United States Mint coin sizes

The United States Mint has minted over 20 different kinds of coins, of many different sizes. Often, it is difficult for people to get a grasp of what much of the historical coinage looked like, at least in relation to modern circulating coins. This chart shows all of the coin types, and their sizes, grouped by coins of similar size and by general composition.^[1]

Seven distinct types of coin composition have been utilized over the past 200 years: three base coin alloys, two silver alloys, gold, and in recent years, platinum. The base metal coins were generally alloys of copper (for 2 cent coins and lower), and copper/nickel (for 3 and 5 cent coins). Copper/nickel composition is also used for all modern "silver" coins.^[2]

US Coin Sizes and Composition

Steel Alloy	Copper	Copper Alloy		Silver Alloy	Silver	Gold		Platinum
					Three Cent 14 mm 0.8 g 0.750 fine 1851–1853 14 mm 0.75 g 0.900 fine 1854–1873
					Half Dime 15.5 mm 1.24 g 1794–1873	Dollar 15 mm 1.67 gr 1849–1889	$5 Bullion 16.5 mm 3.11 g 1986–present	$10 Bullion 16.5 mm 3.11 g 1997–present
		Three Cent 17.9 mm 1.94 g 1865–1889	Dime 17.91 mm 2.268 g 1965–present		Dime 17.9 mm 2.5 g 1796–1964	Quarter Eagle 18 mm 4.2 g 1796–1929
Small Cent 19.05 mm 2.5 g 1943		Small Cent 19.05 mm 2.5 g 1857–present				Three Dollar 20.5 mm 5.01 g 1853–1876
		Nickel 21.21 mm 5 g 1866–present		Nickel 21.21 mm 5 g 1942–1945	Twenty Cent 22 mm 5 g 1875–1878	Half Eagle 21.6 mm 8.36 g 1795–1929	$10 Bullion 22 mm 7.78 g 1986–present	$25 Bullion 22 mm 7.78 g 1997–present
	Half Cent 23.5 mm 6.74 g 1795–1857	Two Cent 23 mm 6.22 g 1864–1873	Quarter 24.26 mm 5.67 g 1965–present	Quarter 24.3 mm 6.25 g 1975–1976	Quarter 24.3 mm 6.25 g 1796–1965
		Dollar 26.5 mm 8.1 g 1979–present[3]				Eagle 27 mm 17.5 g 1795–1933	$25 Bullion 27 mm 17.5 g 1986–present	$50 Bullion 27 mm 15.6 g 1997–present
	Large Cent 29 mm 10.89 g 1793–1857	Half Dollar 30.61 mm 11.34 g 1971–present		Half Dollar 30.6 mm 12.5 g 1965–1971	Half Dollar 30.6 mm 12.5 g 1796–1964
						$50 Bullion 32.7 mm 31.1 g 1986–present		$100 Bullion 32.7 mm 31.1 g 1997–present
						Double Eagle 34 mm 35 g 1850–1933
		Dollar 38.1 mm 22.68 g 1971–1978		Dollar 38.1 mm 26.73 g 1971–1976	Dollar 38.1 mm 26.73 g 1794–1970
					$1 Bullion 40.6 mm 31.1 g 1986–present

Representative images of US coin sizes

Steel Alloy	Copper	Copper Alloy		Silver Alloy	Silver	Gold		Platinum

Notes on the tables:

• Images are close to actual size on a 92-dpi monitor.
• Silver Half Dollars and Dollars, and Gold Half Eagles and Eagles are still regularly minted as commemorative coins. Dimes, quarters, and half dollars are also struck in 90% silver for certain annual collector's sets.
• The silver-colored Susan B. Anthony dollar was replaced with gold-colored Sacagawea Dollar in 2000; though the composition changed, the coin's size and weight remain the same.
• Some variances in coin size and weight occurred over time, especially as the value of silver varied. In particular, many silver coins changed in the 1870s. The figures cited in the tables are representative of the series, and are generally the latest, or most common, figures for a given coin type.

The largest coin ever minted by the US Mint was a gold "Half Union" pattern in 1877, weighing 83.45 grams, and 51.1 mm in diameter. The largest coin actually issued by the mint was the Panama-Pacific Exposition $50 gold commemorative, at 83.572 grams and 44 mm. An octagonal version of the coin was slightly larger, measuring 45 mm at its widest point.

1. "The United States Mint: Frequently Asked Questions". Retrieved 24 March 2010.
2. "Coin Composition, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta".
3. Native American $1 Coin