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American Coinage X Trivia Quiz

A quiz on American coinage for all the numismatists out there.

A multiple-choice quiz by redsoxfan325. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
redsoxfan325

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
294,252

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
709

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. How many different types of nickel five-cent coins have there been? Hint

one

three

four

two

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. Of the following, which is the rarest? Hint

1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar ($1)

1849 Double Eagle ($20)

1913 Liberty Nickel ($0.05)

1877 Indian Head Cent ($0.01)

NEXT>

Question 3 of 15

3. The reverse of the Eisenhower Dollar pictures something that no other circulated coin had pictured until then. What was it? Hint

the Liberty Bell

the American Flag

the White House

the moon

NEXT>

Question 4 of 15

4. Production of the half cent ceased in which year? Hint

1857

1865

1838

1847

5. Someone gives you three coins (all real, legal US currency) totaling 25 cents. One of them is not a nickel (or a half-dime). What did you receive?

Oh yeah, the other two aren't nickels (or half-dimes) either. Hint

20-cent coin, 2-cent piece, and a trime

a plug, a 3-cent coin, and a dime

20-cent coin, a penny, and a 4-cent coin

a flin, a chime, and a penny

NEXT>

Question 6 of 15

6. The phrase "In God We Trust" started to appear on coins around the same time as the phrase "E Pluribus Unum."

True

False

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Question 7 of 15

7. Which type of coin since 1800 (not including gold coins or commemoratives) was minted for the shortest amount of time? Hint

Seated Liberty Twenty Cent

Flying Eagle Cent

Two Cent

Draped Bust Dollar

NEXT>

Question 8 of 15

8. If you like all your coins to be shiny and sparkling clean, you should: Hint

clean them with Windex

dip them in acid

find a new hobby

take a toothbrush and scrub them with soap

NEXT>

Question 9 of 15

9. Which of the following was not at one time, an engraver for the US Mint? Hint

Alexander Hamilton

Victor D. Brenner

James B. Longacre

Christian Gobrecht

NEXT>

Question 10 of 15

10. In the blockbuster, 'The Dark Knight', the star has an interesting Peace dollar that he flips many times throughout the movie. Where is the mintmark located on these beautiful coins? Hint

Just underneath the word "One" on the reverse

To the right of the eagle's head on the reverse

Below Lady Liberty's head on the obverse

Just below the word "Trust" on the obverse

NEXT>

Question 11 of 15

11. A special version of the Roosevelt dime was minted in 1996 to commemorate 50 years of the coin's existence. Where was this coin minted? Hint

Carson City

Charlotte

West Point

New Orleans

NEXT>

Question 12 of 15

12. In coin lingo, what is the antonym of the word "raw?" Hint

expensive

bullion

slabbed

ungraded

NEXT>

Question 13 of 15

13. At one time or another, the United States minted every (integer) denomination of gold coin from $1 to $5.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. In what year was the first official national government-minted coin released? Hint

1793

1792

1788

1776

NEXT>

Question 15 of 15

15. Which type of coin was minted at the most number of mints? Hint

Lincoln Cent (1909-present)

Barber Series - Dime, Quarter, Half Dollar (1892-1916)

Buffalo Nickel (1913-1938)

Morgan Dollar (1878-1904, 1921)

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. How many different types of nickel five-cent coins have there been?

Answer: four

1. Shield Nickels (1866-1883).
2. Liberty Nickels (1883-1913). The 1913 Liberty Nickel is worth millions.
3. Buffalo Nickels (1913-1938).
4. Jefferson Nickels (1938-present). The mintmark location has changed several times on the Jefferson nickel.

2. Of the following, which is the rarest?

Answer: 1849 Double Eagle ($20)

There is only one 1849 Double Eagle known to exist, and the Smithsonian has it.
There are five 1913 Liberty Nickels.
There are fifteen 1804 Draped Bust Dollars.
There are many (~850k) 1877 Indian Head cents, though each one still brings in between $750 and $8000, depending on condition.

3. The reverse of the Eisenhower Dollar pictures something that no other circulated coin had pictured until then. What was it?

Answer: the moon

The design is of an eagle flying/landing (it's sort of hard to tell) on the moon. On the reverse of the bicentennial dollar, the design is of the Liberty Bell and the moon. (The Liberty Bell is also featured on the reverse of the Franklin Dollar.)

