# What denominations of coins and bills have been discontinued by the U.S. over the years? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2025, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817 "2025-11-13T00:30:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2025, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817/61 "2025-11-14T16:00:29Z")
ETA deleted ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817/62 "2025-11-14T21:05:38Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > No: half dimes were minted from 1792 to 1873. I have a collection of them in an album that is nearly complete. Tons of variety on the mint mark, position of date, flourishes. > > The Civil War, and a need for silver was what caused the half dime to become the “nickel.” Ah, I read it was because it was too small, but the need for silver makes more sense- thanks. > [@Broomstick](#): > > Hilarity does _not_ ensue. Folks, if the cashier says PLEASE DON’T PUT THAT ITEM ON THE BELT, LEAVE IT IN THE CART it’s not just about weight or convenience or “helping” anyone. J This is a pet peeve of my wife also, along with people (mostly men) who cant or wont read the screen on self-checkout. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2025, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817/63 "2025-11-14T21:10:10Z")
Yeah. I mean, I actually _do_ know how to do my job. Listen to me and I’ll get you rung up and out the door in the quickest, most efficient manner possible _especially_ if it’s a busy time or the weekend. We know how our machines work and what the Corporate Overlords have imposed on all of us, staff and customers alike. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817/64 "2025-11-15T14:48:07Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > If they have some notion they have to be diligent about rejecting fakes, Around here, if an underage person gets served, the _server_ gets hit with a pretty hefty fine-- something like $200 for a first offense. Not the doorman, not the bartender, not the manager, and not the owner (albeit, the owner can get hit pretty hard by temporary close-downs for several offenses in a certain amount of time). This is why, here, the server always double-checks ID, even if you showed it to the doorman to get in. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817/65 "2025-11-15T21:19:00Z")
From the Jokes thread. Hands drivers license to clerk. He hands it right back. Me: “That was quick.” Clerk: “I saw the 19.” ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817/66 "2025-11-15T22:06:49Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Around here, if an underage person gets served, the _server_ gets hit with a pretty hefty fine-- something like $200 for a first offense. Last time one of my co-workers got caught by a police sting selling alcohol to someone underage she was taken out of the store in handcuffs. First offense in Indiana can be $1,000 in fines and up to 180 days in jail. First offense. I hear her lawyer argued it into a higher fine without jail time, but she was still arrested, charged, lost her job… ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817/67 "2025-11-15T22:16:28Z")
Wow. I don’t know if it’s cheaper for wait staff, or if I’m just out of the loop! Or maybe your coworker knowingly sold it, or did not check the ID at all. I remember wait staff facing a potential fine for checking an ID, and failing to identify it as fake. That’s a pretty big burden for not a great trade-off. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2025, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817/68 "2025-11-16T00:50:22Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > The reason for a 3-cent coin was that a postage stamp cost 3 cents. Postage was 3 c. when I was growing up but we certainly did not have 3 c. coins. I once had a collection of silver nickels. They were minted during WW II when nickel was needed for the war. They were all heavily tarnished and easy to pick out. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2025, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817/69 "2025-11-16T01:17:44Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Postage was 3 c. when I was growing up but we certainly did not have 3 c. coins. Postage was 3 cents from 1851 to 1883, then reduced to two cents. There was a brief period during and after World War I where it went back up to three cents, but wasn’t permanently raised to that rate until 1932. The silver three cent piece was minted from 1851-1873, and the nickel three cent piece was minted from 1865-1889. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denominations-of-coins-and-bills-have-been-discontinued-by-the-u-s-over-the-years/1024817.md?page=3)