Obverse and reverse

[Pellinore]

I always thought: the head of the ruler is on the obverse, or the Kalima, the dominant destining factor. At the reverse is the value, the minting place, some symbol, abstract, less important matter. But this is probably naive. What's the scientific way to decide obverse and reverse?
-- Paul

[eurocoin]

The way you think it is, is the way in which almost everyone does it and that is being used in catalogs aswell. I personally do it the other way around in my albums as I do not like to look through pages with each 20 times the same coat of arms/effigy/map of Europe/...

I do not think there is such a thing as the scientific way.

[<k>]

Krause says that the side with the country name on is the obverse. Sometimes, however, it appears on BOTH sides. Some countries actually specify which side of each coin is the obverse and reverse.

Here is an example from Austria, where sometimes the denomination is also on the obverse and sometimes not.

[<k>]

And which do you think is the obverse here? No, it's not the side with the Queen, even though she is the head of state of PNG.

[chrisild]

I personally do it the other way around in my albums as I do not like to look through pages with each 20 times the same coat of arms/effigy/map of Europe/...

Arrange your collection by country, and you won't have that problem.   But I agree, with euro and cent circulation coins (including €2 commems) it is the country specific design that makes an issue "individual".

Obverse and reverse - it is quite easy in my opinion. Just look at what the laws of the issuing country/entity say. In the euro area the terms "national side" and "common side" are, also in European law, most commonly used. Sometimes, like here (Art. 2), the law refers to "the national obverse designs or to the common reverse face of euro coins". Single member states may have similar regulations.

Christian

[chrisild]

Here is an example from Austria, where sometimes the denomination is also on the obverse and sometimes not.

In my opinion this is not an important issue (I prefer "the one side" and "the other side" ) but if the local law says that the obverse is always the side that has this or that feature, fine with me. Personally, I think of the side that has the denomination as the obverse, as that info* is most relevant for me. As a user, not as a collector ...

(* assuming that I deal with coins that are "local money" here)

Christian

[<k>]

Personally, I think of the side that has the denomination as the obverse, as that info* is most relevant for me. As a user, not as a collector

Totally unscientific. I always knew you had all the wrong opinions. 

[brandm24]

Well, this will really mess up the discussion of obverse and reverse, but in the tiny little world of counterstamped coins things are really muddled.

The side of a coin that's counterstamped is ALWAYS the obverse no matter if it is or isn't in the real world. When both sides are stamped then the most prominent or important stamp is considered the obverse. If both are equally important then the one with the most information provided is the obverse. If both sides are, then it's a toss-up. Nothing funnier than seeing two collectors having a slap-fight in the parking lot over obverse and reverse.

Bruce