The United States dime features a series of small grooves around its edge. These grooves, technically known as reeding, are a characteristic element of the coin’s design. The quantity of these features is consistently around 118 on a standard dime.
The inclusion of these edge markings addresses historical concerns related to the precious metal content of coinage. In the past, dimes were composed of silver. Individuals would shave off small amounts of the silver from the edges of coins, accumulating the shavings for profit while the coins retained their face value. Reeding made such tampering immediately evident, acting as a deterrent to this practice. Furthermore, the consistent number of these markings adds a layer of standardization and quality control to the manufacturing process.
