What is the coin made of? From front side and inside out. In addition, numismatists know that the coin also has a third side - an edge, or, in numismatic terms, a edge.
The edge of the coin is formed using a process that is called the edge of the coin. Why is it necessary to form a coin edge? We all understand that coins are produced in thousands and millions, and one more stage of production will not be done just like that - it must have a significant function in addition to aesthetic. What is the function of the edge? It protects the coin from forgery. To understand this, you need to delve into the history of coinage.
In ancient times, coins were not rolled. In France in the 16th century, the problem of making counterfeit coins became acute. It was for the purpose of protection against counterfeiting that the first lead machine was invented. A coin was inserted into it, and a handle was manually rotated on the side. She set in motion three dies, which rolled along the edge of the coin and applied a pattern to it. The rumbling of the coin occurred either immediately after cutting the blank, or after minting. Due to the peculiarities of the technology, the pattern could only consist of small repeating elements. But even this was enough for a start to secure the coins from counterfeiting.
Already by the beginning of the 17th century, a method for applying a edge using a split ring would have been invented: immediately before the stamp was struck, the blank for the coin was placed in the edge ring with the desired edge pattern applied to it. So you can get a edge not only with primitive notches, but also with more complex patterns and even inscriptions. Chasing in a neckline ring is a more expensive technology than rolling in a neckline machine.
Thus, history knows two ways of applying a edge to a coin:
- rolling a coin in a lead mill (an outdated method that allows you to apply only primitive repeating patterns);
- minting a coin in a head ring (a more labor-intensive method, the only method of heading used today, only with this method can inscriptions and complex patterns be applied to the edge of a coin).
As a rule, the smaller the denomination of the coin, the simpler its edge. On coins of small denominations, a smooth edge is formed - they do not need to be protected from counterfeiting. On the coins of the highest denominations, an inscription is applied - the year of issue, the denomination (for example, as in modern Ukrainian coins with a face value of 1 hryvnia).
It is almost impossible to forge the inscription on the edge using a handicraft method. Sometimes coins with an inscription on the edge are forged by casting. But this is a very clumsy method of forging, which is visible to the naked eye - there will be a distinct seam on such a edge. Therefore, a coin with an edge inscription can be considered 99% authentic.
Sometimes at the plant, due to the human factor, coins are minted in a "non-native" guillile ring. It turns out an interesting marriage of coinage, which is appreciated by collectors of defective coins - errorists.
The edge is the most worn part of the coin. In addition, it happens when coins are minted without a guild ring at all. Such cases can be confusing if you are specifically looking for a herd marriage. It is necessary to distinguish a smooth edge from the absence of a edge: in the second case, the surface of the edge of the coin will not be even, with sagging and flash. It is also worth paying attention to the weak minting of the edge: it is difficult for an inexperienced eye to understand whether the coin has worn out or its edge has been poorly minted. Then a scrupulous examination of other reliefs of the coin will help. If they are worn heavily, most likely the edge has been subject to wear. If other reliefs are in perfect condition, and the pattern on the edge is barely distinguishable, then the edge is not struck or the edge is weakly struck. This can happen for various technological reasons: the lead ring was heavily worn, the workpiece was slightly smaller and did not occupy the entire lead ring due to the punch, the workpiece temperature was insufficient to spread at the moment of impact.
In order to prevent damage (filing or cutting) of coins made of precious metals, as well as to make it difficult to make fakes, most of the coins of the 18th-20th centuries. it was subjected to humming, i.e., it received a special design of the side surface. On coins of 1709-1917. there are six main types of such design: a ribbed edge, a cord-like edge, a mesh edge, a dotted edge, a patterned edge and an edge with an inscription (the first four types can be called edges of a simple pattern). Corded, dotted and patterned edges, as well as edges with inscriptions, have fundamentally different varieties. A smooth, regular cylindrical edge with a cleanly machined surface should also be referred to specially designed edges. Coins of the 18th century with such a edge are marked “chasing in a ring” in the description. As for the coins of the 19th-20th centuries, in their description the decorated smooth edge is not separated from the unformed one, since according to the coins of the first half of XIX v. At present, there is no sufficiently complete information that would allow such a distinction to be made, and starting from the second half
19th century a smooth edge is found on coins only in a decorated form.
Occasionally there are coins that differ from the bulk of similar coins only in the presence of an unformed smooth edge. Such coins should be considered a manufacturing defect: for some reason, their circle before minting (or re-minting) did not get on the lead machine.
