Put down the coin clippers.
His remedy?
Coin edges can be given ridges, or “reeds.”
It was impossible to clip silver without being noticed because of these reeding grooves.
Why?
A clipped coin would have broken or uneven ridges
A full coin had perfect, continuous grooves
No machine at the time could reproduce the mint’s precise reeding pattern
It was 17th-century security tech — and it worked.
Fun fact: Newton personally prosecuted over 100 counterfeiters — some of whom were sentenced to passing.
Why Some Coins Still Have Ridges (And Others Don’t)
Fast forward to today.
Coins aren’t made of silver anymore (except for special editions).
So why do quarters, dimes, and half-dollars still have ridges?
Because the tradition stuck — and it still serves three crucial purposes:
1. Security Against Counterfeiting
Even today, reeding is part of a coin’s security profile.
Modern counterfeiters struggle to reproduce the exact number and depth of ridges
Vending machines and banks use sensors to “read” the edge — helping detect fakes
2. Accessibility for the Visually Impaired
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