Some Coins Don't Have An Obvious Obverse And Reverse.

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Author	Replies: 8 / Views: 1,613
chafemasterj Pillar of the Community United States 6514 Posts	Posted 01/28/2018 1:36 pm I've noticed in going through a bunch of foreign coins lately that some don't have obvious obverse and reverse sides. Is there a rule that's followed or do you just have to learn what the minter's intentions were for every questionable coin? Thanks in advance. Check out my counterstamped Lincoln Cent collection: http://goccf.com/t/303507 Report this Post to the Staff

ron6788 Pillar of the Community United States 655 Posts	Posted 01/28/2018 4:56 pm I don't know foreign but in the US, it seems the side with the date is the obv and the side with the denomination is the rev. Report this Post to the Staff
Spence Moderator United States 34402 Posts	Posted 01/28/2018 5:04 pm @CMJ, not sure what the right answer is (and maybe there truly isn't one), but I try hard to have the ruler's portrait on the obverse. If that isn't on the coin, then I'll put whichever side mentions the issuing body on the obverse. Of course, some coins are uniface and then I use the side with the detail as the obverse. "If you climb a good tree, you get a push." -----Ghanaian proverb "The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed." -----King Adz Report this Post to the Staff
jgenn Pillar of the Community United States 1156 Posts	Posted 01/28/2018 5:51 pm The side with the issuing authority is generally considered to be the obverse, however when the coin's date is on the opposite side, collectors want that to be the obverse so that it makes it easier for display in an album. Third party graders will sometimes orient the coin in the slab with the side that has significantly better eye appeal on the front. I catalog my collection using photos with both sides combined on one image and I keep the issuing authority side as the leftmost. Follow whatever references you use or what makes better sense to you -- it's your collection after all. Report this Post to the Staff
moxking Rest in Peace United States 17900 Posts	Posted 01/28/2018 8:26 pm Jgenn nailed it. Report this Post to the Staff
chafemasterj Pillar of the Community United States 6514 Posts	Posted 01/29/2018 06:01 am Thank you all. Thank you jgenn makes perfect sense now. Check out my counterstamped Lincoln Cent collection: http://goccf.com/t/303507 Report this Post to the Staff
just carl Bedrock of the Community United States 20753 Posts	Posted 01/29/2018 07:42 am And sometimes even when you know the Obverse, it would make no cents to use that for an Album. For example the 2009 Lincoln cents. Putting them in an Album with only Lincoln's face showing makes it difficult to know which is which. In an Album I put those in so the reverse is showing. Other than that, it's rather up to the collector. Report this Post to the Staff
Coinfrog Bedrock of the Community United States 94367 Posts	Posted 01/29/2018 5:48 pm jgenn - Perfecto! Report this Post to the Staff
CelticKnot Bedrock of the Community United States 12819 Posts	Posted 01/29/2018 6:12 pm @just carl - agreed, also the Statehood and ATB Quarters, and Native American dollars. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 8 / Views: 1,613

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