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The U.S. nickel is a five-cent coin struck by the U.S. Mint. First issued in 1866, the coin is composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel.The silver half dime, worth five cents, had been issued since the 1790s. The American Civil War created economic difficulty and led to gold and silver going out of circulation. Initially, the government issued paper currency in place of low-value coins.  However, after the successful introduction of two-cent and three-cent pieces without precious metal, Congress authorized the five-cent piece composed of base metal.There have been several versions of the nickel released over the years. Here...

The dime is a U.S. coin worth 10 cents. It is the smallest in diameter and thinnest coin minted for circulation in the U.S. The denomination of the dime was first authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792. The word "dime" comes from the French word dîme, meaning "tithe" or "tenth part," from the Latin decima.The obverse design of the current dime features the profile of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The reverse design features an olive branch, a torch, and an oak branch. However, the design of the coin has changed frequently over the years. Here are a few notable versions...