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Q: Why do some coins have smooth edges and others have ridged edges?
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Why are the edges of some coins notched?

The actual term is "reeded" rather than "notched". Reeded edges prevent thieves from clipping coins. That is shaving metal metal off the edges. Dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and dollar coins all were made of silver until 1964. Pennies and nickels do not have precious metal in their mix. The US continued to use reeding on the edges of dimes, quarters, and half dollars even though they were changed to copper-nickel in the 1960s and 1970s. The $1 coins introduced in 2000 are also made of non-precious metals, and have smooth edges to help differentiate them from the other denominations. Many countries now use variations of standard reeding to help make their coins distinguishable by touch as well as sight, especially if they're similar in size. For example some euro coins have wide reeding, others have very narrow reeding, and still others have what's called "interrupted" reeding with interspersed smooth spaces.


What do you call the ridges on the sides of coins?

According to the United States mint, ridged or "reeded" edges serve two purposes. Originally, reeded edges made coins harder to counterfeit, they also prevented people from filing down or "clipping" the coins. In 1793, the first U.S. coins were linked to a silver standard. A half dollar contained half as much silver as a silver dollar, a quarter contained one-fourth, and so on. The ridged edges prevented people from shaving the coins' edges for extra silver. Over a short time they would have a pile of silver or gold shavings and the coins returned to circulation would be light, but still, usually accepted at face value. While coins these days aren't made of precious metals, the government decided to keep the reeded edges on certain coins to help the visually impaired. The dime and the penny, for example, are roughly the same size, so the ridges help people distinguish them. Bonus fact: The movie cliche of biting a gold coin is not to verify that it is real gold. Gold coins are tooth-breakingly hard. The practice was to check for another nasty gold-thieving technique of hollowing out coins. If a coin collapsed when bit, you knew it had been emptied of its core metal.


Why do quarters and dimes have ridges and pennies and nickels don't?

The ridges on the edges of coins are called "reeding". When coins were made of precious metals like silver and gold, reeds were used to prevent theft by shaving, i.e. using a sharp instrument to remove a tiny bit of metal from the edges of a coin. A shaved coin would very slightly smaller but not enough to be noticed. If a crook shaved enough coins they could make a nice profit selling the scraps. Mints adopted reeded edges so any attempt at shaving would be immediately obvious. Nickels and cents have smooth edges because those denominations were never made of precious metals. When the US switched from silver coinage to copper-nickel clad coins in the 1960s reeded edges were no longer necessary but the Mint decided to continue using them so the new coins were as much like the old ones as possible. However new designs and denominations like the current Presidential dollars don't have to match any previous coins so they're made without reeding. Other countries now use specialized reeding to make it easier for visually-limited people to tell coins apart by touch. For example some denominations of euro coins are similar in size but have very different edges with, for example, wide reeds, narrow reeds, or "interrupted" reeds consisting of alternating ridged and smooth sections.


What is the value of a 1957 nickel with edges?

What are you referring to? All coins have edges, but some like cents, nickels and Sac. dollars are smooth, while others like dimes and quarters have little grooves called reeding.If your nickel has a reeded edge you'll need to take it to an expert to be examined in person to see whether it's a normal nickel that has been altered, or was somehow incorrectly struck, although the latter is very unlikely.


What must have smooth cutting edges?

tumanical spestical sides

Related questions

Does this 2000 gold liberty coin have smooth edges?

Please stop by a bank and ask them for some other $1 coins. All "golden" dollars have smooth edges to make them more identifiable to people who are blind or have limited vision. The coins' smooth edges make it easier to tell them apart from quarters and half dollars when touched.


Which coins have edges?

All coins have edges.


What coins have notched edges?

