What is a smooth edge on a coin? What is a coin edge? On national silver coins
At the beginning of the 16th century. A machine for applying patterns to edges appeared in Europe. In the second half of the 16th century. In France, a split ring was invented for applying inscriptions to the edge. The first edge inscription appeared on French gold ecus in 1577. In Russia in the second half of the 18th century. the edge of the rubles was processed with an oblique notch. Since 1798, the metal purity began to be indicated on the edge of the coin, since 1810 - the ligature weight of the coin, and since 1886 - the content of pure silver in it and the initials of the coin masters. From the beginning of the 19th century. Instead of convex letters, they began to mint depressed letters on the edge. There are two main ways to obtain a decorated edge - chasing in a ring and using a edge machine.
In order to prevent "damage" (filing or cutting) of coins made of precious metals, as well as to make it difficult to make counterfeits, most coins of the 18th - 20th centuries. was subjected to rolling, i.e. received a special design of the side surface (edge).
On coins from 1709 - 1917 There are six main types of such design: ribbed edge, cord-like edge, mesh edge, dotted edge, patterned edge and edge with an inscription (the first four types can be called edges of a simple design). Corded, dotted and patterned edges, as well as edges with inscriptions, have fundamentally different varieties. Specially designed edges should also include a smooth edge of regular cylindrical shape with a cleanly processed surface.
Sometimes there are coins that have a smooth edge instead of the approved edge design. Such coins appeared for the following reasons: if the coin represents a working sample of new, just approved (or not yet approved) stamps; if the coin was made by re-minting without re-coining, and the original coin had a smooth edge; if for some reason the coin circle got minted without going through the gurtile machine, i.e. when the coin actually represents a manufacturing defect. In addition, quite numerous examples of 5-ruble coins, rubles and 50-kopeck coins with a smooth edge are known, dated 1896 - 1899, the reason for the appearance of which has not yet been clarified. All of the above coins with a smooth edge are described in catalogs as independent varieties, with the exception of coins in which the lack of edge design is caused by an undoubted manufacturing defect. Strictly speaking, all coins produced by re-minting without re-minting can be classified as manufacturing defects, however, the presence of too many such coins indicates that re-minting was excluded from the production cycle when re-minting coins periodically and deliberately in order to save money and time (although this was a prerequisite for recoining), especially since the decorated edge of the original coin, even being non-standard for a coin of a new type, could successfully continue to perform its protective function.
Images of coins in catalogs are shown in stamp links, where the obverse stamp was taken as a basis. Simply put, the coin is face up.
ABOUT- Smooth edge.
1
- Cord-shaped edge with the notch tilted to the right. The edge pattern is formed by oblique lines with a slope
to the right.
2
- Dotted edge. The edge pattern is formed by dots (on part of the circulation of silver coins only dating back to 1861, minted in France) or lines inclined to the left on a smooth field.
a) 10 kopecks 1861 St. Petersburg
3 - Ribbed edge. The edge pattern is formed by vertical lines. 5 kopecks 1876 EM
4
- Edge inscription. Until 1805 inclusive, it was written in raised font; starting from 1807, in depressed font. Coins with dates before 1807 with a depressed edge inscription are new or fake. The content of the edge inscriptions varies.
a) The inscription is made in raised font. Ruble 1727
B) The inscription is made in depressed font
5 - Mesh edge. The edge pattern is formed by convex lines intertwining in the form of an oblique grid. It has many varieties in size, inclination and shape of the mesh weave. On copper coins from 1723, there are convex trefoils inside the grid cells
6 - Cord-shaped edge with the notch tilted to the left. The edge pattern is formed by oblique lines slanting to the left.
7 - Patterned edge of the first type. The edge pattern is formed by rectangles made up of two corners. On the edge there is also the sign of the mintzmeister. 5 rubles 1903
8 -Patterned edge of the second type. The edge pattern is formed by convex rings with convex points inside them. Kopek 1728
8a- Patterned edge of the third type. In old catalogs it is not separated from edge No. 8. The edge pattern is formed by horizontally located ovals convex along the contour. 2 rubles 1724
9 - Patterned edge of the fourth type. The edge pattern is formed by convex oak leaves arranged horizontally. Ruble 1725 St. Petersburg
10 - Patterned edge of the fifth type. The edge pattern is formed by trefoils convex along the contour, located horizontally.
15 - Patterned edge of the sixth type. The edge pattern is formed by convex leaves of complex design, located horizontally. 2 kopecks 1795 M-M
18 - Patterned edge of the seventh type. The edge pattern is formed by pressed alternating stars and dots on a smooth field. Jubilee ruble 1970
19 - Patterned edge of the eighth type. The pattern is formed by alternating sections of smooth and ribbed edges. 2 rubles 2000 SPMD "Leningrad"
20 - Patterned edge of the ninth type. Ribbed edge with two pressed inscriptions “TEN RUBLES” separated by asterisks. 10 rubles 2000 SPMD
There are known coins with a cord-like edge, on which one half of the edge has a pattern 1
, and the second half of the drawing 6
The chopping of such coins was carried out using a set of gurtal tools made up of two half-sets.
