An interesting article in the FUN Topics magazine but Ginger Rapsus about putting together a type set based upon the "third" side of the coin. We're all familiar with the edge of our common coins either reeded or plain. There have been many US coins with lettered or designed edges. She mentions some of them in the article but actually I think there are quite a few more.

Ginger focuses on the coins of the 1790s with their lettered edges - the half cents lettered "two hundred for a dollar" or large cents with "one hundred for a dollar", etc. Then jumps to the St Gaudens Double Eagles with "E Pluribus Unum" on the edge.

What other US coins are there with different edges. Anyone know? Does anyone collect in this manner?

U.S. Half dollar 1830 to 1836

I've got the "type 1" raised segment lines to the left they just made 1830-1831. They also had a "adopted" edge 1830 to 1836

Just noticed I actually have two 1831's one of each.

The Saint-Gaudens eagle has either 46 or 48 stars on the edge, the 1992 Olympic silver dollar has a lettered edge. Otherwise, most of the early coinage had a lettered edge at one point or another except for the gold as those I believe were all reeded.

Not just from 183-1836, but
Flowing Hair (1794-1795)
Draped Bust (1796-1807)
Capped Bust (1807-1836)
half dollars all had lettered edges reading "FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR" with various ornamental designs between the words.


The Flowing Hair (1794-1795)
and Draped Bust (1795-1804)
dollars all stated "HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT" again with various designs between the words.


The Liberty Cap Half Cent (1793-1795)
said "TWO HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR"

The Wreath Cent (1793)
and the Liberty Cap (1793-1795 only)
said "ONE HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR"

I don't have any US coins with edge lettering , but for my various type set collections of the othercountries I'm interested in, the edge is certainly taken in account. If the edge lettering or reeding is different, it's another type for me.

All the future president dollar coins.

I have commems with it if I remember correctly.

I have a few early US type coins with lettered edges, no coppers sadly, but draped bust, and bust type silver. I have a bunch of lettered edge world coins though, and I just adore the lettering work, it's great....another reason I don't like slabs lol. I don't collect based on edge lettering though, maybe once I complete my typesets though it would be something to think about!

I don't have any coins with something other than vertical reeding and plain edge.

I can imagine there are some extra grading standards attached with edge lettering. I figure that if full split bands, bell lines and heads are valued for some coins, does edge lettering sensitive to wear command such attention too?

MS-66 Full Lettering

Not that I'm aware of.

Ther are some coins that have raised edge lettering and in that case, "full lettering" would make sense. With incuse lettering, it's very rare that lettering is gone due to wear.