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How many indentations are there on the US quarter and why is the number so significant?

Question #22064. Asked by anon.
Last updated Jan 08 2017.

arb
Answer has 2 votes
arb
18 year member
17 replies

Answer has 2 votes.
There are 119 identations on the side of a US quarter, but not sure of there significance.

Aug 31 2002, 4:08 PM
Friar Tuck
Answer has 5 votes
Currently Best Answer
Friar Tuck

Answer has 5 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
If there are more or less than 119 it would be a forgery. The technical term for 'grooves on a quarter is 'reeds.' The dollar, half-dollar, quarter, and ten-cent coin denominations were originally produced from precious metals (gold and silver). Because of this, some people would file the edges of the coins to get these precious metals. The grooved, or 'reeded' edges deterred this practice and also made counterfeiting more difficult. The one-cent and five-cent coins of the United states have never contained precious metals. However, we continue to use reeded edges on the larger denominations of coins (except the Golden Dollar) because it helps the visually impaired identify the coins. For example, the reeding of the ten-cent coin makes it easy to identify by touch versus the smooth edge of the penny.

link http://blog.icpl.org/2014/04/05/why-does-a-quarter-have-119-ridges/

Response last updated by nautilator on Jan 08 2017.
Aug 31 2002, 4:19 PM
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