The illustrations of patterned edges below do not show the designs of fantastic patterns found on the edge of remake coins and electroplated copies, since these patterns were invented and applied to the edge by private individuals. As for edge inscriptions, which were usually applied to remakes by the mint, they are listed in the following order. The list below shows the content of standard edge inscriptions, which are placed on most replicas that copy genuine coins, as well as the content of edge inscriptions on fantastic remakes. If the inscription differs from the standard, then its content is indicated in the description of the corresponding remake.
A. Types and varieties of herds of a simple pattern.
Ribbed edge
Cord-shaped edge of coins (l-th variety)
- cord-shaped edge of coins (2nd variety)
Mesh edge of coins
Dotted edge of coins (1st variety)
- dotted edge of coins (2nd variety)
Dotted edge of coins (3rd variety) - this type of edge is found only on silver coins 1861 without minzmeister sign - minted in France.
There are coins with a cord-like edge, on which one half of the edge has a pattern of the 1st variety, and the other half of the 2nd variety. The humming of such coins was produced by a set of hurtal instruments, composed of two different semi-sets.
B. Varieties of patterned edges.
On national gold coins.
On two-ruble notes 1718-1728.
On five-ruble notes 1897-1911.
On altyn 1710, on five kopecks 1713-1714. and on kopeck coins of 1720 and 1723.
On the ruble of 1723 minted in copper
On rubles in 1725
- on rubles 1730-1743
- on efimki 1798
Rubles of 1743 with this type of edge were made from rubles of 1741 (with a portrait of John III) re-stripped without re-edgering. It is possible that the rubles of John III 1740-1741. with such a herd were made from Anna's rubles in a similar way.
On money 1709
On money 1710
On five kopecks 1723.
- on kopecks 1727-1729 and on half pieces of the sample of 1730. Half pieces of the sample of 1730 with this edge were made from kopecks of 1728-1729. overcooking without regurgitation.
On an undated kopeck with the monogram of Peter II
On two kopecks and kopecks 1795.
Two-kopeck pieces and kopecks of 1795 with such a herd were made by re-chasing without recolouring from Moldavian-Walachian coins in denominations of 2 pair - 3 kopecks and a pair - 3 money, respectively.
On coins of special issues
On the "Sestroretsk" copper ruble 1771.
On 96 and 48 kopecks for the Baltic provinces
On 24 kopecks for the Baltic provinces
- for 1/3 thaler for Prussia
On 5 kopecks for payments in Moldova and Wallachia
- on 2 para-3 kopecks, on para-3 money and on 3 money for payments in Moldova and Wallachia
On foreign coins
On the coins of the Principality of Iever 1798
In the edge inscriptions given in this list, the dates found in them, the signs of mintzmeisters and the conventional signs of foreign mints are not indicated, the decorative details between the words of the inscriptions are not shown, and the text of the inscriptions themselves is freed from various errors and corrected in accordance with the norms of modern orthography. Dates and signs of mintzmeister Johann Lang in edge inscriptions of the first quarter of the 18th century. are not indicated due to the fact that the low technical level of execution of the inscriptions often does not allow either to read the last digit of the date, or to establish why the date and minzmeister sign are missing (due to the peculiarities of the inscription itself or due to technical defects). As for the signs of various mintzmeisters and the conventional signs of mints in edge inscriptions of the 19th-20th centuries, they are the only mutating element of the inscriptions, and therefore it turned out to be more convenient to place them not in this list, but in the description of the corresponding coins.
On national gold coins
All edge inscriptions on national gold coins are made in depressed type.
15 RUBLES
1897 - PURE GOLD 2 GOLD BAR 69.36 STAINS
10 RUBLES
1886-1897 - PURE GOLD 2 GOLD BAR 69.36 SHARE
1898-1911 - PURE GOLD 1 ZOLOTNIK 78.24 SHARE - The inscription is also placed on the edge of a rare ten-ruble note of 1896 (No. 0312).
7 RUBLES 50 KOPEKS
1897 - PURE GOLD 1 GOLD BAR 34.68 SHARE
5 RUBLES
1886-1896 - PURE GOLD 1 GOLD BAR 34.68 STAINS
On national silver coins.
