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Why "Dime"

Newcomp103Newcomp103 Posts: 2,223 ✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
Using the half cent,one cent,two cent,3 cent and five cent vernacular...why not "ten cent piece"? Is this some sort of misunderstood word like "penny or nickel" ? Please learn me something before Christmas! image

Comments

  • CladiatorCladiator Posts: 18,061 ✭✭✭✭✭
    They used "Dime" so that they could have the magnificent "Half Dime"
  • UnknownUnknown
    This content has been removed.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,332 ✭✭✭✭✭
    "Cent" and "Dime" are short for the Latin/French "Centime" and "Decime," used in France on the post-revolutionary coinage. Thomas Jefferson was there for a while as our ambassador, before he came home and created the new U.S. coinage system that became the Coinage Act of 1792.
    TD
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.

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