Miami Valley Coin Club

Why Is The Dime So Small?

Studying the history of US coinage will give you the answer. The simple explanation is that a coins size and weight were proportionate to the value of the precious or base metal it contained. In the late 1800’s when the final size and weight of silver coins was established the silver half dollar weighed 12.5 grams and consisted of 90% silver and 10% copper. A quarter being equal to half the value of a half dollar would then weigh 6.25 grams of the same composition of 90% silver and 10% copper. A dime being equal to 1/5th the value of a half dollar then weighs 2.5 grams of the same silver/copper alloy.

They could have made the dime with a larger diameter, but then it would be very thin and susceptible to bending easily and not hold up to circulation. The original 5 cent coin was made of silver and was called a half dime, which was half the weight of it’s bigger brother the dime. The One Cent coin was made from a base metal of copper. The weight of the copper was equal to one cent worth of copper. It too had a smaller sibling the half cent again, weighing half that of it’s larger counterpart.

As we approached the time period in which the final size and weight of the silver coins, the one cent coin had to be reduced in size to be closer to it’s actual melt value of copper. The half-dime was discontinued and replaced be the 5 cent piece. This five-cent piece was made of a copper nickel alloy that remains the same today. At the time of it’s introduction, the base metals of the 5 cent coin were equal to it’s face value. So it was of course larger than the dime, which of course was made of precious metal. In short, the coins weight were all related to the value of the metal they were composed of.

In 1965 when we transitioned from silver coinage to the current clad composition. The vending industry essentially forced the US government to produce a coin of similar size and weight as its predecessor so that it would work in the vending machines of that time. So out of necessity the dime, quarter and half remained the same diameter yet with a slightly lower weight, that fell within the tolerances of the mechanical verifiers of the vending machines of the time.

Finally because we are a group of people full of traditions, the current coins have remained the same size they have been for well over 100 years. So to answer your question about why the dime is still so small and the nickel so big? Tradition…