U.S. Coin Price Guide

Coin Collecting

COIN COLLECTING DEFINITIONS STARTING WITH "H"

hairline: a fine, thin surface scratch that is usually caused by wiping a coin with a cloth.  Hairlines affect grades and values negatively, depending on how many are present.

Half Cent: the U.S. copper coins struck from 1793 to 1857 worth one-half of one Cent..

Half Dime: the U.S. silver coins struck from 1794 to 1873 worth five Cents..

Half Disme: the 1792 Half Dime (believed to be pronounced “Half Deem”, after the French).

Half Dollar: the Fifty Cents coins struck from 1794 until today.

Half Eagle: the official government term for a Five Dollars gold piece.

halogen light: an extremely bright light that is often used to grade coins.

haze: a light film on a coin caused by oxidation or PVC.

Heraldic Eagle: design type that shows an eagle with outspread wings and a shield on its chest.  Used on many U.S. coins from 1795 until today.

high points: the tops of the design elements on a coin, where wear is most likely to occur.

High Relief: variety of the 1907 $20 gold piece designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and the new 2009 Ultra High Relief Gold Saint on which the design elements are much higher than usual.

hoard: an accumulation of the same type or types of coins.

hoard coin: a coin that is known to have originated from a hoard.

hoarder: a person who builds a hoard.

Hobo nickel: a Buffalo Nickel with the Indian’s head re-engraved into amusing images.

holed: a coin that has a hole drilled through it, usually so that it can be worn as jewelry. A hole destroys a coin's value and rarity is the only thing that will help to offset it.

hub: a die with an incuse design, used to make dies for coining.



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