Why Coins Have Ridged Edges
Posted5 months agoActive5 months ago
rd.comOtherstory
skepticalnegative
Debate
20/100
NumismaticsHistoryCoinage
Key topics
Numismatics
History
Coinage
Article explains why coins have ridged edges, with some users expressing skepticism about the content and tone.
Snapshot generated from the HN discussion
Discussion Activity
Light discussionFirst comment
1h
Peak period
1
1-2h
Avg / period
1
Key moments
- 01Story posted
Aug 21, 2025 at 5:57 AM EDT
5 months ago
Step 01 - 02First comment
Aug 21, 2025 at 7:23 AM EDT
1h after posting
Step 02 - 03Peak activity
1 comments in 1-2h
Hottest window of the conversation
Step 03 - 04Latest activity
Aug 21, 2025 at 8:54 AM EDT
5 months ago
Step 04
Generating AI Summary...
Analyzing up to 500 comments to identify key contributors and discussion patterns
ID: 44970898Type: storyLast synced: 11/18/2025, 1:46:10 AM
Want the full context?
Jump to the original sources
Read the primary article or dive into the live Hacker News thread when you're ready.
Coin ridges were invented to combat a sneaky little trick called coin clipping. This was basically the 17th-century version of skimming from the till: Clever criminals would shave small amounts of precious metal off the edges of coins, then spend the lighter coins at full value while melting down the trimmings to sell.