Definition: A coin, from the purely numismatic standpoint, is a metallic object, usually round or roundish in shape, which was created by a sovereign entity for the purpose of maintaining a circulating currency. Although the properly accepted distinction between what is a coin, and what is not a coin, depends on whether it was intended for circulation as money, it is generally accepted that special collector versions of these same circulating issues, called proofs may also be called coins. However, if the object was not issued in a form meant to circulate as money, the correct term for it is round, even if it is issued as a proof strike.
See also: What is a Round?
See also: What is a Round?
Examples: For the stamped metal disk to be a legitimate coin, it must have been struck by a government for the purpose of circulating as money. Disks that do not meet this stipulation are properly called rounds.