Edge inscriptions on national silver coins were made until 1805 in raised type, and from 1807 in depressed type. The exceptions are the trial efimki of 1798, on which for the first time in Russian coin production the edge inscription was made in depressed type, as well as the trial "Reichel" ruble and half
1845, on which edge inscriptions are made in raised type. In view of the wide variety of edge inscriptions on rubles and half coins of 1718-1730. those of the coins of the period under consideration, which differ only in the content of the inscription on their edge, are not distinguished in the catalog as independent varieties. Instead of distinguishing varieties, each of these inscriptions is assigned a serial number, and the description of the corresponding coins lists the numbers of all edge inscriptions found on them. As for edge inscriptions on rubles and half coins of 1740-1762, their content usually corresponds to the designation of the mint on the obverse of the coin, and a few deviations from this rule are specifically noted in the description of the coins.
EFIMOK
1798 - V. Dignity 54 and 3 Quarters of Stiver
RUBLE
1718-1721 - MOSCOW INDICATED RUBLE OF COIN
DVOR (No. 1)
- MOSCOW INDICATED RUBLEVIK OF THE MONETARY
MONEY YARD (#2)
- RUBLEVIK OF THE MONETARY MONEY (No. 3)
- RUBLEVIK MOSCOW MONETARY MONEY
DVOR (No. 4)
- MOSCOW RUBLE COIN
DVOR (No. 5)
- MOSCOW INDICATED RUBLE OF RED CASH
DVOR (No. 6)
- MOSCOW INDICATED RUBLEVIK RED
MONETARY YARD (No. 7)
1722-1730 - RUSSIAN RUBLE OF THE MINT (No. 8)
- RUSSIAN RUBLE OF THE MOSCOW YARD (No. 9)
- RUSSIAN RUBLE HER I. V. MOSCOW YARD (No. 10)
1740-1762 -S. PETERSBURG MINT
-MOSCOW MINT
1798-1810 - EIGHTY-THREE AND ONE-THIRD SAMPLE
1810-1885 - SER. 83 1/3 SAMPLES 4 ASH 82 14/25 SHARE
1860 -SILVER. 72 SAMPLES 5 Spool. 60 USD
1886-1915 - PURE SILVER 4 GOLD 21 SHARES
POLTINA
1718-1722 - MOSCOW INDICATED POLTYNA
OF THE MINT (No. 11)
- HALF COIN CASH
DVOR (No. 12)
- INDICATED HALF COIN
DVOR (No. 13)
- MOSCOW INDICATED POLTINA OF COIN
DVOR (No. 14)
- INDICATED FIFTY PIECE OF CASH COIN
DVOR (No. 15)
- INDICATED FIFTY PIECE OF THE MINT (No. 16)
- INDICATED FIFTY PIECE OF THE MONEY YARD (No. 17)
- MOSCOW INDICATED POLTINA OF RED MONEY
DVOR (No. 18)
- RED MONEY FIFTY PIECE (No. 19)
1722 - RUSSIAN POLTINA OF THE MINT (No. 20)
1723-1729 - RUSSIAN POLTINA OF THE MOSCOW COURT (No. 21).
-RUSSIAN FIFTY PIECE (No. 22)
1741-1762 - S. PETERSBURG MINT
- MOSCOW MINT
1810-1885 - SER. 83 l/3 SAMPLES 2 ASH. 41 7/25 USD.
1845 -SER. 83 l/3 SAMPLES 4 ASH 82 14/25 SHARE - In the inscription on the edge of the "Reichel" poltina, the weight corresponding to the ruble denomination is erroneously indicated (for a poltina, the weight should be indicated in 2 spools 41 7/25 shares). However, despite the fact that the edge inscriptions on the "Reichel" ruble and half a ruble of 1845 have the same content, they were applied with two different sets of edge tool.
1860 -SILVER. 72 SAMPLES 2 Spool. 78 USD
50 KOPEEK
1886-1914 - PURE SILVER 2 GOLDEN 10.5 PARTS
25 KOPEEK
1886-1895 - PURE SILVER 1 GOLDEN 5.25 PARTS
On nationwide copper coins.
All edge inscriptions on national copper coins are in raised type. Edge inscriptions on four-kopeck and two-kopeck pieces belong to kopecks of 1755-1757, which were re-stripped (sometimes multiple times) without re-colouring.
