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 Replies: 21 / Views: 3,443 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4867 Posts |
Pennies and nickels...why do they have flat edges instead of being reeded like the other denominations?
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Pillar of the Community
7234 Posts |
Found this on the internet:
The ridges on the edges of coins are called "reeds". Many years ago when quarters, dimes, and half dollars had silver in them, people would shave the edges, sell the silver, and still use the shaved coin for the face value of the coin. The mint added reeds so it could easily be determined if the coin was shaved or not.
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Valued Member
United States
406 Posts |
Also, it helps the blind to decipher the denomination.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Mark - Thanks, very interesting.
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Moderator
 United States
188317 Posts |
Quote:
The ridges on the edges of coins are called "reeds". Many years ago when quarters, dimes, and half dollars had silver in them, people would shave the edges, sell the silver, and still use the shaved coin for the face value of the coin. The mint added reeds so it could easily be determined if the coin was shaved or not. Yup, no precious metal, no need to reed. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
887 Posts |
Quote:
Yup, no precious metal, no need to reed. Although in the very early days, they did shave copper coins, and that's what started the edge lettering and reeding in 1794(?) on LC's from what I understand. I guess when they started with silver, copper became the 'cheap' stuff. Edited by Beefer518
07/10/2017 5:21 pm
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Moderator
Australia
16826 Posts |
Reeding originally served two purposes: prevention of clipping, and as an anti-counterfeiting measure - the theory being that a typical clipper or counterfeiter wasn't going to have access to the high-pressure machinery they'd need to have to do a good job of reproducing the reeds. Edge lettering and other fancy edges on 1700s and 1800s copper coins is more an anti-counterfeiting device rather than clipping prevention, as it usually wasn't worth people's while to clip copper coins but it was worth their while to counterfeit them.
Today, coins have reeding on them primarily because of tradition, and as a relatively simple means of distinguishing between denominations. This "denomination-distinguishing" concept goes back even to the 1800s. If you get yourself an American 20 cent piece from the 1870s and examine it, you'll notice it has a plain edge.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
United States
745 Posts |
If you check the first five cent coins were reeded, the were Half Dimes made from silver Tim Hughes
Edited by Onedollarbillnut
07/10/2017 9:33 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5207 Posts |
So what is the deal with holed and plugged holed silver coins?
I have always said the same theory as clipping and shaving.
"I found it that way"
Edited by jack jeckel
07/10/2017 11:09 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4867 Posts |
Some interesting explanations there. Personally I feel reeds are more aesthetically pleasing than a smoothed edge coin. Shame the Sac and Prez dollars aren't reeded like their predecessors.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2023 Posts |
The current small dollars are so close in size to a quarter that reeding would make them much harder to distinguish in your pocket (or if you're blind). That's one of the things that doomed the SBA. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4867 Posts |
At least the Sacs and Prez dollars have a golden colour to differentiate itself from the quarter.
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Moderator
Australia
16826 Posts |
Quote:
So what is the deal with holed and plugged holed silver coins?
I have always said the same theory as clipping and shaving.
"I found it that way" Many coins were holed to allow them to be worn as jewellery. The plugs came later, when someone tried to turn them back into a coin again. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3098 Posts |
Didn't the Twenty Cent Piece have a smooth edge? Was that to distinguish it from a quarter? Paul Bulgerin
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Moderator
United States
188317 Posts |
Quote:Didn't the Twenty Cent Piece have a smooth edge? Was that to distinguish it from a quarter? Yes. Sap mentioned that above in his first reply (near the end). |
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Replies: 21 / Views: 3,443 |
Posted 07/10/2017 4:25 pm
