# Why are Dimes So Tiny?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-dimes-so-tiny/228405>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 10, 2004, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-dimes-so-tiny/228405 "2004-02-10T06:51:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![MrBoy1967](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@MrBoy1967](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrBoy1967)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-dimes-so-tiny/228405/41 "2004-02-13T01:37:49Z")

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Douglas Adams was right-

Do away with all currency! Use leaves!

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**Author:** ![LotSeven\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@LotSeven\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LotSeven_K)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-dimes-so-tiny/228405/42 "2004-02-22T21:07:08Z")

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> [@Sirreal72](#):
>
> As for exotic dancers…well,  
> who says the clubs couldn’t sell you paper tokens the dancers could trade in? Let’s face it…they have to break my $100s for $1s anyhow, might as well give me monopoly money…it’s not leaving the premises in MY pocket! 🙂 (Not sure what the laws are for token money…but if casinos can issue poker chips, don’t see it as a problem.)

They already do… (Warning: Nudity on this site, though not on the page linked)

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**Author:** ![MrBoy1967](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@MrBoy1967](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrBoy1967)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-dimes-so-tiny/228405/43 "2004-02-22T22:37:01Z")

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> [@LotSeven](#):
>
> They already do… (Warning: Nudity on this site, though not on the page linked)

There’s nudity there NOW!

😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃

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**Author:** ![MrBoy1967](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@MrBoy1967](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrBoy1967)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-dimes-so-tiny/228405/44 "2004-02-22T22:38:34Z")

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Is that what they call a splash page?

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**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-dimes-so-tiny/228405/45 "2004-02-23T00:39:22Z")

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I have edited a couple of posts to remove links. Please note that just because a woman has a G string on, that does not make the link appropriate for the SDMB.

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-dimes-so-tiny/228405/46 "2004-02-23T01:35:50Z")

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Actually, rounding does occur now, with reference to the fact that for 147 years we have not had a half penny.

If something is marked as costing “2 for $2.99” its technical unit price, if you decide to purchase only one of the item, is $1.495 – but every cash register and checkout clerk in America will ring it up as $1.50. An item at 3 for $1 will ring up at either 33 or 34 cents, depending on how penny-pinching the store is.

A similar policy – total up transactions using the cents figures, but round the final price to the nearest nickel – would save everyone in the long run – the mint, the store’s required coin reserve, the banks and such handling bulk coins, and even the consumer, who can juggle his purchases to save one or two cents per transaction with a little mental agility.

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