Why Coins Have Holes In Them

[ZumbroKid]

Ever find a coin with a- hole in it? Do you know why it has a- hole? Why do you think it has a- hole? Can you post a picture of the coin?

 

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[azmetaldetector]

Along these same lines...anyone know why Donuts have holes? So people can tie them together so as not to lose them?

 

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[Contractor1900]

I had also heard that copper large cents were once used for fishing weights because they didn't corrode as fast in salt water. Can't remember where I heard that , but I heard it none the less.

 

[jondar]

I have two old coins I have dug with holes in them. One an 1835 dime and one is an 187_ penny. The dummy drilled thru the last digit of the date. I'm sure these were both worn as watch fobs on the chain when men used pocket watches. the penny has turned green, someone said it is bronze.

 

[Dave N Japan]

In China and Japan they use to keep their money on ropes/ string and knot it off about every hundredth coin. These were know as cash...yes same word cash!
In japan they still make a 5 yen with a hole in it even though they don't use the string anymore.
It could be that many countries use to be like this and still put the hole in some of their coins just to remember days gone by like here in japan.
In china the hole was the earth and the rest of the coin was heaven

 

[silverswede]

Perhaps someone had this idea after going to the hardware store for a penny sized washer with a 5/16 hole and spending 35 cents for one. Humm, hundreds of pennies in my jar. I have a 5/16 drill bit. Wish I was better at math.

 

[Getty]

I read somewhere that if a coin was known to be counterfeit,it was holed so others would know it was fake.Other than to hang on a lanyard as a necklace I wouldnt know why good coins were holed.

 

[kiwi taff]

Hi
Early Oriental "coins" were produced to be used not only for currency, but also for use on Abacus. These sometimes had square holes.

 

[grizzly bare]

skane,
Years ago I heard an old timer say that donuts had holes because of the poor quality control of heating/cooking back in the day. The center was often under cooked and customers complained. Bakers tried many ways of getting around this problem, but found the simple solution of cutting out the center and frying that separately. Don't know if it's true or not, but does make sense.

grizzly bare
not a LEO any more but I still love my donuts

 

[Dave N Japan]

I heard that on the military tv many years ago..