which of these two things makes the obverse, the obverse!? You vote!

1907Quarter · February 25, 2004 2:03AM

1.portrait
2.date

as we know, many coins do not have BOTH of these on the same side.

kranky · February 25, 2004 2:04AM

I say the date defines the obverse, and anyone who disagrees is just wrong.

BillJones · February 25, 2004 2:08AM

I vote for the head. I know I'm wrong, but I just can't bring myself to think that the wreath and date sides of gold dollars and three dollar gold pieces are the "heads" or "obverses."

mgoodm3 · February 25, 2004 2:10AM

Portrait 1st. If no portrait, date.

Dennis88 · February 25, 2004 2:17AM

IMHO the date.

Dennis

Shamika · February 25, 2004 2:21AM

1. Portrait.

It's a heads vs tails thing. To me, "heads" is always the obverse.

keets · February 25, 2004 2:24AM

on modern coins it's the Motto "In God We Trust" but not so clear with many older issues.

al h.

Steve27 · February 25, 2004 2:24AM

For British coins it's the portrait:

paigowjohnny · February 25, 2004 2:35AM

date

Steve27 · February 25, 2004 2:38AM

For state quarters the obverse also has the portrait (this is obviously the reverse):

ms70 · February 25, 2004 2:53AM

Depends on the coin. I think the obverse of a state quarter is the portrait side regardless of the date location.

prooflike · February 25, 2004 2:54AM

The portrait of course. If it was the date, then with state quarters, the head would be tails! This would be way too confusing for mere mortals when doing a coin toss.

richbeat · February 25, 2004 3:04AM

Between the two choices, the portrait for the same reasons that prooflike gave.

dorkkarl · February 25, 2004 3:20AM

3. tradition.

K S

Wondo · February 25, 2004 3:37AM

It's easy - the obverse is the front and the reverse is the back. Duh!!

On U.S. coins the obverse is defined by a portrait.

keets · February 25, 2004 3:40AM

what about coins that have no defined portrait on either side??

al h.

keets · February 25, 2004 3:43AM

looking at commems can get really confusing.

al h.

wbp1028 · February 25, 2004 4:31AM

<< <i>Portrait 1st. If no portrait, date. >>

I agree with this method. It seems like there are exceptions to everything. I flipped through the Redbook and noticed that "Liberty" and "In God We Trust" (if it's there) pretty consistently appears on what is considered to be the obverse, the only exception being Morgans. Are the state quarters the only example of a date on the side opposite a portrait, and, if so, what were they thinking?

cladking · February 25, 2004 5:51AM

I'm with DorkKarl. We normally allow the mint to define obverse and reverse
and this is normally determined largely by the orientation of the coin when it
was struck. Then to really confuse things they strike some coins up-side-down.
Perhaps they can claim artistic intent?

OK, let's just call it the dated side then.

which of these two things makes the obverse, the obverse!? You vote!

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