NUMISMATIC WEASEL WORDS

The article in last week’s E-Sylum on Sir Robert Robinson’s award medals contained a word whose meaning was not clear. It states a “copy” of his Nobel medal was coming up at auction.

It is unclear if “copy” meant a reproduction (in the numismatic sense), or it meant specimen (in common usage). If the text was written by a person without numismatic knowledge you can assume the later. Such terms are know as weasel words, they dodge or deviate from the true meaning. The term comes from the mammal of the same name which has such a trait.

The most encountered numismatic weasel word is “unique.” In numismatics this means only one in existence. In everyday language it means exclusive or different. Even numismatic writers tend to use this word when they shouldn’t.

Another is a common abbreviation “Rev.” Of course in numismatic this is the side opposite the obverse. It also is the abbreviation for Reverend. So in cataloging and other numismatic writing the church minister should be spelled out in full. Leave “Rev” intact.

Undoubtedly there are other weasel words in numismatics. Perhaps E-Sylum readers could alert us of these weasels in the field.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
SIR ROBERT ROBINSON'S MEDALS OFFERED (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n48a24.html)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web