4. Production of the half cent ceased in which year?

Answer: 1857

Half cents started to become unnecessary, much the way pennies are starting to become unnecessary today.

5. Someone gives you three coins (all real, legal US currency) totaling 25 cents. One of them is not a nickel (or a half-dime). What did you receive? Oh yeah, the other two aren't nickels (or half-dimes) either.

Answer: 20-cent coin, 2-cent piece, and a trime

A plug, a flin, a chime, and a 4-cent coin don't exist. A trime is another word for a silver 3-cent piece. Then all it takes is some simple math: 20+3+2=25.

6. The phrase "In God We Trust" started to appear on coins around the same time as the phrase "E Pluribus Unum."

Answer: False

"E pluribus unum" has always been on US legal tender, whereas "In God We Trust" has only been on coins minted after 1864 (it first appeared on the 1864 2-cent piece).

7. Which type of coin since 1800 (not including gold coins or commemoratives) was minted for the shortest amount of time?

Answer: Flying Eagle Cent

The Flying Eagle cent was minted for only three years: 1856-1858
The Seated Liberty 20-cent was minted for four years: 1875-1878
The Two Cent was minted for ten years: 1864-1873
The Draped Bust Dollar was minted for ten years, though only five of the ten were in the 1800s: 1795-1804

8. If you like all your coins to be shiny and sparkling clean, you should:

Answer: find a new hobby

Cleaning coins is bad for them because even if they look good to the eye after being cleaned, the cleaning will always leave at least some microscopic permanent damage to the coin. Also, toning, while not appreciated by some, and preventable to an extent, is a natural process that occurs as the metal reacts with the oxygen in the air and can only be avoided/delayed by keeping the coin in an airtight container, which is hard, because even the tiniest cracks can let air in.

9. Which of the following was not at one time, an engraver for the US Mint?

Answer: Alexander Hamilton

James B. Longacre designed such coins as the Flying Eagle and Indian Head cents as well as the Shield design on both the Two-Cent and the Shield Nickel.

Victor D. Brenner (who you might know better as V.D.B.) is best known for the Lincoln cent.

Christian Gobrecht is best known for the Seated Liberty series.

Alexander Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury (and he was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr).

10. In the blockbuster, 'The Dark Knight', the star has an interesting Peace dollar that he flips many times throughout the movie. Where is the mintmark located on these beautiful coins?

Answer: Just underneath the word "One" on the reverse

The mintmark can be hard to find if you don't already know where it is.

Peace dollars are my favorite US coin.

11. A special version of the Roosevelt dime was minted in 1996 to commemorate 50 years of the coin's existence. Where was this coin minted?

Answer: West Point

You can see a little "W" where the usual mintmarks would be. These coins sell for about $12 each ungraded.

12. In coin lingo, what is the antonym of the word "raw?"

Answer: slabbed

Ungraded is a synonym of raw. Bullion value refers to the price of the precious metals inside the coin. Expensive means "having high monetary value; not cheap" but I'm sure you already knew that.

13. At one time or another, the United States minted every (integer) denomination of gold coin from $1 to $5.

Answer: False

There was no two-dollar gold coin.

There was, however, a $4 Gold Coin (Stella) that was only minted for two years (1879-1880).

They also minted $2.50 gold coins (quarter eagles).

14. In what year was the first official national government-minted coin released?

Answer: 1792

A half dime (or "disme") was minted by the government in 1792. Full-fledged production of coins began the next few years, and included the first half cent (1793), cent (1793), dime (1796), quarter (1796), half dollar (1794), dollar (1794), quarter eagle (1796), half eagle (1795), and eagle (1795).

15. Which type of coin was minted at the most number of mints?

Answer: Morgan Dollar (1878-1904, 1921)

The Morgan Dollar was minted at 5 different mints: Carson City (CC), New Orleans (O), San Francisco (S), Denver (D), and Philadelphia (no mark).

The Lincoln Cent and the Buffalo Nickel were both minted at three different mints (P, D, and S).

The Barber Series was minted at 4 different mints (P, D, S, and O).

I hope you enjoyed the quiz, and I hope I stumped you on at least a few.

Source: Author redsoxfan325

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ozzz2002 before going online.
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