#1-Four Coins = 83 Cents
In Cheesie Mack Is Not a Genius or Anything, my grandfather Gumpy gave me a math problem while he was tapping his fingers together. Here’s what it was:
“Let’s say (tap, tap) there’s eighty-three cents in my pocket,” he said. “What’s the fewest number of coins I could have?”
“United States coins?” I asked.
He nodded (tap, tap).
I thought for a few seconds and answered, “Four.”
His forehead wrinkled up like he was surprised at me. “Nope. Six. A half-dollar, a quarter, a nickel, and three pennies.”
But I proved I was right . . . and he was amazed.
Did you figure it out?
Most kids think the correct answer is seven: three quarters, a nickel, and three pennies.
But that’s wrong because most kids don’t even think about a half dollar because they usually never see one. (I can’t remember the last time I held a half dollar!) But Gumpy knew about half dollars. That’s why he thought the answer was six.
So why is the correct answer four coins? Because in the 19th Century—at two different times, 1851-1873 and 1865-1889—the United States minted three-cent coins. I learned that when I was researching the 1909 Lincoln Cent that Georgie and I found in his basement.
I have never seen a three-cent coin for real.
If you want to try to puzzle your family and friends with questions like this, you need to know that the United States also had twenty-cent, two-cent, and half-cent coins.
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Update: Look what I got in the mail!
Here’s what was in the letter. I made the image much, much larger so the details are visible. You can see that it’s not the same as the three-cent coin above. The USA made two different designs in the 19th century. And now I actually own one. How cool is that?!
Wow! I have never seen anything like that!
Really cool, huh?
awesome i havent seen a three cent coin in my whole life
i have one chinese dollar and a bunch of euros (euorepean money) from when i went to europe the dollar is from my teacher
one your book gorgie (did i spell it right?) said the cleaner it is the more it costs but that is not true you know that right?
one your book gorgie (did i spell it right?) said the cleaner it is the more it costs but that is not true you know thwt right?
It is definitely NOT GOOD to clean old coins. I read somewhere it really makes them worth MUCH LESS!
(Georgie is the right spelling.)
Georgie has cool glasses man!
Lots of kids =don’t like wearing glasses, but Georgie doesn’t mind a bit because, just like you said, he thinks his glasses are cool!
I have these glasses than can bend all over the place.
My mom asked me the question I said ” 50 cents, 25 cents, 5 cents, and 3 cents.
Good job! Was she really puzzled?
ha ha i know how to clean coins LOL
it takes a long time though
i learned from books ( which i read too many)
I asked my local coin dealer and he said DEFINITELY NOT to clean coins. They may look nicer, but it makes them worth much less.
but if you clean coins they rust like the the statue of liberty it was originally brown but years of rain made it rust
You’re probably right, but the guy at the coin shop told me it is TERRIBLE if you clean coins. They lose lots of value.
Are you sure cheesie !?
Did you know that the 1909 penny is really worth about 950$?
Depends on the condition. The more worn it is, the less it’s worth. But if it’s in perfect condition, it’s worth much more than $950.
acctualy< the 1903 penny is worth 3,000 dollars if it is in perfect condition. there is proof on many websites 🙂
I think it had JFK on it…
my grandma has a $10 coin! I saw it! Its real!
Does it say “Republic of Liberia” on the back? If so, it’s not really worth $10. I looked it up. You should, too.
i immediately looked at the ancwer
Thats cool, about five seconds after I read this, I immediately got on the computer to see what the answer was!
Pretty tricky, huh?
I already knew the answer to the question after I read the book, and that was before I even got on the computer!
That’s very good. Most kids do not get the right answer. Neither did my grandfather!
There’s one coin (the Victory Coin) that has morse code on the rim of it 😛
I never knew that! So cool. I just looked it up and the code on the side says, “We win when we work willingly.”
I wonder why all the words started with W.
Here’s what that would be in Morse Code:
.– . .– .. -. .– …. . -. .– . .– — .-. -.- .– .. .-.. .-.. .. -. –. .-.. -.–
THANKS for telling this to me!
what is the third book going to be about? Are you still working on it?
I am not supposed to talk about it, but it takes place at the beginning of sixth grade.
Oh okay i will just wait until it comes out
is the third book going to be called “Cheesie Mack is Running Like Crazy”?
I think so. That’s the working title. But things could change.
I have a coin that equals to 1 dollar. I’m never going to spend it!!!
But there are lots of 1 dollar coins :P.
oh wait I forgot that most people on here are probably American :\
I’m guessing you live in Canada. My grandparents (Gumpy & Meemo) just took a cruise from New Jersey all the way to Halifax.
one time someone gave me a canadian penny as change i have no idea on what to do with it
Did you know a Canadian penny is actually worth MORE than a US penny. (just a tiny bit more)
I have a 1942-S cent. Is that worth much, Cheesie?
It depends on the condition. You can look it up online.
the coin u said u did not know what side was heads i think its pic. #2.