Glossary of Numismatics - C

C

Cameo

Strong distinction in the surface appearance of foreground devices relative to the field. Proof coins often exhibit this feature.

Carat

Unit measurement of the weight of precious stones. Usually marked 'c' or 'car'. 1 carat = 200 milligrams. Not to be confused with 'Karat' used with gold.

Cast Coins

Coins produced by pouring metal into a mold. Used for the first Ancient Roman bronze "As" coins and Chinese "cash" coins, but rarely used today. Modern counterfeit coins are often cast.

Centum

One one-hundredth of the basic monetary unit from Latin. The English cent, Romance languages centavos, centimos, centesimos or centimes are one hundredth of a base unit like dollar, euro, peso etc.

Certified Coin

Coin that has been graded and authenticated by one of numerous independent grading services. See also Encapsulated coin.

Chop-mark

See Banker's Mark.

Church Tokens

Also known as Communion Tokens, they were generally issued initially by Scottish parishes (die stamped one-side only to show the parish) and later in USA and Canada; they were square or oblong, and were made of lead, iron or brass and measured 1/4" to 1".

Circulated

Term used to indicate a coin that has wear.

Clad Coinage

Issues of coins that contain a center core and outer layer of differing metals or alloys bonded together. The current U.S. Quarter, dime, and half dollar are made of cupronickel clad copper.

Coin alignment

A method of striking in which the obverse and reverse dies are aligned 180 degrees from each other. All American coins are struck this way.

Collar

Outer ring of the die chamber that holds the blank in place while the obverse and reverse are being stamped.

Contact Marks

Minor abrasions on uncirculated coinage from contact with other coins. Also called "bag marks".

Countermark or Counterstamp

Partial or complete over-stamping of a coin or token in order to change its value or issuing authority, or to display an advertisement, political slogan or symbol, etc. Stamping may consist of a number (value), symbol (authority), letters (advertisement or slogan), or any combination of the above.

Crown

Large coin often struck in precious metal. Modern crowns are usually not highly-circulated due to being too large and/or too heavy. The United States's last crown-sized coin for circulation was the Eisenhower Dollar, last struck in 1978.

Cud

A defect from a chipped die.