Coin Values and Combinations

For Elementary Students

The Four Main Coins

In the United States, there are four coins you'll use most often:

Penny (1¢)

Value: 1 cent

Color: Brown/copper

What it looks like: Has Abraham Lincoln on the front

Symbol: 1¢ or $0.01

Nickel (5¢)

Value: 5 cents

Color: Silver

What it looks like: Has Thomas Jefferson on the front, bigger than a penny

Symbol: 5¢ or $0.05

Tip: 5 pennies = 1 nickel

Dime (10¢)

Value: 10 cents

Color: Silver

What it looks like: Has Franklin D. Roosevelt on the front, smallest coin!

Symbol: 10¢ or $0.10

Tip: Even though it's the smallest, it's worth more than a nickel!

Quarter (25¢)

Value: 25 cents

Color: Silver

What it looks like: Has George Washington on the front, largest common coin

Symbol: 25¢ or $0.25

Tip: 4 quarters = 1 dollar ($1.00)

Counting Mixed Coins

Strategy: Start with the largest coins and count up!

Example: You have 2 quarters, 1 dime, and 3 pennies. How much money?

1. 2 quarters: 25¢ + 25¢ = 50¢
2. 1 dime: 50¢ + 10¢ = 60¢
3. 3 pennies: 60¢ + 1¢ + 1¢ + 1¢ = 63¢

Total: 63¢

For Junior High Students

Coin Relationships

Understanding how coins relate helps you count faster:

Making Amounts in Different Ways

How many ways can you make 25¢?

1. 1 quarter
2. 2 dimes + 1 nickel
3. 2 dimes + 5 pennies
4. 1 dime + 3 nickels
5. 1 dime + 2 nickels + 5 pennies
6. 5 nickels
7. 25 pennies ...and many more!

Fewest coins: Always use the largest coins possible.

To make 25¢ with the fewest coins: 1 quarter (not 25 pennies!)

Finding Combinations

Problem: Make 50¢ using the fewest coins.

Solution:

• Best: 2 quarters (2 coins)
• Also works: 5 dimes (5 coins) — but more coins
• Also works: 10 nickels (10 coins) — even more coins
• Worst: 50 pennies (50 coins!)

Strategy: Use quarters first, then dimes, then nickels, then pennies.

Making a Dollar

$1.00 = 100¢

Ways to make a dollar:

Skip Counting with Coins

Quarters: Count by 25s 25, 50, 75, 100...

Dimes: Count by 10s 10, 20, 30, 40...

Nickels: Count by 5s 5, 10, 15, 20...

Pennies: Count by 1s 1, 2, 3, 4...

Example: Count 3 quarters, 2 dimes, 1 nickel

• Quarters: 25, 50, 75¢
• Dimes: 85, 95¢
• Nickel: 100¢

Total: $1.00

Converting Cents to Dollars

100 cents = $1.00

Examples:

• 50¢ = $0.50
• 75¢ = $0.75
• 125¢ = $1.25
• 250¢ = $2.50

Rule: Put a decimal point two places from the right.

Real-Life Uses

Shopping: "This costs 75¢. I have 3 quarters!"

Saving: "I saved 8 quarters. That's $2.00!"

Vending machines: "I need $1.25. That's 5 quarters."

Making change: We will learn more about this later.

Practice