1. [n]  a metal piece (usually a disc) used as money
2. [v]  form by stamping, punching, or printing; "strike coins"; "strike a medal"
3. [v]  of phrases or words

1. \Coin\ (koin), n. [F. coin, formerly also coing, wedge,
   stamp, corner, fr. L. cuneus wedge; prob. akin to E. cone,
   hone. See {Hone}, n., and cf. {Coigne}, {Quoin},
   {Cuneiform}.]
   1. A quoin; a corner or external angle; a wedge. See
      {Coigne}, and {Quoin}.
   
   2. A piece of metal on which certain characters are stamped
      by government authority, making it legally current as
      money; -- much used in a collective sense.
   
            It is alleged that it [a subsidy] exceeded all the
            current coin of the realm.            --Hallam.
   
   3. That which serves for payment or recompense.
   
            The loss of present advantage to flesh and blood is
            repaid in a nobler coin.              --Hammond.
   
   {Coin balance}. See Illust. of {Balance}.
   
   {To pay one in his own coin}, to return to one the same kind
      of injury or ill treatment as has been received from him.
      [Colloq.]
   
   

2. \Coin\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Coined} (koind); p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Coining}.]
   1. To make of a definite fineness, and convert into coins, as
      a mass of metal; to mint; to manufacture; as, to coin
      silver dollars; to coin a medal.
   
   2. To make or fabricate; to invent; to originate; as, to coin
      a word.
   
            Some tale, some new pretense, he daily coined, To
            soothe his sister and delude her mind. --Dryden.
   
   3. To acquire rapidly, as money; to make.
   
            Tenants cannot coin rent just at quarter day.
                                                  --Locke.
   
   

3. \Coin\, v. i.
   To manufacture counterfeit money.
   
         They cannot touch me for coining.        --Shak.
   
   

Before the Exile the Jews had no regularly stamped money. They made use of uncoined shekels or talents of silver, which they weighed out (Gen. 23:16; Ex. 38:24; 2 Sam. 18:12). Probably the silver ingots used in the time of Abraham may have been of a fixed weight, which was in some way indicated on them. The "pieces of silver" paid by Abimelech to Abraham (Gen. 20:16), and those also for which Joseph was sold (37:28), were proably in the form of rings. The shekel was the common standard of weight and value among the Hebrews down to the time of the Captivity. Only once is a shekel of gold mentioned (1 Chr. 21:25). The "six thousand of gold" mentioned in the transaction between Naaman and Gehazi (2 Kings 5:5) were probably so many shekels of gold. The "piece of money" mentioned in Job 42:11; Gen. 33:19 (marg., "lambs") was the Hebrew _kesitah_, probably an uncoined piece of silver of a certain weight in the form of a sheep or lamb, or perhaps having on it such an impression. The same Hebrew word is used in Josh. 24:32, which is rendered by Wickliffe "an hundred yonge scheep."