# Is the quarter coin unique to the US and Canada? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 30, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130 "2014-01-30T15:20:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/1 "2014-01-30T15:20:39Z")
Most of the currencies I can think of that are divided into cents / pence / whatever (British pound, Euro, Mexican dollar, Australian dollar, New Zealand dollar, South African rand, Latvian lat, Cypriot pound) have coins in the denominations 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50. All except US and Canadian cents, which are in the denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50. Are these the only two countries in the world that use 25? Is there any particular reason why they use 25 instead of 20? Are there any other "unusual’ denominations out there? Perhaps a 2 1/2 dollar bill? Or a 33 1/3 yen coin? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/2 "2014-01-30T15:29:45Z")
Because the US Dollar used to be based on the Spanish _[Real de a Ocho](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_dollar)_, aka the Spanish Dollar or ‘Piece of Eight’. Hence also the nick ‘two bits’ (as in ‘Shave and a Haircut, two bits’) for a quarter, it coming from two bits of the piece of eight. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/3 "2014-01-30T15:41:29Z")
The Netherlands used to have a 2½ guilder coin, until it adopted the euro. It also had 1c, 5c, 10c, and 25c coins, and 1 and 5 guilder coins, and it used to have ½c and 2½c coins too. Suriname switched over to the Suriname dollar (from the Suriname guilder) in 2004, but “quarter” coins are still valid (now as a quarter of a dollar rather than a quarter of a guilder), according to [Surinamese dollar - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surinamese_dollar) Portugal also used to use 2½ escudo coins, although they had been demonetised before the euro came in. Edit: the [Aruban florin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aruban_florin) also has 25c coins (and 25 florin notes). It used to have a 2½ florin coin, too. And the [Burmese kyat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyat) used to have 15, 25, 35 and 75 kyat notes! ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/4 "2014-01-30T15:43:26Z")
[Wiki sez:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1-2-5_series#1-2-5_series) > [@](#): > > The denominations of most modern currencies follow a 1-2-5 series. An exception are some quarter-value coins, such as the Canadian quarter and the United States quarter (the latter denominated as “quarter dollar” rather than 25 cents). A ¼-½-1 series (… 0.1 0.25 0.5 1 2.5 5 10 …) is used by currencies derived from the former Dutch gulden (Aruban florin, Netherlands Antillean gulden, Surinamese dollar), some Middle Eastern currencies (Iraqi and Jordanian dinars, Lebanese pound, Syrian pound), and the Seychellois rupee. However, newer notes introduced in Lebanon and Syria due to inflation follow the standard 1-2-5 series instead. But I do not know which of the above currencies, if any, have a quarter-value **coin**. Could lookitup, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/5 "2014-01-30T15:47:28Z")
One other European coin that’s a bit odd is the [Swiss](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coins_of_the_Swiss_franc) 50 rappen, which isn’t denominated “50” but “½”, as in half a franc. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/6 "2014-01-30T15:47:49Z")
Oh, and if we’re talking about obsolete currencies, the old British coinage used to have a farthing coin that was one-quarter of a penny, and a “crown” or five-shilling coin that was one-quarter of a pound. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/7 "2014-01-30T16:02:04Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Because the US Dollar used to be based on the Spanish _[Real de a Ocho](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_dollar)_, aka the Spanish Dollar or ‘Piece of Eight’. > > Hence also the nick ‘two bits’ (as in ‘Shave and a Haircut, two bits’) for a quarter, it coming from two bits of the piece of eight. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but if you are correct, then wouldn’t there have been quarters in Mexico? I can’t find any reference to them, but maybe I’m just not looking it up correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/8 "2014-01-30T16:05:20Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > I’m not saying you’re wrong, but if you are correct, then wouldn’t there have been quarters in Mexico? I can’t find any reference to them, but maybe I’m just not looking it up correctly. According to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_peso) there were, orginally. > [@](#): > > After Mexico gained its independence in 1821, the new government continued the Spanish monetary system of 16 silver reales = 1 gold escudo, with the peso of 8 reales the largest silver coin. Paper money was also issued, denominated in pes. > In 1863, the first issue was made of coins denominated in centavos, worth one hundredth of the peso > … > > The New Mexican republic continued to strike the 8 reales piece, but also began minting coins denominated in centavos and pesos. In addition to copper 1 centavo coins, silver (.903 fineness) coins of 5, 10, 25 and 50 centavos and 1 peso were introduced between 1867 and 1869. Gold 1, 2½, 5, 10 and 20-peso coins were introduced in 1870. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/9 "2014-01-30T16:05:37Z")
