The Amazingly Odd Things Americans Do

Our Coins Don’t Make Sense

Most coinage around the world focuses on a number value. 10 Euros, 1 Yen, 5 Rubles, etc. Our coins use odd names that, aside from the quarter, don’t really tie to their monetary value. It puzzles the heck out of folks who struggle the first few days trying to remember what each name means. Why is a dime smaller but more than a nickel? Why is a penny brown? Why is a half-dollar almost the size of a regular dollar coin, and why are their two or three different dollar coins? American money is, no surprise very confusing outside of the U.S.