# Yet another coin question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-coin-question/2681>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 21, 1999, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-coin-question/2681 "1999-08-21T02:09:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 1999, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-coin-question/2681/1 "1999-08-21T02:09:00Z")

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Just out of curiousity, why is the reverse side of a coin printed upside down, yet the reverse side of a bill printed the same direction as the front? Any special purpose, or was the Mint just feeling creative that day?

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“I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.”

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**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 1999, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-coin-question/2681/2 "1999-08-21T04:54:00Z")

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That’s odd, Canadian coins have the tops of the heads and tails the same direction.

Maybe the US Mint just thinks it’s stylish?

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Bob the Random Expert  
“If we don’t have the answer, we’ll make one up.”

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**Author:** ![Undead\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Undead\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Undead_Dude)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 1999, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-coin-question/2681/3 "1999-08-21T05:03:00Z")

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Mebbe because they are expecting people to flip them vertically rather than sideways?

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**Author:** ![sly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@sly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sly)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 1999, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-coin-question/2681/4 "1999-08-21T05:33:00Z")

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Quoted from the US Mint web site ( [http://www.usmint.gov](http://www.usmint.gov) ):

> [@](#):
>
> Why is the Flip Side ‘Flipped’? In other words, why, when you flip a coin over after looking at the heads side, is the picture on the tails side upside down?
> 
> All U.S. coinage is produced with what is commonly called a “coin turn.” That means that the reverse side (tails) of the coins is upside down to the obverse side (heads). While we have researched the history of this practice, we have been unable to determine the exact reason for this custom. The Mint still produces U.S. coinage in this manner for traditional reasons and not due to any legal requirement.