Pages Menu
Categories Menu

Posted by on Jun 3, 2015 in TellMeWhy |

How Are Dimes and Quarters Made?

How Are Dimes and Quarters Made?

How Are Dimes and Quarters Made? In minting U.S. dimes and quarters, a blanking press cuts coin-sized blanks from strips of coin metal. The metal used for the coins consists of a copper core sandwiched between an alloy of nickel and copper. The coin blanks go to a milling machine that produces the raised rim.

The rim prevents the coin design from wearing away too quickly. Next a coining press stamps a design on both sides of the coin at the same time. Grooves inside the ring, which hold the coin as it is being struck, form the “reading” (or ridges) on the coin’s rim.

A dime is worth ten cents. It is made of copper and nickel blend. It is smaller than a penny or a nickel. It has Franklin D. Roosevelt design on the front and a torch on the back.

A quarter is worth 25 cents. It is larger than a nickel. It has George Washington design on the front and either a United States emblem or a design of one of the 50 states on the back issued in the order that the states joined the Union. The George Washington quarter has been minted since 1932, when it replaced the Liberty quarter.

It is a very useful coin, as many coin-operated machines, such as washers/dryers, candy machines, airport trolleys, and parking meters accept only quarters.

Content for this question contributed by Eric Cohen, resident of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, USA