The missing edge numbers belong to coins for the national outskirts of Russia and are not included in our catalogs.
An edge (from German Gurt - belt, belt) is the edge of a coin, medal, coin-shaped token, and so on.
There are formed and unformed edges. Depending on the manufacturing technology, an unshaped edge may look like a poorly shaped smooth edge (when minted on previously made blanks) or like a poorly shaped polyhedron (if the coins were cut from a metal sheet/strip).
History of the herd.
Edges began to be designed in order to protect expensive coins from counterfeits, as well as to prevent the edges of gold and silver coins from being filed by people who suspected them of being counterfeit. After the appearance of coins with edges, there were much fewer fakes, because at that time it was too labor-intensive to make a believable edge on a coin.
At the beginning of the 16th century, machines for applying edge patterns began to appear in Europe. Until this moment, the edge remained smooth throughout. And already in the second half of the 16th century in France they came up with a split ring, which made it possible to apply any inscriptions on the edge. The first coins with edge inscription are considered to be French gold ecus, on which it appeared in 1577.
There are two ways to achieve a shaped edge - using a edge machine and using embossing in a ring. The most common are three types of edges - smooth, ribbed (perpendicular serifs along the entire length of the edge), as well as an edge with an inscription. On non-round coins (various polyhedrons, etc.) the edge is usually made smooth.
The main types of coin edges.
Smooth edge.
Most small denomination coins have this type of edge, because there is no need to protect such coins from counterfeiting (production in a makeshift way will cost more than the face value of the coin), and there is little point in decorating such coins.
Ribbed.
On such coins, corrugations are applied along the entire length of the edge. For example, on ordinary 10-ruble coins made of walking material (not bimetal), alternating 12 sections of 5 and 7 corrugations are applied, between which there are smooth sections.
Cord.
These are inclined serifs on the edge, with a pattern reminiscent of a cord or rope.
Inscription.
Such an edge may have a depressed or raised inscription containing the denomination of the coin, some kind of slogan, etc. Traditional edge, for example, for the Soviet fifty-kopeck piece and ruble.
Reticulate.
This type of edge resembles a “cord”, with an inclination in different directions.
Pattern.
Sometimes a wide variety of patterns are applied to the edge.
Combined.
Modern coins often combine several types of edges. For example, on the anniversary 10-ruble coins (bimetal) there is an inscription on top of the ribbed edge.
I will not reveal the secret by saying that the edge of a coin is its edge. Initially, applying an image to the edge of coins was invented to protect against counterfeiting and filing of metal from the edges. Over the centuries of coin issue, many different options for the design of the edge have been depicted. Which led to their complex classification. I will not describe all of them, I will tell you the most common and used in the collections I collect.
Main types of coins
| Image | Name | Examples of coins | Description |
Smooth |
1.5 kopecks since 1997 and 10.50 kopecks since 2006 (Russia); |
Now the image is not applied to the edge only on small denomination coins. Because there is no point for fraudsters to counterfeit them, and for the state to increase the cost of the production process. |
|
 |
Fluted |
10.50 kopecks 1997-2006; |
Identical serifs at the same distance. Not surprisingly, it is applied to the most common coins. This is the simplest and least expensive type of application. |
 |
Intermittent-ribbed |
2.5 rubles (Russia); |
A group of several serifs that are equally spaced and separated by smooth spaces. This is also a fairly common option. |
 |
Combined |
Original view of the edge. There is a depressed strip along the entire circumference of the coin. This cutout is used in some countries in combination with corrugation, such as Australia and India. |
Royal coins |
 |
With slanted serifs |
Most of the 18th century coins |
Regular serifs, only located at an angle. They are also called edge cord or twisted cord. Very often used on 18th century coins throughout Russia. Currently practically not used. |
 |
With raised inscription |
Fifties and rubles of the 18th century |
The inscription on the edge is convex, protruding beyond the edges of the coin. Technically, production is cheaper, but practically unsuccessful. There is too much wear on the edges of the coin. It has not been used since the 18th century. |
 |
Reticulate |
Copper 5 kopecks of Catherine 2 |
It consists of cross lines of notches, very similar to a regular mesh. Also used only in the 18th century, not used now. Subject to wear and tear. |
 |
Patterned |
Royal coins of Catherine 2, Alexander 2, Nicholas 1 |
There may be dots, dotted lines, and stylized uniform pattern patterns. Also used on coins of the 18th century. |
If you know examples of coins from my collections that I did not indicate in the examples, write to me by email, I will definitely correct them.