South Korea has the 500 Won coin. It’s not 25 of anything, but has the same size and approximate buying power as a quarter. It’s also the most useful coin for vending machines, like the quarter. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/10 "2014-01-30T16:08:19Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > I’m not saying you’re wrong, but if you are correct, then wouldn’t there have been quarters in Mexico? They used to have 25 centavo pieces in Mexico until sometime in the 20th century. They got phased out. Here’s a picture of a [25 centavo piece from 1953](http://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces972.html). > [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > South Korea has the 500 Won coin. It’s not 25 of anything, but has the same size and approximate buying power as a quarter. Considering the dollar to won exchange rate is 1:1100, that seems a bit off. It’s worth closer to 50 US cents. Ditto the 50 yen coin. It’s about quarter sized, but it’s worth about 50 cents. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/11 "2014-01-30T16:22:45Z")
Panama uses the US dollar for paper currency, but mints its own coins, [which are identical in size and shape to corresponding US ones](http://snapshots.travelvice.com/download/8143-4/IMG_4687.JPG) but with different images. The currency is called the balboa, after Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the early conquistador, who appears on most coins. Panama recently started producing a [1-Balboa coin](http://www.thepanamadigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/one-balboa-coin.jpg)as well. A couple of the coins are called by their English names, but pronounced as in Spanish. The names for the coins are: 1 cent = _centavo_ 5 centavos = _real_ 10 centavos = _dime_, pronounced in Spanish as DEE-may 25 centavos = _quarter_, pronounced in Panamanian Spanish (which drops "r"s) as cuah-uh ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/12 "2014-01-30T16:27:34Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > They used to have 25 centavo pieces in Mexico until sometime in the 20th century. Thanks! This information allowed my to search Wikipedia for the phrase “25 centavo”, and it got several hits! To answer the OP, there is currently a 25 centavo coin in [the Philippines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_twenty-five_centavo_coin) and in [Nicaragua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan_c%C3%B3rdoba), and elsewhere, though they’re not labelled “quarter” the way the American coin is denominated. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/13 "2014-01-30T16:48:40Z")
Basically all US coins were originally something, half something or quarter something. We think of our money as being dollars and cents, but actually its mill 1/1000 dollar cent 1/100 dollar dime 1/10 dollar dollar eagle 10 dollars. If you’ll look at a dime, you’ll see it’s labeled “dime” and nowhere does it say “ten cents”. Similarly the quarter and half dollar are labeled “quarter dollar” and “half dollar” and not 25 and 50 cents. When the 5 cent pieces were first issued they were labeled “half disme” (Disme was the original spelling for dime.) They were originally made of silver, like dimes, but later were made of nickel which gave them their new, unofficial, name. Similarly gold coins (back when we had those) were issued as eagles ($10), double eagles, half eagles, and quarter eagles, and half cent and two cent coins were also issued for a time. I think the only exception to the “powers of two” coin denominations was the three cent piece ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/14 "2014-01-30T17:23:14Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > South Korea has the 500 Won coin. It’s not 25 of anything, but has the same size and approximate buying power as a quarter. It’s also the most useful coin for vending machines, like the quarter. I was afraid I’d stumbled into a zombie thread. Is there anything still for sale in vending machines that takes fewer than eight quarters? I know this isn’t the thread for the dollar-coin debate, but I think the utility of the quarter for vending machines is that’s it the highest-value coin in circulation, not that it is inherently useful. ---
