Strike Characters
Posted on 4/13/2016
In addition to grade, other attributes of a coins condition, quality of manufacture and appearance are described by NGC. These include strike characters and designations.
A strike character most often describes how well an area of a coin was struck, and is used when this information is of specific interest to collectors. For example, Mercury Dimes are described with the notation FB for Full Bands which immediately follows the grade when, on the reverse of the coin, the central bands on the fasces are fully split. A number of similar strike characters are employed by NGC.
A designation usually indicates something about the appearance of the coin. For example, NGC describes Proof coins (coins struck for presentation or display purposes) that display contrast between the central devices and the field area as being CAMEO. This is one of the many designations used by NGC. Some special designations indicate when a coin was minted. For example, NGC uses the special designation FIRST DAY OF MINTAGE for Presidential Dollars received for certification on their official day of release or by overnight courier on the day immediately following. More information about this type of designation can be found on the Early Release Designation portion of this website.
A comprehensive list of strike characters and special designations follows.
| CENSUS | LABEL | DESCRIPTION | APPLICABLE COIN TYPES |
| (how the strike character appears in the NGC Census) | (how the strike character appears on the NGC label) | (a verbal description of the strike character) | (the types of coins to which it applies) |
| 5DP | 5FS DPL | Five Full Steps, Deep Prooflike | Jefferson Nickels Only |
| 5FS | 5FS | Five Full Steps | Jefferson Nickels Only |
| 5PL | 5FS PL | Five Full Steps, Prooflike | Jefferson Nickels Only |
| 6DP | 6FS DPL | Six Full Steps, Deep Prooflike | Jefferson Nickels Only |
| 6FS | 6FS | Six Full Steps | Jefferson Nickels Only |
| 6PL | 6FS PL | Six Full Steps, Prooflike | Jefferson Nickels Only |
| BN | BN | Brown | All Copper Coins, Mint State and Proof |
| BNB | BN BRILLIANT | Brown, Brilliant | Proof Copper Coins |
| BNC | BN CAMEO | Brown, Cameo | Proof Copper Coins |
| BND | BN DPL | Brown, Deep Prooflike | Mint State Copper Coins |
| BNM | BN MATTE | Brown, Matte | Proof Copper Coins |
| BNP | BN PL | Brown, Prooflike | Mint State Copper Coins |
| BNS | BN SATIN | Brown, Satin | Proof Copper Coins |
| BNU | BN ULTRA CAMEO | Brown, Ultra Cameo | Proof Copper Coins |
| CA | CAMEO | Cameo | All Proof Coins |
| DFM | DPL FIRST DAY OF MINTAGE | Deep Prooflike, First Day of Mintage | Presidential $1 Coins Only |
| DME | DPL MINT ERROR | Deep Prooflike, Mint Error | Mint errors |
| DPL | DPL | Deep Prooflike | All Mint State Coins, esp. Morgan Dollars |
| EH | ENHANCED FINISH | Enhanced Finish | Modern Coins Only |
| EHD | DPL ENHANCED FINISH | Enhanced Finish, Deep Prooflike | Modern Coins Only |
| EHP | PL ENHANCED FINISH | Enhanced Finish, Prooflike | Modern Coins Only |
| EPF | ENHANCED REV PF | Enhanced Finish, Reverse Proof | Modern Coins Only |
| EU | UC ENHANCED FINISH | Enhanced Finish, Ultra Cameo | Modern Coins Only |
| FB | FB | Full Bands | Mercury Dimes Only |
| FBD | FB DPL | Full Bands, Deep Prooflike | Mercury Dimes Only |
| FBL | FBL | Full Bell Lines | Franklin Half Dollars Only |
| FBP | FB PL | Full Bands, Prooflike | Mercury Dimes Only |
| FD | FIRST DAY OF ISSUE | First Day of Issue | Presidential $1 Coins Only |
| FDD | DPL FIRST DAY OF ISSUE | Deep Prooflike, First Day of Issue | Presidential $1 Coins Only |
| FDP | PL FIRST DAY OF ISSUE | Prooflike, First Day of Issue | Presidential $1 Coins Only |
| FH | FH | Full Head | Standing Liberty Quarters Only |
| FHD | FH DPL | Full Head, Deep Prooflike | Standing Liberty Quarters Only |
| FHP | FH PL | Full Head, Prooflike | Standing Liberty Quarters Only |
| FLD | FBL DPL | Full Bell Lines, Deep Prooflike | Franklin Half Dollars Only |
| FLP | FBL PL | Full Bell Lines, Prooflike | Franklin Half Dollars Only |
| FM | FIRST DAY OF MINTAGE | First Day of Mintage | Coins in US Mint Covers, so designated |
| FT | FT | Full Torch | Roosevelt Dimes Only |
| FTD | FT DPL | Full Torch, Deep Prooflike | Roosevelt Dimes Only |
| FTP | FT PL | Full Torch, Prooflike | Roosevelt Dimes Only |
| MA | MATTE | Matte | Used Infrequently |
| ME | MINT ERROR | Mint Error | Mint errors |
| PFM | PL FIRST DAY OF MINTAGE | Prooflike, First Day of Mintage | Presidential $1 Coins Only |
| PL | PL | Prooflike | All Mint State Coins, esp. Morgan Dollars |
| PME | PL MINT ERROR | Prooflike, Mint Error | Mint errors |
| RB | RB | Red Brown | All Copper Coins, Mint State and Proof |
| RBB | RB BRILLIANT | Red Brown, Brilliant | Proof Copper Coins |
| RBC | RB CAMEO | Red Brown, Cameo | Proof Copper Coins |
| RBD | RB DPL | Red Brown, Deep Prooflike | Mint State Copper Coins |
| RBM | RB MATTE | Red Brown, Matte | Proof Copper Coins |
| RBP | RB PL | Red Brown, Prooflike | Mint State Copper Coins |
| RBS | RB SATIN | Red Brown, Satin | Proof Copper Coins |
| RBU | RB ULTRA CAMEO | Red Brown, Ultra Cameo | Proof Copper Coins |
| RD | RD | Red | All Copper Coins, Mint State and Proof |
| RDB | RD BRILLIANT | Red, Brilliant | Proof Copper Coins |
| RDC | RD CAMEO | Red, Cameo | Proof Copper Coins |
| RDD | RD DPL | Red, Deep Prooflike | Mint State Copper Coins |
| RDM | RD MATTE | Red, Matte | Proof Copper Coins |
| RDP | RD PL | Red, Proof Like | Mint State Copper Coins |
| RDS | RD SATIN | Red, Satin | Proof Copper Coins |
| RDU | RD ULTRA CAMEO | Red, Ultra Cameo | Proof Copper Coins |
| RFD | RD FIRST DAY OF ISSUE | Red, First Day of Issue | Modern Coins Only |
| RY | RELEASE CEREMONY | Release Ceremony | Modern Coins Only |
| RFY | RD RELEASE CEREMONY | Red, Release Ceremony | Modern Coins Only |
| SA | SATIN | Satin | Used Infrequently |
| UC | ULTRA CAMEO | Ultra Cameo | All Proof Coins |
Last Updated March 1, 2019.
Stay Informed
Want news like this delivered to your inbox once a month? Subscribe to the free NGC eNewsletter today!
