Edge types on modern coins

Written on February 4, 2019
See the French article

Good to know!First of all, do not mix the edge and rim of a coin.

The edge is the outer part of a coin and extends over the entire circumference of it. It can help to identify a coin (also for the blind people) but can also help to know if the coin itself is genuine.

The rim is a raised border (sometimes dotted) on both sides of a coin, also called "listel" in French. It protects the pattern engraved on the piece against wear. It is possible to find coins with no rim (like some ancient coins).



Main edges types



     Plain


     Plain-reeded


     Reeded


     Reeding


     Slant-reeded right


     Center slanted reeding right


     Slant-reeded left


     Center slanted reeding left


     Herring Bone right


     Herring Bone left


     Lettered



Security edges



     Security 1


     Security 2


     Security 3