The US and Canadian coins (1c, 5c, 10c and 25c) are nominally the same, certainly same diameter and thickness, but differences in metals used in their manufacture mean that they are not always interchangable in vending machines and the like. As the Canadians coins are (usually - current week excepted) worth less than the US equivalents, US vending machines are calibrated to invariably reject Canadian coins.
John F-L ----- Original Message ----- From: carlet...@comcast.net To: U.S. Metric Association Cc: U.S. Metric Association Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 5:07 PM Subject: [USMA:47132] RE: Decimal currency & Metrication The US coins and the corresponding Canadian coins (through the loonie) are pretty much the same size. The US has no equivalent to the Canadian $2 coin (the 'toonie'). It is an incredible and unfortunate waste that the unnecessary $1 bill is still in production, but the same mentality that hinders metrication also keeps that bill in production. Carleton ----- Original Message ----- From: "John M. Steele" <jmsteele9...@sbcglobal.net> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <usma@colostate.edu> Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 6:32:05 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [USMA:47129] RE: Decimal currency & Metrication The dime (10¢ piece) is the smallest US coin. Back when we used real silver, it was the smallest silver coin, the quarter, half dollar, and dollar coins being larger (presumably in proportion to weight?). The penny and nickel (5¢) were always base metals. Now, they all are. The modern dollar coin is considerably smaller than than the silver dollar was, about the size of a quarter, but distinctive color and edging. The link gives info on US coin dimensions and weights. Note the utility of the penny and nickel as cheap small balance weights. http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/?flash=yes&action=coin_specifications Fivel nickels and a penny roughly approximate what can be mailed at the 1 oz rate, but won't buy a stamp (44¢). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ . . . . On 2010/04/15, at 02:30 , Tom Wade wrote: Incidentally, which is bigger: the American 5c or 10c :-; ? Tom Wade