DIME (<<меншиков»)
1726 - RUSSIAN DIME OF MOSCOW
YARD
4 kopeks
1762 - MOSCOW MINT
-YEKATERINBURG DVOR
1796 - YEKATERINBURG COURT
2 kopeks
1757-1793 -MOSCOW MINT
-YEKATERINBURG DVOR
KOPEYKA
1710 - MOSCOW KOPEK OF THE MONETARY
OF THE MONEY YARD
- PENNY OF THE MINT
1718-1719 - PENNY COIN CASH
DVOR - In 1710, this inscription was placed on a trial copper kopek, minted in silver, and on its copper remake, in 1718 - on a trial copper kopek, and in 1719 - on remake copper kopeks, some of which turned out to be undated .
1743 and 1755 -WITH. PETERSBURG MINT
1755 and 1756 -MOSCOW MINT
1755-1757 -YEKATERINBURG DVOR
MONEY
1710 - MINT
On coins of special editions.
Edge inscriptions on "Sestroretsk" rubles (genuine and remake) and on Siberian coins are made in raised type, and on other coins of special issues - in depressed type.
RUBLE ("Sestroretsky")
1770-1771 - SESTRORETSKY MINT
1 1/2 RUBLES-10 GOLD
1833-1841 - SER. 83 1/3 SAMPLES 7 ASH 27 21/25 DOL.
W / 4 RUB - 5 PLN
1833-1841 - SER. 83 1/3 SAMPLES 3 ASH 61 2Z/25 DOL.
RUBLES (memorial)
1896-1914 - PURE SILVER 4 GOLDEN 21 SHARES
37 RUBLES 50 KOPEKS -100 FRANKS (donated)
1902 - PURE GOLD 6 ZOLOTS 77.4 SHARE
25 RUBLES (donative)
1896 and 1908 - PURE GOLD 6 GOLD PIECES 77.4 SHARE
10, 5 and 2 kopecks (Siberian)
1763-1767 - KOLYVAN COPPER
2 PLN (for Poland)
1818 -BÓG KRÓL I PRAWO
2 STAMPS (for Finland)
1865-1908 - NOREATA 83 1/3 OSAA WASKEA 12 2/3 OSAA
on foreign coins.
The edge inscription on the Schleswig-Holstein "Albert" thaler is made in raised type, and on the five-zlotov Polish uprising - in depressed type.
THALER (Schleswig-Holstein)
1753 - NACH DEM FUS DER ALBERTUS THALER
5 PLN (Polish uprising)
1831 - BOZE ZBAW POLSKĘ
In edge inscriptions on Russian coins, especially those dating from the first quarter of the 18th century, there are a number of defects that distort their content and sometimes lead to an erroneous idea of the existence of texts not listed in this list. The appearance of these defects is caused by the following reasons.
1. Mistakes made in the manufacture of the lead instrument: spelling errors and omissions of letters in the inscriptions, as well as the use of punches with Latin letters when applying the Russian inscription on the lead instrument (“L” instead of “b” and “b” or “LI” instead of “ Y");
drawing an inscription on the edge of the coin that reads from left to right, as a result of which an inscription (or part of the inscription) is formed on the edge of the coin, read from right to left.
Such defects are found on coins of the 18th century. In addition, the tool used to grind the trial "Reichel" poltins of 1845 contained an inscription in which the ligature weight of the coin was erroneously indicated, corresponding not to the poltin, but to the ruble denomination. 2. Incorrect assembly or installation of the lead tool in the lead tool:
combination in one set of the guillo tool of semi-sets taken from two different sets; for example, from two sets of "RUSSIAN FIFTY POINTS" the set "Fifty dollars fifty dollars" was compiled (the inscription is found on fifty pieces of 1723); or from the kits “SER. 83 1/3 SAMPLES 2 ASH 41 7/25 USD. (serial set 1859-1885 p.) and "SILVER. 72 SAMPLES 2 Spool. 78 USD.” (trial set of 1860) a set was compiled for half a standard sample with incorrect information about its sample “SEREB. 72 SAMPLES 2 ASH 41 7/25 USD. (the inscription is found on poltinas of 1882);
installation in the neckline machine of one of the semi-sets of the tool with its rotation by 180º relative to the other. As a result, on the coin, one half of the edge inscription is read with the coin position obverse up, and the other half - obverse down (the defect is found on coins of the 18th century). There are coins in which this defect is combined with the incorrect application of the inscription on the edge instrument: part of the edge inscription is not only turned upside down, but also reads from right to left.
The position of the coin when reading a correctly applied edge inscription (obverse up or obverse down) does not matter, because in the manufacture of coins, the position of the edge inscription never agreed with the position of the obverse and reverse sides of the coin, regardless of whether the coin was edged before it was minted or in minting process.
