When the coins used to be hit by hand, the side of the coin, which was on dice anvil was straight. The side that took the hammer was the reverse. Nowadays, with the car that struck coins, there is no longer a "die anvil" at all. Then which side is which? This checklist will help you determine the obverse and the reverse of the coins less familiar.
(1) The obverse portrait. If neither side (or both) portraits, try applying the condition 2.
(2) The side effigy is different. In other words, an effigy of side does not have the "common type". A good example of this is the euro currency, which does not have a portrait. However, each country has its own project on one side, with a common design to all countries, on the other side. Coins are said to share the same "reverse," more or less by mutual consent between the collectors.
This rule applies also to a country that has, say, a coat of arms (or some other common device) on its own coinage (but no portrait). If the device common multiple cuts, will appear on the side without such a device is straight.
(3) The side bearing the name of the country is generally considered straight in cases where one encounters the currency either 1 or 2 above.
(4) look at a test set. If you have access to a collection of mint-issued special, such as a test set, you can determine which side the Mint considers the front because this side will be face up keeper of coin proof!
(5) Look it up in the "standard catalog of world coins". I list this option Last because if you had the book, you probably won't be reading this checklist. Unfortunately, collectors agree with many of the coins not falling within the categories above (and some do), so that whatever the book says about these coins should be taken with a grain of salt.
You have suggestions regarding how to tell the obverse of a coin? Come and share with us in the forums.
