GALVANO

- A metallic reproduction of the model for a coin made from the model.

GEM BU

- An uncirculated coin with superior lustre, typical or better strike, and nearly flawless. Usually equated to the numerical grade of MS-65.

GENERALIST

- One who is involved in a wide area of numismatics and knows a bit about a lot but certainly not as much as one who specializes in one of those areas.

GILD

- To coat with gold, gold leaf, or a gold coloured substance.

GILT COIN

- A coin that has been gilded.

"GODLESS COINAGE"

- Reference to Canada's decimal coinage of 1911 which broke a tradition set by coins of the previous two reigns of Victoria and Edward VII in which the Latin phrase "DEI GRATIA" (or an abbreviation of it) was included in the monarch's titles. Omission of the phrase on the 1911 issues aroused public criticism during which the coins were labelled "Godless."

GOLD

-A precious yellow metal, highly malleable and ductile and free from liability to rust.

GOLD COIN

- All Canadian and Newfoundland gold coins dating before 1937 consisted of a composition of at least 90% gold, the balance being copper.

GRADE

- See Coin Condition.

GRAINING

- The correct term for the serrated edges of most modern coins. See also Reeded Edge and Serrated Coins.

GRANULAR

- Referring to the texture of the surface of some coins, eg. as in a "matte" coin. See Matte Finish.

"GRAY SHEET"

- Reference to the gray-coloured Coin Dealer Newsletter (CDN) which is the weekly "bible" of price trends for United States coins.

GREEN SLIME

- A sticky oozing liquid that is actually the plasticizer that has bled out from a PVC plastic coin holder and lays on the coin's surface. Often coloured green (from the reaction of the plasticizer with the copper in coating on the coin which can dull the lustre and aid or cause corrosion of the metal. See also Mylar.

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