Where Does the Word Denticle Come from?

[Middle English, from Latin denticulus, diminutive of dēns, dent-, tooth; see dent- in Indo-European roots.]

What does a Denticle mean?

: a conical pointed projection (such as a small tooth)

What is a Denticle on a coin?

Denticles, or dentils, were used during the era of open collar minting, when metal squeezed out the sides of the dies and a raised edge was not otherwise possible. Beaded borders were introduced when close collar technology allowed for a perfectly round coin and raised rim.