3. Malfunctions in the operation of the neckline machine, which may result in:
partial overlapping of one half of the edge inscription with its other half and the destruction of part of the text (the defect is observed on coins of the 18th century; on coins
XIX-XX centuries a similar defect is presented not in the form of an overlap, but only in the form of a change in the distances between the halves of the edge inscriptions);
offset of the inscription to the edge of the edge - only the upper or lower parts of letters and numbers are imprinted on the coin (the defect is found on coins of the 18th century);
a weak impression of all or part of the edge inscription (the defect is found on coins
XIX-XX centuries).
In addition to coins with the listed defects in edge inscriptions, there are coins of the 18th century, which were mistakenly passed through the edge machine twice. As a rule, it is impossible to read the edge inscription on such coins.
I will not reveal a secret by saying that the edge of a coin is its edge. Initially, applying an image to a coin edge was invented to protect against counterfeiting and sawing off metal from the edges. Over the centuries of coinage, many different edge designs 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 collected collections.
The main types of coins edge
| Image | Name | Coin examples | 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 coins of small denomination. Because it makes no sense for fraudsters to fake them, and for the state to increase the cost of the production process. |
|
 |
Fluted |
10, 50 kopecks 1997-2006; |
The same serifs at the same distance. Not surprisingly, it is applied to the most common coins. This is the easiest and least expensive type of application. |
 |
Intermittently ribbed |
2.5 rubles (Russia); |
A group of several serifs that are equidistantly separated by smooth spaces. Also a fairly common option. |
 |
Combined |
The original type of edge. An indented stripe runs along the entire circumference of the coin. This cut 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 |
Usual serifs, only located at an angle. They are also called edge cord or twisted. Very often used on coins of the 18th century throughout Russia. Currently, it is practically not used. |
 |
With embossed lettering |
Fifties and rubles of the XVIII century |
The inscription on the edge is convex, protrudes beyond the edges of the coin. Technically, production is cheaper, but practically not successful. Too much wear on the edges of the coin. Has not been used since the 18th century. |
 |
Reticulate |
Copper 5 kopecks Catherine 2 |
It is a cross line of notches, very similar to a regular grid. It was also used only in the 18th century, now it is not used. Subject to wear. |
 |
Patterned |
Royal coins of Catherine 2, Alexander 2, Nicholas 1 |
There can be dots, dotted lines, and stylized uniform ornaments of the pattern. Also used on coins of the 18th century. |
If you know examples of coins from my collections that were not indicated in the examples, write to the mail, I will definitely correct them.
Edge - the side surface of a coin, medallion, etc.
There are two types of side surfaces: decorated and unformed.
All modern coins, to one degree or another, have the design of the side surface in the form of embossing or shaped recesses, but this was not always the case.
History of edge changes
The history of the emergence of a non-uniform edge surface dates back to ancient times, when coins were minted from a real precious metal: gold or silver, and the edge was smooth.
Interesting
In those days, a common method of fraud with precious coins was in use, it consisted in the fact that a certain layer of metal was scraped off the edges, which was then sold or melted down into various products.
Having at your disposal a bag of gold or silver coins, you could significantly improve your condition. In order to solve this problem, special notches were applied to the smooth edge, which were very difficult to repeat, thus, it became much more difficult to fake new samples, and it was almost impossible to scrape off part of the metal, because none of the sellers accepted a copy with damaged notches.
Edge types
Edges with corrugations or text inscriptions, common in the vastness of the Russian Federation, are just a small fraction of variations on this theme.
At different times, the side part was designed differently, rare, commemorative and valuable specimens were produced with the most complex edge reliefs in execution in order to emphasize the status of the issue.
This tradition has been preserved to our times, and the level of complexity of the execution of the side part also plays a significant role in determining the value of a particular instance.
The types of execution of the edge are diverse, but according to the main features, twelve main varieties are distinguished:
- Smooth: This surface is the simplest and is used for the least valuable runs.
- Cutout all the way: an interesting but rare side view.
- Ribbed (corrugated): the most popular version.
- Discontinuously Ribbed: Like its predecessor, it is very common on specimens from all over the world.
- Cord or twisted: this type of serifs occupied not the last place on the coins of the 18th century, now it is used extremely rarely.
- Mesh: Like cord was popular in the 1700s, it is now, with rare exceptions, applied to coins.
