Coin Terms
We use many words to describe coins but once in a while someone doesn’t know what we mean when we use these words. This page is here to help you as your challenge coin dictionary.
Authentic: An original design minted for the person or by the person who created the coin.
I.E. Donald Rumsfeld had a coin design, minted, and then awarded the coin to a person. This makes it completely authentic.
Original: A coin remaining in a state of original production. A coin without enhancements after the initial minting.
I.E. A coin repainted after 4 years to refinish scratched color or epoxy would not be an original, but instead a modified coin.
Mint: Refers to the actual place a coin is produced through die stiking or die casting. This could in some cases refer to the coin in context of “This mint of a coin is….”.
Mint Condition: This is the degree of perfection of a coin. This represents a high quality mint or creation of a challenge coin.
Plated: Is the process of adhering on metal to another through an electical process in a chemical solution.
I.E. Brass can be plated with Nickel to achieve a .001″ coating on top of the brass challenge coin.
Epoxy or Clear Dome: This is a protective clear coating that covers the metal or enamel on the coin.
3D: Part of the design that is raised to create a full 3D effect. These features are often not painted because of the relief and lack of fill lines to hold the enamel.
2D: A flat 2-dimensional view without relief in the actual coin itself. All 2D can be painted.
Cutout: An empty hole in the coin such as a knockout. If the coin is not completely solid (you can’t see through it) it is consider a cutout coin.
