The Hidden History Behind Coin Ridges: Why Dimes and Quarters Have Those Tiny Grooves

Absolutely! Here’s a fascinating and accessible article based on your prompt:

—

# 💰 The Hidden History Behind Coin Ridges: Why Dimes and Quarters Have Those Tiny Grooves

### Ever Noticed the Little Lines on the Edges of Your Coins? They’re Not Just for Looks…

If you’ve ever held a U.S. dime or quarter, you’ve probably noticed something interesting: **tiny grooves etched along the edge** of the coin. They’re subtle but unmistakable — a rough, ridged texture instead of a smooth, flat edge.

But have you ever wondered *why* they’re there?

Believe it or not, those little grooves — known as **”reeding”** — are more than just decoration. They have a long, surprising history rooted in **fraud prevention, metal value, and good old-fashioned ingenuity**.

—

## 🕰️ A Quick Trip Back in Time

To understand the grooves, we have to go back a few centuries — to a time when coins were made of **precious metals**, like silver and gold. In those days, the actual **value of the coin was based on the metal it contained**. That meant a silver coin *was* silver — and worth its weight in it.

This led to a problem…

—

## ✂️ Coin Clipping: The Old-School Scam

Dishonest people realized they could **shave or “clip” tiny amounts of metal** from the edges of coins and keep the shavings. Over time, these tiny cuts added up — especially if you were dealing with lots of coins. And because the coins still looked intact (especially if the face was untouched), **no one noticed the fraud** right away.

The result? Lighter, smaller coins stayed in circulation, while clever fraudsters pocketed the extra silver or gold.

—

## 🧠 Enter: Isaac Newton and the Ridged Edge

Yes, **that Isaac Newton** — the same one who discovered gravity — was also the **Warden of the Royal Mint** in the late 1600s. Under his direction, the British Mint began using **machines to create uniform coins** with **milled or ridged edges**.