The actual term is "reeded" rather than "notched". Reeded edges were once used to prevent thieves from clipping coins, that is, shaving metal from the edges where it wouldn't be noticed. If you're referring to US coins, all former silver and gold coins had reeded edges to prevent clipping of those precious metals. Today dimes, quarters, and half dollars are reeded simply because their designs haven't been significantly changed since the days they were made of silver. The brass $1 coins introduced in 2000 are a new size and design, and have smooth edges to help differentiate them from the other denominations. Many countries now use variations of standard reeding to help make their coins distinguishable by touch as well as sight, especially if they're similar in size. For example some euro coins have wide reeding, others have very narrow reeding, and still others have what's called "interrupted" reeding with interspersed smooth spaces.


What is a cut with smooth edges?

A cut with smooth edges is called an incision.


Why are the edges of some coins notched?

The actual term is "reeded" rather than "notched". Reeded edges prevent thieves from clipping coins. That is shaving metal metal off the edges. Dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and dollar coins all were made of silver until 1964. Pennies and nickels do not have precious metal in their mix. The US continued to use reeding on the edges of dimes, quarters, and half dollars even though they were changed to copper-nickel in the 1960s and 1970s. The $1 coins introduced in 2000 are also made of non-precious metals, and have smooth edges to help differentiate them from the other denominations. Many countries now use variations of standard reeding to help make their coins distinguishable by touch as well as sight, especially if they're similar in size. For example some euro coins have wide reeding, others have very narrow reeding, and still others have what's called "interrupted" reeding with interspersed smooth spaces.


Do all crystals have smooth edges?

Not all crystals have smooth edges. The only crystals that I think have smooth edges are water worn ones. So your answer is no.


What do you call the ridges on the sides of coins?

According to the United States mint, ridged or "reeded" edges serve two purposes. Originally, reeded edges made coins harder to counterfeit, they also prevented people from filing down or "clipping" the coins. In 1793, the first U.S. coins were linked to a silver standard. A half dollar contained half as much silver as a silver dollar, a quarter contained one-fourth, and so on. The ridged edges prevented people from shaving the coins' edges for extra silver. Over a short time they would have a pile of silver or gold shavings and the coins returned to circulation would be light, but still, usually accepted at face value. While coins these days aren't made of precious metals, the government decided to keep the reeded edges on certain coins to help the visually impaired. The dime and the penny, for example, are roughly the same size, so the ridges help people distinguish them. Bonus fact: The movie cliche of biting a gold coin is not to verify that it is real gold. Gold coins are tooth-breakingly hard. The practice was to check for another nasty gold-thieving technique of hollowing out coins. If a coin collapsed when bit, you knew it had been emptied of its core metal.


Why didn't the quarter roll down the hill with the nickel?

because it had more cents


Why do quarters and dimes have ridges and pennies and nickels don't?

The ridges on the edges of coins are called "reeding". When coins were made of precious metals like silver and gold, reeds were used to prevent theft by shaving, i.e. using a sharp instrument to remove a tiny bit of metal from the edges of a coin. A shaved coin would very slightly smaller but not enough to be noticed. If a crook shaved enough coins they could make a nice profit selling the scraps. Mints adopted reeded edges so any attempt at shaving would be immediately obvious. Nickels and cents have smooth edges because those denominations were never made of precious metals. When the US switched from silver coinage to copper-nickel clad coins in the 1960s reeded edges were no longer necessary but the Mint decided to continue using them so the new coins were as much like the old ones as possible. However new designs and denominations like the current Presidential dollars don't have to match any previous coins so they're made without reeding. Other countries now use specialized reeding to make it easier for visually-limited people to tell coins apart by touch. For example some denominations of euro coins are similar in size but have very different edges with, for example, wide reeds, narrow reeds, or "interrupted" reeds consisting of alternating ridged and smooth sections.


Do coins have edges?

Yes they do.


What can you infer about a rock that had smooth edges?

it is cleavage


What is a dime with smooth raised edges worth?

I'm not sure what you mean by smooth raised edges, but I would suggest you take it to a coin dealer and have it appraised.