distinct corrugated border, while a penny has a smooth rim. You do not need to look at them under bright light; your fingertips tell you everything you need to know within half a second.
2. The Mystery of the Smooth Nickel
You might wonder: if ridges are so useful, why are nickels and pennies totally smooth? The answer ties directly back to their historical metal content. Pennies were struck from copper, and five-cent pieces were made of nickel and copper alloy. Neither metal was precious enough in the eighteenth or
There’s more to discover. Continue to the next page for the rest of this article.
