ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

United States Mint coin sizes

Okay kiddo, do you have any coins with you right now? Let's say you have a penny, a nickel, a dime, and a quarter.

Do you notice that the quarters are bigger than the dimes, and the dimes are bigger than the nickels, and the nickels are bigger than the pennies? That's because the United States Mint makes coins in different sizes to help people differentiate them easily.

A penny is the smallest coin, and it's worth one cent. The nickel is a little bit bigger than the penny, and it's worth five cents. The dime is smaller than the nickel, but thicker, and it's worth ten cents. The quarter is the biggest coin, and it's worth 25 cents.

By making the coins different sizes, it helps us count and identify them easier. So the next time you're counting your coins, remember that the bigger the coin, the more it's usually worth!