Numismatic Glossary - H


Mintmark for the cities of: La Rochelle (French coins), Darmstadt (German coins), Heaton Mint, Birmingham, England (coins of Great Britain, British colonies, Egypt, Italy).
The shorthand abbreviation for a roll of coins where both ends of the roll shows the obverse (heads) of the coin.
The shorthand abbreviation for a roll of coins where one end of the roll shows the obverse (heads) of the coin and the other end of the roll shows the reverse (tails).
The minor currency unit of Saudi Arabia, 1/100th of a riyal. Name derives from the Arabic word for "lawful".
The minor currency unit of Czechoslovakia, and the successor states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia (where it is spelled "halier". In all cases, worth 1/100th of a koruna. Name derives from the old German and Austro-Hungarian monetary unit, the heller.
Slang for half dollar.
half cent
half disme
The original spelling of half dime. The first United States regular issue was the 1792 half disme supposedly struck in John Harper's basement with the newly acquired Mint presses.
Half Dollar
The denomination first struck in 1794 that is still struck today.
Half Eagle
Half rolls
hammer die
A secondary currency unit of Vietnam, worth 10 xu or 1/10th of a dong.
Hard Times Tokens
Tokens, usually about the size of a contemporary large copper cent. Privately minted from 1832 to 1844 and displaying diverse motifs reflecting political ideology and satire of the era. Other examples were used as advertisement for merchants, products, and services. Commonly circulated at once cent value during coin shortages of the times.
A minor currency unit of Austro-Hungary, German East Africa, and some German states. The name derives from the city of Hall, where it was first issued.
A small ancient Greek silver coin, worth half a drachm.
A tiny ancient Greek silver coin, worth half an obol.

Heraldic Eagle
A silver coin of the late Byzantine Empire. It's name derives from it's weight, "6 grams".
high end
High Relief
Ho (mintmark)
Mintmark for the city of Hermosillo on Mexican coins.
hoard coin
Hobo nickel
Hog Money (sometimes spelled Hogge Money)
Coinage made for use on the Sommer Islands, now known as Bermuda, in the early 1600's. These were the first coins made for a British colony in North America. The name derives from the main design element, a feral pig.
holder toning
Holey Dollar
Term used to describe a Spanish colonial 8 reales (or other dollar-sized coin) that had been mutilated by having a circular piece punched out of the centre, leaving a ring-shaped coin. The punched-out piece is often known as a "dump". The British colonies of New South Wales (Australia) and Prince Edward Island (Canada) issued holey dollars in the early 1800's.
Sometimes spelled "gryvnia", the primary monetary unit of the Ukraine. The name derives from an old monetary unit used by the mediaeval Kievan 'Rus, and means "ingot". The Russian 10 kopek coin was colloquially known as a "grivennik", a word of similar derivation.
Abbreviation for Hard Times Tokens.
A period when a country's economy collapses. Coins become obsolete and paper money is printed with ever more increasing denominations, which only circulate briefly before they in turn become obsolete.
A gold coin of the late Byzantine Empire. It's name derives from the Latin words for "super fired", referring to the high fineness of the gold.

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