Coins are something we use almost every day without giving them much thought, yet their design holds centuries of fascinating
history—one that makes certain coins eligible for unique and purposeful features.
Take a quarter, for example. If you run your thumb along its edge, you’ll feel tiny ridges called “reeds.”
These ridges are not merely decorative; they serve a functional purpose that makes quarters eligible for protection against a very specific historic problem that once threatened entire economies. In the 17th century, coins were minted from precious metals such as silver and gold, which gave them intrinsic value. Because of their precious metal content, these coins were eligible targets for a dishonest practice known as coin clipping. Thieves would carefully shave off small amounts of metal from the edges of coins, collecting the precious metal shavings while passing the slightly lighter, clipped coins as if they were still full weight. This deceptive practice caused…
