Walter Breen
"shift" popular term for mint error die characterized by two entries from a hub not properly aligned with each other, causing overlapping or double- outlined letters, etc.
shilling: silver coin, pre-decimal = 12 pence = 24 halfpence = 48 farthings.
Sheldon scale: The S-point rarity scale herein used; see Rarity Scale.
silver-clad: Outer layers of 80% silver bonded to a 21% silver core.
simulated series coin: Fantasy piece purporting to belong to a date sequence but of a date too early or too late (e.g. 1863-4 motto coins, 1885 Trade Dollar).
sixpence: Silver coin, pre-decimal = 6 pence = 12 halfpence = 24 farthings.
SMS: = (1965.67) Special Mint Sets, q.v.
Special Mint Sets: Substitutes for proofs; allegedly selected production coins.
specimens: Pre-1850 Philadelphia Mint term for Proofs.
"squared" borders: Raised borders not rounded on either inner or outer boundaries; common in proofs, though not invariable.
stella: Gold coin of $4 denomination (1879-80, proposed, not accepted).
stop: Punctuation or separation of words, usually either pellet or colon.
stria: (e) Line(s), usually straight, in relief on a coin, often in parallel groups or randomly scattered; the parallel ones are sometimes from the buffing wheel used to polish dies.
strike: 1) (n) Impression of relief detail. A "first strike" is from new dies retaining polish and often simulates proofs. 2) (v.) To stamp the coin design onto a blank.
striking: 1) Impression or stamping of coins. 2) Impression of relief detail, as in phrase striking quality. 3) Batch of coins struck.
strip: Long thin metallic ribbons made by rolling out ingots; eventually the roll of strip is many yards long, coiled, and of the thickness of a finished coin. The strip is then sent to the blanking press or blank-cutter to be made into planchets.
survival ratio: same as Characteristic Ratio, q. v.
taler: same as thaler, q.v,
tenor: weight / fineness standard / exchange rate: see old tenor.
thaler: common name for various European dollar-sized silver coins.
three-cent silver: same as trime, q.v.
three-cent nickel: Denomination coined 1865-89 to retire 3¢ fractional notes.
three-dollar piece: gold denomination coined 1854-1889 to accommodate buyers of sheets of stamps.
token: Metallic substitute for money, circulating without government sanction.
toothed border: Border ornamented with dentils, q.v. trade dollar Silver coin heavier than standard dollar (420 grains) intended for use in Chinese ports, coined 1873-85.
transitional coin: One struck of a design adopted the following year, or combining either die of thesubsequent type with a die of the current type. Examples: 1865 silver coins with motto IN GOD WE TRUST; 1882 Liberty head nickels; 1858 Indian head cents with either the adopted rev. of 1857 (corn/cotton wreath) or the rev. to be adopted in 1859 (laurel wreath).
Trial of the Pyx: Annual testing of coins by the Assay Commission or its ancient equivalent authority, to make sure that no debasement had been committed.
trial piece: Base metal impression to test general appearance etc. of a die.
trime: Silver coin of 3¢ denomination, coined 1851-73; name invented by J. R. Snowden.
truncation: Lower edge of neck or bust of a portrait or personification on a coin.
turn: To impart roundness by lathe. two-cent piece Bronze coin struck 1864-73.
type: major subdivision of a design, as 1883 nickels without and with CENTS, 1853 and 1873 coins without or with arrows at date.
uncirculated: 1) mint state, unworn. Ant.: circulated. 2) business strike, production coin. Ant.: proof.
underdigit: Digit altered to another at the mint to make an overdate, q.v.
uniface: With a design on only one side, the other side blank.
upset reverse: Reverse aligned (q.v.) 1800 from normal.
upset rim: Having rim made thicker than center; said of a second process blank
upsetting: Compressing a first-process blank edgewise between rollers to make the edge thicker than the center for protective purposes.
virole brisee: Segmented collar (in 3,4 or 6 sections), bearing edge letters or ornamentation; at striking, the edge lettering or ornamentation is imparted, the collar segments are retracted and the coin ejected in the usual way. Experiments with such a contrivance were made at the Boulton & Watt mint as early as 1788, but it was not successfully adopted in the Philadelphia mint until 1907, when it was used on the St. Gaudens, eagles and double eagles.
warrant: written authorization
wartime silver alloy: 35% silver, 56% copper, 9% manganese, used for 5¢ pieces 1942-45, chosen because its electrical resistance was the same as that of the cupro-nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) previously in use, therefore enabling such coins to actuate vending machines rather than being rejected as counterfeit.
wire edge: same as knife-rim, q.v.
Wood's coinages: Those made by William Wood of Wolverhampton, from dies hubbed from Tower Mint puncheons, 1722-24, consisting of the ROSA AMERICANA coins for the American colonies, and the HIBERNIA coins for Ireland (qq.v.).
working die: A die actually intended for stamping blanks to make coins.
working hub: A hub used for sinking working dies (q.v.)