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/15 "2014-01-30T17:23:48Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Basically all US coins were originally something, half something or quarter something. We think of our money as being dollars and cents, but actually its > > mill 1/1000 dollar > cent 1/100 dollar > dime 1/10 dollar > dollar > eagle 10 dollars. > > If you’ll look at a dime, you’ll see it’s labeled “dime” and nowhere does it say “ten cents”. Similarly the quarter and half dollar are labeled “quarter dollar” and “half dollar” and not 25 and 50 cents. When the 5 cent pieces were first issued they were labeled “half disme” (Disme was the original spelling for dime.) They were originally made of silver, like dimes, but later were made of nickel which gave them their new, unofficial, name. Similarly gold coins (back when we had those) were issued as eagles ($10), double eagles, half eagles, and quarter eagles, and half cent and two cent coins were also issued for a time. > > I think the only exception to the “powers of two” coin denominations was the three cent piece That’s very interesting! I’ve heard of mills but never of eagles. And it solves the mystery of why dimes don’t say “ten cents”. (I could never remember whether a dime was 5 or 10 cents, until I realized that it was related to the French word “dix”) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/16 "2014-01-30T17:24:28Z")
In Thailand, one baht is comprised of 100 satang, and there is a 25-satang coin. However, 25 satang is worth about 3/4 of one US cent, not a lot. The largest baht coin, in both size and denomination, is the 10-baht coin, and it’s not too different in size from an American quarter. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/17 "2014-01-30T17:39:03Z")
Trinidad&Tobago has a quarter coin. ---
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/18 "2014-01-30T17:39:35Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Because the US Dollar used to be based on the Spanish _[Real de a Ocho](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_dollar)_, aka the Spanish Dollar or ‘Piece of Eight’. > > Hence also the nick ‘two bits’ (as in ‘Shave and a Haircut, two bits’) for a quarter, it coming from two bits of the piece of eight. Looks like this is the likely reason. I’ve looked up the currencies of Central- and South American countries, and several of them do have 25-cent coins:- Brazil Argentina Ecuador Venezuela Guyana Guatemala Belize El Salvador Nicaragua Suriname Venezuela also has a 12.5 cent coin, which I guess is a direct descendant of the real. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/19 "2014-01-30T17:52:58Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Panama uses the US dollar for paper currency, but mints its own coins, [http://snapshots.travelvice.com/download/8143-4/IMG\_4687.JPG](http://snapshots.travelvice.com/download/8143-4/IMG_4687.JPG) Link doesn’t work, but does have one of the better 403 error messages: > [@](#): > > 1. You’ve got problems. > > I can’t imagine what could be racing through your mind right now… perhaps you’re confused and experiencing feelings of extreme disorientation, or maybe even betrayal. Something was probably supposed to be here, and isn’t. I wish I could be there to help get you through this, but I can’t. In my stead, this simple page will have to suffice. > > FYI: This error, 403 access forbidden, means that you requested a “bare” directory path when no default directory (index) page was present. > You’ve got options… Hurray! > > There are a couple of places I can recommend to a person in your situation (other than to go back from where you came). The home page, archive page, and the about section are all excellent places to fall back upon when you find yourself troubled and/or bewildered. > > If all else fails, you may contact me and I’ll try and help you out. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130/20 "2014-01-30T17:56:48Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Considering the dollar to won exchange rate is 1:1100, that seems a bit off. It’s worth closer to 50 US cents. > > Ditto the 50 yen coin. It’s about quarter sized, but it’s worth about 50 cents. The exchange rate isn’t necessary a true reflection of buying power, though. I don’t know about South Korea, but if it has a high cost of living then it is quite possible that something that costs a quarter in the US would cost ₩500 (or about 46c) in Korea. The pound sterling is “worth” $1.65 on the currency markets, but many consumer items cost pretty much the same number of pounds over here as they do in dollars in America. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-quarter-coin-unique-to-the-us-and-canada/680130.md?page=2)