US Coin Sizes report
When I first arrived in the US, I had a headache every time the cashier gave me a bunch of coins for change because I needed to spend time sorting them out. You may be wondering why 10 cents is less than 5 cents? The answer to this question must be found in history.
The United States Mint has minted over 20 different coins of many different sizes. Although it is difficult for people to grasp the historical coinage, there is much time to know more about modern circulating coins. When coins first appeared, they were made of precious metals such as gold and silver, and their material was equivalent to the face value. The most common basic unit of $1 coin was made of $1 worth of silver.
Most modern coins in circulation are made of ordinary metals, and their materials are no longer linked to the value. As for the size, as long as it can be clearly distinguished from other coins. The following article focuses on the US coins in circulation today.
US Coin Size Guide
Coins in the United States are more complicated. There are six denominations of coins commonly used in the United States, namely 1 cent (cent), 5 cents (nickel), 10 cents (dime), 25 cents (quarter), 50 cents (half dollar), and 1 dollar coin (dollar). Have you ever noticed the difference between each denomination? Knowing how much a penny, nickel, or quarter weighs or their diameters are is not important in daily life. It is only really useful in a few situations. It is necessary for you to know these facts, especially if you want to buy precious metal, the value silver coins, and gold coins as a collection.
US Coin Size Chart
This chart shows the common coin types, here are all their sizes, weights, thickness, composition and diameters. The obverse of the coin is usually the head portrait of American historical figures.
| Denomination | Name | Diameter | Thickness | Weight | Edge | No. of Reeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.01 | Cent | 0.750 in. / 19.05 mm | 1.52 mm | 2.500 g | Plain | N/A |
| $0.05 | Nickel | 0.835 in. / 21.21 mm | 1.95 mm | 5.000 g | Plain | N/A |
| $0.10 | Dime | 0.705 in. / 17.91 mm | 1.35 mm | 2.268 g | Reeded | 118 |
| $0.25 | Quarts | 0.955 in. / 24.26 mm | 1.75 mm | 5.670 g | Reeded | 119 |
| $0.5 | Half Dollar | 1.205 in. / 30.61 mm | 2.15 mm | 11.340 g | Reeded | 150 |
| $1.00 | Dollar | 1.043 in. / 26.49 mm | 2.00 mm | 8.1 g | Edge-Lettering | N/A |
- Cent coin is currently only a theoretical currency and has little value in actual circulation.
- Nickel and dime coins are more likely to be changed when shopping in supermarkets and vending machines.
- The Quarter coin is the most widely used. People use it frequently in the vending machine, laundry room, ticket service, print shop, etc. It is also important for tipping.
- The half dollar is a rare large coin with a diameter of more than 30MM after the 1970s. Due to the large consumables in the production process, the high casting cost, and the inconvenient circulation, it was accumulated mainly by the public and then discontinued. The half dollar is rare in the market; if you get a coin of this denomination, we recommend collecting it.
- The $1 coins are very prominent among many U.S. coins, and the color is mostly golden, so they are also collected in most cases. Most of the $1 coins that people see on the market are old and damaged coins; in addition, Americans are more willing to pay with a $1 bill, you are less likely to get $1 coin on the market, but it is more common than a half-dollar coin.
US Coin Facts
U.S. coins are rich and varied and are often associated with American history. In addition to the 50-state-themed quarter coins, there are also commemorative coins for 6 U.S. territories (including the District of Columbia, U.S. Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa, Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Island), and two commemorative coins for the 200th anniversary of the founding of the country, as well as old circulation silver coins and commemorative silver coins, at least 60 or more versions.
The 60 versions, as mentioned above, also need to be multiplied by 2. The reason is that there are two mints in the United States, one in Denver, other in Philadelphia. Coins from Denver will be marked with the letter "D," and coins from Philadelphia will be marked with the letter "P." Therefore, quarter coins with the same pattern on the front and back are two different coins if they are marked with different letters.
