter struck from 1916 to mid-1917.
Type One Twenty - Liberty Head double eagles struck from 1850 until mid-1866. These coins did not have a motto on the reverse and had “TWENTY D.” as the denomination.
Type set - A collection of coins of various designs. The goal of the type set collector is to obtain at least one example of several different types.
Type Three - Term for any coin from the third Type within a Series.
Type Three Gold Dollar - The Small Indian Head design struck from 1856 until the series ended in 1889. Since the San Francisco Mint did not receive the Type Three dies in time to strike the new design in 1856, the coins from that Mint are Type Two style.
Type Three Twenty - Liberty Head double eagles struck from 1877 until the series ended in 1907. Type Three coins have the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” on the reverse and read “TWENTY DOLLARS” for the denomination.
Type Two - Term for any coin from the second Type within a Series.
Type Two Buffalo - An Indian Head nickel struck from mid-1913 until the series ended in 1938. The reverse bison is shown on level ground.
Type Two Gold Dollar - The Large Indian Head design gold dollar struck from mid-1854 until 1855 in Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans. Since San Francisco did not receive new dies before the end of 1856, they struck Type Two coins during that year.
Type Two Nickel - The Jefferson Head five-cent coin struck from mid-1942 until 1945. The Type Two nickel is composed of silver, manganese, and copper, and has a large mintmark above Monticello on the reverse. These are the first U.S. coins to have a “P” mintmark indicating their being struck by the Philadelphia Mint. Also see: War nickel, Wartime nickel.
Type Two Quarter - The Standing Liberty quarter struck from mid-1917 until the series ended in 1930. This design features a Miss Liberty with a covered breast, three stars under the reverse eagle, and a more intricate head design.
Type Two Twenty - Liberty Head double eagles struck from mid-1866 - 1876. These coins have the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” on the reverse and “TWENTY DOL.” as the denomination.
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