The front of a coin is called the obverse . It’s commonly referred to as the “heads” side because it often features a portrait or bust of a prominent person, [according to U.S. Gold Bureau].
In addition to a portrait, the obverse side of a coin may include other design elements, such as:
- The date of issue.
- A national emblem or symbol representing the country of origin.
- Inscriptions, such as the country name or mottos like “IN GOD WE TRUST”.
- The mint mark, a small letter or symbol indicating the mint location where the coin was produced.
- The initials of the artist(s) who designed the coin.
In some cases, the obverse might not feature a person, and the date can be a key indicator of which side is considered the front of the coin.
Which way is the front of a coin?
Thanks for asking. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse means the back face. The obverse of a coin is commonly called heads, because it often depicts the head of a prominent person, and the reverse tails. The surface between the faces is the edge.
What is the front side of a coin or metal?
I can help with that. The obverse of a coin is commonly called ‘ heads ‘, because it often depicts the head of a prominent person, whereas the reverse is called ‘tails’.