Why are dimes so small?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Why are dimes so small?

Posted: 10/20/2004 4:34:58 PM EDT

If you look at the monetary progression of United States coinage from the penny to the dollar (excluding the wussie SBA dollar) all of the coins get larger as their value increases. EXCEPT for the dime. Why?

CW

Posted: 10/20/2004 4:38:33 PM EDT

[#1]

The bastards are only worth 10 cents. 10 cents ain't worth a dime.

Posted: 10/20/2004 4:40:30 PM EDT

[#2]

Dimes weigh .0722 troy oz. of fine silver,with 10% other metals alloyed to it, therefore they are small.

Now why we have clad coinage is really good question.

Posted: 10/20/2004 4:43:51 PM EDT

[#3]

For the longest time, a dime contained 10 cents worth of silver. The five cent piece was made of a white metal allow, mostly nickel, and thus the name. Large copper coinage, such as a 5 cent piece made of the same, would simply be unwieldy.

Quarter dollars, also made of 90 percent silver contained 25 cents worth of silver. The same system was followed with the half dollar and the dollar coins.

I remember when our coinage was debased starting in 1965. Up until then, silver coinage actually had an intrinsic value rather than just a face value.

Posted: 10/20/2004 4:44:15 PM EDT

[#4]

Because all the other sizes were already taken.

Posted: 10/20/2004 4:53:23 PM EDT

[#5]

So they can get mixed up with pennys in your pocket and bug the shit out of you.

Posted: 10/20/2004 4:56:14 PM EDT

[#6]

They are a tenth of the length of a dollar bill. Line up ten dimes across the bill and you'll see.

Posted: 10/20/2004 5:00:14 PM EDT

[#7]

Useless bit of foreign coin trivia: Canadian dimes are made of 100% nickel.

Posted: 10/20/2004 5:03:52 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
If you look at the monetary progression of United States coinage from the penny to the dollar (excluding the wussie SBA dollar) all of the coins get larger as their value increases. EXCEPT for the dime. Why?

CW

So people can ask you if you have a roll of dimes in you pocket or if you are just happy to see them.

Posted: 10/20/2004 5:05:42 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
They are a tenth of the length of a dollar bill. Line up ten dimes across the bill and you'll see.

coincidence.

Posted: 10/20/2004 5:31:05 PM EDT

[#10]

They tried 4-inch diameter dimes first, but they wouldn't fit in anyones' pockets.

Posted: 10/20/2004 5:34:24 PM EDT

[#11]

So you can drop a dime on someone? (off the empire state building...and not kill them?)

Posted: 10/20/2004 5:45:15 PM EDT

[#12]

Just another way for the jeVV$ to screw you.

Posted: 10/20/2004 5:52:02 PM EDT

[#13]

Because quarters are too big around to stuff into shotgun shells...

Posted: 10/20/2004 5:55:25 PM EDT

[#14]

its called oppression man,

its how the MaN to keeps a brotha down.

Posted: 10/20/2004 5:55:25 PM EDT

[#15]

It's so strippers can't pick them up off the rail.

But man, when you find one that can ......!

Posted: 10/20/2004 5:59:55 PM EDT

[#16]

If you think the dime now is small, you should have seen the three cent piece back about 150 years ago. Those were tiny.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Why are dimes so small?

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