What's the best way to specify edge position? "starts 1h"? [Risolto]

Legends and design features can be positioned (or have a starting position) at any place on a coin. Often the place is somewhere around the edge of a side of a coin. I haven't found instructions on how to specify positions around the edge in the guidelines. There is a general statement of “use relative locations" but that doesn't help in this case.

One common description technique I have seen is to use a number followed by “h” to specify a clock face position. For example, “starts 12h” and “starts 1h” in N#61478 .

While I understand the notation, “h” is not an approved abbreviation in Numista and I don't know whether it is universally understood. But I haven't replaced the terms as I don't know what would better. Using “one o'clock” or “1 o'clock” would make the descriptions less cryptic, but I'm still not sure how understandable that would be.

Is “starts 1h” reasonable to use? If not, what would be the best alternative?

When you have the lettering (and a picture) I think this hour, o-clock stuff is not necessary, at least in the case of the legend. 

Also in your example it doesn't even starts at 12 but maybe half past. 😅

Hello,

I'm not sure whether specifying the position of the start of the legend is useful in this case, and more generally when it starts at the top (12h, half past 😉 or 1h). But it can definitely be useful when the legend starts at a less common position and when the legend is difficult to read (partially off-flan, unusual/old script style (example), worn coin on the picture).

It seems both formats “1h” and “1 o'clock” are commonly used. I'd rather go for the format “1 o'clock”, as abbreviations are often confusing. I've never seen the format “1 hour”.

See examples:

“1h”: https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=6314840&AucID=7283&Lot=1068&Val=69597c8f5904c08c96ca226b131ca89d

“at 8”: https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=6229025&AucID=7184&Lot=8&Val=eda3364059020879a88786ae442ccfa7

“9 o'clock”: https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=6362679&AucID=7365&Lot=22108&Val=de0f45774127c0e248f65e130165be25

“11 o'clock”: https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=6408247&AucID=7410&Lot=134&Val=8057fa776f82f66e78d5396f9d9db2bd

“3 o'clock”: https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=6410644&AucID=7403&Lot=58&Val=f140ab65c06f280265ae33fed65c37e7

“2 o'clock”: https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=6412295&AucID=7402&Lot=1157&Val=14120b9fd092c654144a9a07a1900a15

“3.30h”: https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=6288094&AucID=7266&Lot=118&Val=be4a9ae2058668a846f0447d2b07c361

See also these examples with “legend starts at top” and “legend starts at bottom” (even if it's actually 1 o'clock and 7:30 o'clock). 

https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=6411051&AucID=7403&Lot=465&Val=83e116314361f7bfb28ca24a22fa96f9

https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=6411053&AucID=7403&Lot=467&Val=eba3f6e0b273d993398c74471c1fa627

I believe it's the best approach: the specific position on the clock is not needed here (the lettering is very clear on the picture) and it serves to differentiate both types without the (relative) complexity of the clock.
In general, unless a precise position is needed, “top”, “bottom”, “left” and “right” are preferable in my opinion.