Might it be helpful to have examples of these interfaces? I'm not sure what a verb coin is, but am I right about these...?
Context sensitive cursor only: e.g. Myst
Above + look/investigate: e.g. Beneath a Steel Sky
SCUMM style: e.g. Maniac Mansion, DOTT
Menu: e.g. The Longest Journey (but it only opens a menu if there's more than one action available)
When I played Beneath a Steel Sky I was impressed by the simplicity: left-click to examine, right-click to use/pick up. Right-clicking effectively meant, "do the obvious action with this thing". I realised how much it makes sense to do this. Doors open if they're closed, and are enterable if they're open. Inventory items are picked up if they're not already in your inventory. Windows are looked-through and/or opened if that's relevant. A lever is toggled. A book is read. Etcetera. In other words, there are obvious actions that apply to the vast majority of game world items.
When there's a finite number of specific verbs, I find that firstly, for some items, the particular action you want isn't adequately covered by any of the verbs (e.g. looking inside a box, or kicking a fragile glass case); and that for most items, standard responses have to result when you try illogical combinations. Also, some actions are duplicated - pushing/pulling a door is the same as opening/closing it; giving an item to a character might just as well be using the item on that character; turning on a lamp is the same as using it, and the same as pushing the on button (or even 'closing' the switch). I wish I had more specific examples, but I can't think of any now.
I think Broken Sword (I and II) have had my favourite interfaces.
(What about the GrimE interface? Where does that fit in?)
Sorry to write a mini-essay. Good luck with the project!
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