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When and how did the terms "devices" and "fields" .......
SanctionII
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come to describe the raised and flat portions of the obverse and the reverse of a coin?
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"Devices" comes heraldry to mechanical arts and plastic arts such as painting. "Field" is a borrowed term; the Mint uses the technical term "Table" for the plain, non-relief part of a bas relief. "Relief" refers to raised portions of a design and "device" refers to specific parts of a design - can also be called "design elements."
There are probably many other possible origins. Much mint language has been adopted from printing including "press" "proof" "essai" and others.
Someone can check Dick Johnson's dictionary of numismatic terms.
There are things I just have not thought to question and have never been bored or idle enough to even consider.... Still, good to know... Thanks Roger... Cheers, RickO