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 Replies: 16 / Views: 3,043 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4867 Posts |
Always wondered this...nickels with reeded edges would be cool!
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
I seem to recall that, perhaps among other reasons, reeded edges were intended to prevent the shaving of precious metal coins, which nickel and copper were not.
Edited by Coinfrog
03/11/2019 10:05 am
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
6514 Posts |
Think Coinfrog nailed it.  Check out my counterstamped Lincoln Cent collection: http://goccf.com/t/303507 |
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Moderator
 United States
187446 Posts |
Yup.  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
How about If the Cent ,Nickel and modern Dollar had reeded edges it would be a little difficult to tell them apart in your pocket or to a blind person .  |
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Pillar of the Community
5464 Posts |
Yep. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6498 Posts |
If I remember correctly. since coins are very close in size. the reeding was added for the blind.  |
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Moderator
United States
187446 Posts |
Nope. What Coinfrog said is correct. It was to prevent fraudulent removal of precious metal. Clad coins kept the reeding as matter of tradition. It can go away at any time, as in the case of the golden dollars. SBA had it, but they figured with them being gold they already gave up on tradition. |
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Moderator
Australia
16804 Posts |
Using different edges to try to differentiate denominations of similar-sized coins has a long tradition in America - even dating back to when coins were still made of precious metal. The silver 20 cent piece was given a plain edge, to help differentiate it from the quarter.
Of course, by the 1870s, the practice of fraudulently clipping coins had largely become extinct; silver coins retained their reeding largely out of tradition.
We see the "different denominations get different edges" principle carried to its logical conclusion in the euro coin series, where most denominations have a uniquely distinctive edge:
1 cent and 5 cent: plain
2 cent: plain with central groove
10 cent and 50 cent: coarse reeding or fine scalloping, depending on your point of view
20 cent: "Spanish Flower" (plain with regular widely-spaced indentations)
1 euro: interrupted reeding
2 euro: reeding with edge-lettering
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
4233 Posts |
Several sources credit Isaac Newton with introducing the reeded edge as a measure to deter coin clipping, which was rampant in England at the time, during his tenure as Warden of The Royal Mint (1696-1727). (He also famously tracked down counterfeiters, who were then executed). |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6514 Posts |
Quote:
He also famously tracked down counterfeiters, who were then executed. Holy crap! Boy, they sure didn't mess around. I know that the VAST majority of modern counterfeiting of classic coins happens overseas. Have there been any recent counterfeiters here in the United States that have been brought up on charges? Check out my counterstamped Lincoln Cent collection: http://goccf.com/t/303507 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4233 Posts |
Look up William Chaloner. Some sources say hanged, drawn and quartered. There's an entire book about it. "Newton and the Counterfeiter: The Unknown Detective Career of the World's Greatest Scientist". Newton successfully prosecuted 28 counterfeiters, and the punishment was death (it was "high treason" at the time), so I'm assuming that was the fate of most of them.
I am not aware of any recent high-profile prosecutions regarding coins. Everything I find involves currency.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2023 Posts |
Closest thing I recall to modern prosecution for counterfeiting is the NORFED/Liberty Dollar case. Counterfeiting was mentioned in the warrant but pretty much everyone agrees that was a weak charge.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:Several sources credit Isaac Newton with introducing the reeded edge as a measure to deter coin clipping, which was rampant in England at the time, during his tenure as Warden of The Royal Mint (1696-1727). Milled coinage predated Newton by almost 100 years and I known by 1650 they had the ability to apply lettered edges. I haven't found references that these early milled coins had reeded edges but I would not be surprised if they do. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4233 Posts |
Yeah, not sure Condor, just quoting from the ol' internet. There was a related discussion here a couple years ago - http://goccf.com/t/268173. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Possibly a Chicago mob still makes fake stuff but only large bills. Way to smart to waste time with coins.   |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 3,043 |
Posted 03/11/2019 1:30 pm
