Glossary of Numismatic Terms

---

L

lamination: Coinage defect consisting of a portion of the metal separating from the rest due to impurities or internal stresses; common with clad or plated coinage.

large cent: Refers to the U.S. cents of 1793 to 1857, with diameters between 26 to 29 millimeters, depending on the year a particular coin was struck.

large date: A variety of coin on which the date is physically larger than on other varieties of the same year.

legal tender: Currency explicitly determined by a government to be acceptable in the discharge of debts.

legal tender bullion coin: Government-issued precious metal coins produced for investors, they have legal tender status, and usually a nominal face value, even though they are not intended to circulate as currency. See also bullion coin.

legend: The inscription on a numismatic item.

lepton: Denomination of various values and weights used throughout the ancient Greek world and in modern Greece, generally a small copper or bronze coin.

lettered edge: An incused or raised inscription on the edge of a coin.

Libertad: A silver bullion coin of Mexico, containing one ounce of .999 fine silver.

lignadenarist: A collector of wooden nickels and similar items.

love token: A coin that has been altered by smoothing one or both surfaces and engraving initials, scenes, messages, etc., thereon.

luster: Surface quality of a coin, result of light reflected from the microscopic flow lines.