Why are most coins round?

Wondo

And historically, all over the world, the majority have been. Is there some good reason? We aren't coming up with much on the U.S. Forum.

spoon

Back in the day when coins were cast, they'd pour some molten slag and smack it.. the resultant shape was usually round-ish so when technology advanced they just stuck with what they were used to seeing, round coins.

Quick and easy answer... who knows if there's any truth to it

sumnom

This is an easy one. Coins are round so they can be used in vending machines!

historygeek

<<Back in the day when coins were cast, they'd pour some molten slag and smack it.. the resultant shape was usually round-ish so when technology advanced they just stuck with what they were used to seeing, round coins.
>>

Then why did Chinese cast cash coins become round?

spoon

^ I was hoping noone would mention that

I dunno.. maybe exposure to foreign coins?
I don't know what I'm talking about as it is though

SMS

sumnom hit it RIGHT ON THE NOSE!!!



<< <i>Coins are round so they can be used in vending machines! >>



Someone must read the FAQ at the Japanese Mint quite often to get that one right

Japanese Mint's Explanation of Why Coins Are Round!

Askari

Actually, Spoon came fairly close -- but I expected him to dance on a roof top and sing "Tradition!" The earliest coins were lumps of metal struck with a die. The result was a roundish coin. The Greeks and Romans made this roundish shape more or less traditional and the tradition spread with their influence. (Check out earlier Celtic and Chinese money, as well as other "primitive" money that were most every shape but round.) Later, someone got the idea to tidy up the edges, which resulted in the invention of the "collar" and reliably round coins. Medals, too, held to this slavishly round coin-like shape until the art nouveau period, which permitted just about any shape imaginable.

MadMuffin

Still it's interesting that square coins are not very common. Back in the good old days when coins were hand struck and planchets were cut out by hand one would think it would be easier to cut them out in squares.

Square coins were sometimes made in the German States and in other European countries. The Swedes made a lot of them in the 1500s and early 1600s but they are scarce today. In Denmark most square coins are actually emergency issues, stamped with round dies!

Marcel