VOCABULARY TERMS: UNIFACE AND SINGLE-SIDED

Uniface. A single-sided medallic item; a numismatic item with a blank reverse; detail and design appearing on one side only. A struck piece particularly is called uniface; a cast piece is more apt to be called SINGLE-SIDED. Many medallic items – plaques, paperweights and badges – are almost always uniface; medallions and seals are frequently so, but the term can rightfully be applied to any medallic or numismatic item with design on one side only – the obverse. In describing such items the reverse of a uniface item is called BLANK REVERSE, FLAT BACK or PLAIN REVERSE.

Many uniface items have mounting or supporting features on the back, as paperweights often have BALL FEET on the back to support them on a desk; plaques have hangers on the back for hanging on a wall; and badges have fasteners on the back for attaching to garments. Some die-struck medallic items may have a border or rim on the back (struck from a blank die with such a border or rim). Also many uniface items have a MAKER’S MARK, a FOUNDRY MARK or HALLMARK on the back side. All these features do not detract from the status of the item from being uniface. The design is on the principal side –the obverse – the reverse is devoid of design.

Some medallic items will never be uniface. An example might be a medal with a swivel loop (there would be no need to turn over such a medal to observe the reverse only to find nothing there). Most art medals or any quality medal will obviously have two sides, to exploit the medallic medium to its fullest, these would never be uniface.

The only need for a medallic item to be uniface is where in the normal course of its use or display it would exhibit one side only, the back would always be obscured from view, as one framed or intended to be hung on a wall.

It should be noted uniface medals should never be confused with CLICHÉS (two thin blanks struck at the same time to form separate obverse and reverse pieces); these are uniface but the interface sides will exhibit suction marks which should correctly identify these as clichés. Finally, in proving dies, led proofs are always uniface when dies are proved one die at a time.
CLASS 11.4

Single-sided. A uniface cast medallic item. The backside or reverse of a single-sided item may be smooth, rough, have depressed areas congruent with the high relief of the obverse (called CAST HOLLOW), or have a surface of ripples and rounded edges typical of an open mold casting. The back side may also have a BACKPLATE. The reverse often has a MAKER’S MARK, a FOUNDRY MARK or HALLMARKING, or, the item can have a hanger for wall mounting. The term is applied only to cast pieces as a one-sided struck piece is called UNIFACE.

Cast medallic items with both obverse and reverse designs are said to be DOUBLE-SIDED. In cataloging, if the piece is identified as a cast and only one side is described, it is not necessary to specify the item is single-sided (that is obvious). Otherwise if no description is given the piece is called single-sided.
CLASS 07.2

Looking for the meaning of a numismatic word, or the description of a term?  Try the Newman Numismatic Portal's Numismatic Dictionary at: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionary

Or if you would like a printed copy of the complete Encyclopedia, it is available. There are 1,854 terms, on 678 pages, in The Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology. Even running two a week would require more than 19 years to publish them all. If you would like an advance draft of this vital reference work it may be obtained from the author for your check of $50 sent postpaid. Dick Johnson, 139 Thompson Drive, Torrington, CT 06790.

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