Chris asks: Which is worth more, a pound of quarters or a pound of dimes?
Actually, they would have the same value. Even using the current copper-nickel, tokenized coinage the amount comes out the same. This preserves the tradition of when coins were THE money and there had to an equivalent of weights that would not make one denomination coin more valuable by weight than another (i.e. two dimes and a half dime = the same amount of silver as a quarter). If the relationship was random the less valuable coins would be spent and the more valuable coins hoarded (Gresham’s Law). See the calculations below.
Current copper-nickel clad dimes weigh 2.27 grams making 13.7 dimes to the troy ounce x 12 (the number of ounces in a troy pound) or 164.45 dimes to the troy pound. Face Value: $16.45.
Current copper-nickel clad quarters weigh 5.67 grams or 5.485 to a troy ounce x 12 = 65.82 quarters to the troy pound. Face Value: $16.45
