Let's take a look at the reverse side of a U.S. Lincoln Cent. The first thing to notice is the Legend, also called the Inscription. This is the part of a coin that tells us important things like who made the coin, and how much it is worth.
The field is any flat area of the coin that hasn't been raised off of the coin during minting. The portion of the design that has been raised is called the relief.
The rim is the upraised part of the coin that runs all the way around the edge of the coin on both sides. The reason for the rim is three-fold: First, it protects the coin's design from wearing out too quickly; second, it makes the coins easier to stack, and third, it helps bring up the devices during striking.