- Dotted line: oblique depressions along the entire edge, oblique notch was actively used in Tsarist Russia.
- Dots: A special case of a dotted line, rarer with a more precise shape.
- Embossed inscription: This variety appeared at the turn of the 1800s and is still widely used today. Anniversary and other copies with an indented inscription are more difficult to make, but the service life of such a edge is much longer.
- Convex inscription: the oldest version of the edge, now not found, due to the rapid wear of the inscriptions.
- Pattern: a rather complex type of execution.
- Combined: one of the most labor-intensive, rare and beautiful edge options.
Various inconsistencies in the issuance of coins occur all the time, the work of making coins is a laborious process with a huge turnover, so it is extremely difficult to avoid an oversight.
Interesting
There are a large number of options for the marriage of the edge, it can be a displacement of the image, its dubbing, the edge can remain smooth, or with markings from another coin. Some oversights make the coin exclusive and rare, others make it an unnecessary marriage.
If you have a defective copy in your hands, you can accurately determine its value only with the help of auctions or numismatist forums.
Manufacturers are trying to track the rejection and not release such coins into circulation, but this possibility cannot be completely ruled out, and therefore now there are more than 40 circulations with a marriage that have officially entered circulation.
Among them are more than 10 editions of commemorative coins and more than 30 regular minted with a smooth edge, or from another coin, for example, the royal coin of 50 rubles.
What are the structural elements of a coin? Gurt - what is it? What is a bead? What types of edges exist in numismatics? You will find answers to all these questions in our article.
Coin and its components
Every person almost daily deals with paper bills and coins. But how often do you carefully examine and study the contents of your wallet? But numismatists have turned this occupation into the meaning of life. And they can be understood! After all, any coin, despite its tiny size, contains so many interesting things!
The very word "coin" comes from Latin. This is the oldest means of payment, which has a certain shape (most often round), weight and dignity. Coins are made, as a rule, from metal (nickel, bronze, aluminum, etc.). But there are exceptions. Any coin consists of four structural elements:
- Obverse - the front side (it shows the nationality of the banknote).
- Reverse - reverse side (denomination is shown here).
- The edge is the side surface of the coin.
- Kant (edge or shoulder) - a raised edge that protects the pattern from premature wear.
The coins contain a huge amount of information. Most often, the coat of arms, a portrait of the ruler (monarch), the name of the country and the bank, the denomination, as well as thematic drawing.
Gurt is...
Now let's take a closer look at what a edge is. This word, by the way, has another meaning. So, according to the explanatory dictionary of Vladimir Dahl, a herd is a herd of livestock (sheep, goats, cows or poultry), which is led to slaughter or for sale. From him came the verb "to crowd" - to drive cattle into one pile.
The edge of a coin is, in simple terms, its lateral edge. The term comes from the German word Gurt, which translates as "belt".
The edge of a coin can be smooth or corrugated, decorated or unshaped. Quite often it contains an ornament, some inscriptions or marks. Experienced collectors are familiar with one rule: if the obverse and reverse of two identical coins are absolutely identical, but the edges are different, then this may mean that one of the banknotes can cost much more than the other.
By the way, professional numismatists always pick up a coin exclusively by the edge, so as not to leave their prints on its flat surfaces.
A small digression into history
The edge of the coin appeared for a reason. The minters invented it for two purposes: firstly, to protect the product from damage (cutting or filing), and secondly, to protect money from counterfeiters (forging a edge is a very laborious process).
All herds were smooth at first. Only at the dawn of the 16th century in Western Europe was a special machine designed to apply various patterns and ornaments to this element. Fifty years later, the French learned to put inscriptions on it.
To date, there are two main ways to design a herd:
- on the lead machine;
- with the help of the so-called coinage in the ring.
What were the herds of tsarist Russian rubles? Initially, they were made out with an oblique notch. From the end of the 18th century, they began to indicate the sample of the metal, and from 1810 - the weight of the coin. An interesting feature: until the beginning of the 19th century, all letters and numbers on the edges were convex, and later they were already depressed.
Edge types
There are eight main types of coin edges:
- smooth;
- corrugated (see photo below);
- intermittently corrugated;
- mesh;
- with an inscription;
- with lacing (oblique strokes);
- with a continuous longitudinal cut;
- with ornament (usually floral).
The smooth edge is the most common type on low denomination coins. Corrugated, intermittently corrugated, as well as variants with inscriptions are less common. The remaining types of the element we are considering are even more difficult to find on coins.
