"Coin Aligned" "Metal Aligned" speak of the orintation of the back of the token or coin to the front. If you turn over a quarter from top to bottom it is still "right side up" (coin aligned) If you turned a silver strike over the same way it would be "upside down" If you hung your silver strike on a chain around your neck it would be suspended from the top and if it turned over from side to side it is still "right side up" (Metal Aligned) An error strike can be one that is minted without the proper approvals from gaming control or a mispelling on the rim or it could be minted in a "coin aligned" position. A rotated die is when the silver portion of the strike is misaligned with the rim or when the whole reverse side is misaligned with the front but only part way not completely "coin aligned" Welcome to the strikepoint and we hope you consider joining the club. Go here for a lot more info and an application. http://www.silverstrikers.com/