The edge design of Russian and Soviet coins of the 18th-20th centuries is very diverse. Repeated changes to it, the simultaneous issue of coins with different edge designs at different, and sometimes at the same mint, gave rise to some confusion, both in the understanding of this issue and in the contents of some catalogs. Very often, catalog creators did not pay due attention to this issue, which led to numerous errors and inaccuracies. It is necessary to clarify the importance of accurate knowledge of the types of edge design on Russian coins. In addition to identifying new varieties, this knowledge significantly helps in some cases to identify fakes, remakes and copies. This chapter describes the types of edge design on Russian and Soviet coins. The digital designation of the edges has been preserved in accordance with generally accepted standards in Russian numismatic literature.
0 - Smooth edge. On coins of the 18th century there is often a smooth edge, decorated very poorly. Apparently, these coins were not minted at all, which makes it possible to classify them into a special group of coins with an unformed edge; however, due to the traditions of Russian numismatic literature, we will not do this, but will only limit ourselves to indicating their existence.
The edge pattern is formed by oblique lines with a slope
to the right. Ruble 1778 SPBL
The edge pattern is formed by dots (on part of the circulation of foreign exchange silver coins of 1861) or lines inclined to the left on a smooth field.
a) 10 kopecks 1861 St. Petersburg
B) 20 kopecks 1852 SPB-PA
The edge pattern is formed by vertical lines. 5 kopecks 1876 EM
Until 1805 inclusive, it was written in raised font; starting from 1807, in depressed font. Coins with dates before 1807 with a depressed edge inscription are new or fake. The contents of the edge inscriptions are given in the relevant sections of the catalogue.
a) The inscription is made in raised font. Ruble 1727
B) The inscription is made in depressed font. Ruble 1825 SPB-PD
The edge pattern is formed by convex lines intertwining in the form of an oblique grid. It has many varieties in size, inclination and shape of the mesh weave. On the copper coins of 1723, inside the grid cells there are convex trefoils,
a) 5 kopecks 1723
b) 5 kopecks 1725 MD
The edge pattern is formed by oblique lines slanting to the left. Poltina 1777 SPB-0L
The edge pattern is formed by rectangles made up of two corners. On the edge there is also a miniature made of metal, which has a device for attaching to clothing. With the help of symbolic images and inscriptions, it indicates qualifications, official position, affiliation with scientific, public, religious or other organizations or associations.
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The edge pattern is formed by convex rings with convex points inside them. small change coin 1535-1991 minted; the name comes from the image of a horseman with a spear. 1). Silver K. - Russian coin of 1535-1718, minted on standard pieces of wire; 2). Copper K. - first minted in 1655-1663, then with interruptions in 1704-1917; 3). K. USSR - copper (1924-1925), bronze (1926-1957), brass (1961-1991).
8a - Patterned edge of the third type. In old catalogs it is not separated from edge No. 8. The edge pattern is formed by horizontally located ovals convex along the contour. 2 rubles 1724
The edge pattern is formed by convex oak leaves arranged horizontally. Ruble 1725 St. Petersburg
The edge pattern is formed by trefoils convex along the contour, located horizontally. Ruble 1735
The edge pattern is formed by convex leaves of complex design, located horizontally. 2 kopecks 1795 M-M
The edge pattern is formed by pressed alternating stars and dots on a smooth field. Jubilee ruble 1970
The pattern is formed by alternating sections of smooth and ribbed edges. 2 rubles 2000 SPMD "Leningrad"
Ribbed edge with two pressed inscriptions “TEN RUBLES” separated by asterisks. 10 rubles 2000 SPMD
The missing edge numbers belong to coins for the national borderlands of Russia and are not considered.
Story
The decorated edge appeared as a result of attempts by owners of coin regalia to protect themselves from damage to the coin, when the edges of coins made of precious metals were filed, and from counterfeiting, since counterfeiting an edge is a labor-intensive task.
At the beginning, the edges on all coins were smooth. At the beginning of the 16th century, a machine for applying patterns to edges appeared in Europe.
There are two main ways to obtain a decorated edge - chasing in a ring and using a edge machine. The most common types of decorated edge are smooth, ribbed (with serifs applied along the entire length of the edge, perpendicular to the edge) and edge with an inscription. Coins of complex shapes (polyhedrons, rosettes) usually have a smooth edge.
Main types of edge
- smooth (most low denomination coins)
- with a cutout along the entire length of the edge
- fluted
- with potholes (a small number of thick serifs separated by smooth space)
- ribbed (perpendicular to the surface of the coin serifs)
- interrupted-ribbed (groups of serifs separated by spaces without them)
- with slanted serifs (so-called cord), distinguish between serifs slanted to the right and left
- with an inscription (convex or depressed)
- mesh (with serifs inclined in different directions)
- with pattern
- with a combination of several types (for example, ribbed with an inscription)
see also
Literature
- // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
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