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.
* * * * *
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?!
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
.
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.
the coin u said u did not know what side was heads i think its pic. #2.
Also (sorry i am typing so much) i never knew that 3 cent coins existed….i wonder how many are left.
That is really cool…too bad it has a hole in it…what are you going to do with it???? Also about that half dollar coins my brother has 3 of them…and i have 1 of them they are really cool (but, i never use them)
I am going to keep it forever! I don’t think I’ll ever have another three-cent coin. My Granpa has a sock in his dresser that is filled with old half dollars. He let me look at them, but that’s all.
Good choice that’s what i would do with one too!! That’s cool about all the half dollar coins you grandpa has…i wonder how many he has.:D
I’m on page 91.it’s a really good book so far.
Sick cheesie!
Very tricky…huh?
that’s a nice puzzle. i never knew about 3 cent coins till i read this book. cool!
Me, neither. But now I have one! I hope you looked at the picture of it. (Too bad it has a hole in it.)
I think coins are cool!
Now that’s coolio
man i haven’t even fineshed the book and i’m on the website
I know, right?
i wish i had one of every type of coin ever made
Cool wish! I bet there’s an not a museum or coin collector in the world that has one of everything.
i never knew ther was a 3 cent or a 20 cent or a 2 cent coin before! love your book
I think old coins are really cool. It’s old history just sticking around. Granpa told me lots of people carried silver dollars around in their pockets back in the 40′s and 50′s. He has a cigar box with about 40 of them. The oldest is from 1880, I think.
wow that’s really cool!!!!!
i cant wait to learn more from your books
~:3
My next book (Cheesie Mack Is Cool in a Duel) also has lots of knowledge stuff I learned and decided to write about.
http://cheesiemack.com/next-book/
I bet you’ll like it, too.
My Science Teacher said that trees are also history hanging around, too!
That’s really interesting. Because trees grow so slowly, if they had brains and memories, they’d look at life very differently, I think.