Parts of a Coin

Both faces of a coin, the front up close, then the edge.

Parts of a Coin

Name Date

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
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Write the name of each numbered part.Answer key

  1. Obverse
  2. Reverse
  3. Rim
  4. Field
  5. Portrait
  6. Legend
  7. Date
  8. Mint mark
  9. Reeded edge

Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-27. Licence: own work.

Each numbered ring is a button. Use the arrow keys to move between them and Enter to choose. Names are read out in Study, and once a part is answered.

Next step Next: the parts of a cut diamond

All 9 parts on the diagram

Show the list

Start here: 5 main parts 5

  1. Obverse The obverse: the front face of a coin, "heads". It usually carries the portrait.
  2. Reverse The reverse: the back face of a coin, "tails".
  3. Rim The rim: the raised ring round the edge of the face. It protects the design from wear and lets coins stack.
  4. Portrait The portrait: the head on the obverse, raised above the field. A raised design like this is said to be in relief.
  5. Reeded edge The side of the coin, cut with narrow grooves all round. Some coins have a plain edge instead.

On the front: 6 4

  1. Field The flat background of a face. There is no design or lettering there.
  2. Legend The main lettering on a coin, often running round the edge. Any lettering on a coin is an inscription.
  3. Date The date: the year, stamped on the coin.
  4. Mint mark A small letter or symbol showing which mint struck the coin. One example: U.S. coins use S for San Francisco.

How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-27. (1) Wikipedia, Glossary of numismatics, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_numismatics : the rim, the design's raised part along the edge, protects the coin from wear and makes coins stackable; the field is the background area not used for a design or inscription; the legend is the principal inscription; an inscription is lettering or wording on a coin; relief is the part of the design raised above the field; a device is a pattern or emblem in the design; a mint mark is a small letter or other symbol showing which mint struck the coin, such as S for San Francisco on U.S. coins; a reeded edge has grooved lines round the perimeter. (2) Wikipedia, Obverse and reverse, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obverse_and_reverse : the obverse and reverse are the front and back faces of a coin, called heads and tails. (3) Wikipedia, Reeding, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reeding : reeded edges are also called ridged, grooved or milled; U.S. quarters and dimes have them. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-27. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

These are the parts of a coin: its two faces, then the front drawn large, then the coin edge-on. The coin is made up, and its lettering is drawn as bars. Start with the 5 main parts.

Read the full guide

The faces

The obverse is the front, or heads, and usually carries a portrait. The reverse is the back, or tails. The flat background of each face is the field, and anything raised above it is in relief.

Lettering and edge

The legend is the main lettering, often round the edge. The date gives the year, and a small mint mark shows which mint made the coin. The raised rim protects the design. On many coins the side is reeded: cut with narrow grooves.

  • Look near the date for the mint mark: on U.S. coins it is a single letter, such as S for San Francisco.

Questions and answers

Which side of a coin is heads?

The obverse, the front face, which usually carries a portrait. The back face is the reverse, or tails.

Why do coins have a rim?

The raised rim round the edge protects the design from wear, because the rim touches surfaces first. It also lets coins stack neatly and roll.

What are the ridges on the edge of a coin called?

Reeding. A coin with ridges round its side has a reeded edge, also called a milled or grooved edge. U.S. quarters and dimes have one.

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