In
recent times I have been spending a day or two each month writing chapters in
the history of the American Numismatic Association for publication in The
Numismatist. This is a part of the ANA’s 125th anniversary celebration.
In
looking through old issues of the ANA magazine I can across this coin quiz
written by Stuart Mosher. I found it interesting. Here is what he created:
Copper
Quiz for Coin Collectors
Count
five for each correct answer. If you score 70 you have a very fine score. Fifty
or less is below average, while 90 or more is remarkable.
1.
Which contains the most copper, a Lincoln cent of 1954 or a Jefferson nickel of
1954?
2.
What country is famous for issuing the largest copper coins?
3.
Approximately what percentage of copper will be found in foreign gold coins?
4.
What country of ancient times used copper coins weighing about one pound and
equal in value to one ox?
5.
If you were to refine 20 pounds of current U.S. silver coins, how much copper
would you obtain?
6.
What country issued the same denomination and about the same type of copper
coins for over 2,000 years?
7.
Why are policemen sometimes called ‘cops,’ or ‘coppers’?
8.
What state in the U.S. produces the most copper?
9.
What country in the world produces the most copper?
10.
During the Civil War some people were called ‘copperheads.’ Who were they?
11.
Which is the better conductor of heat, iron or copper?
12.
Which came first, the Copper (Bronze) Age or the Iron Age?
13.
Name the one U.S. coin that did not contain copper as an alloy.
14.
What is the largest English copper coin ever made?
15.
For three years the United States made silver coins containing three parts
silver and one part copper. What coin was it?
16.
What is the chemical symbol for copper?
17.
Name the one year between 1793 and 1857 when the United States did not strike
copper coins.
18.
Was copper ever used as an alloy in the silver coins of ancient Greece?
19.
Give the name of at least one copper coin of ancient Rome.
20.
What was the largest amount of money ever paid for a U.S. copper coin?
Answers:
1.
The nickel containing 57.87 grains of copper against 33.60 grains in our
current cent. (Since 1944.)
2.
Sweden with its copper plate money.
3.
About 10 percent.
4.
The Roman Republic around 300 B.C.
5.
As they contain 10/ copper you would get two pounds.
6.
China, with its copper one-cash pieces.
7.
Because the English police once wore large shiny copper buttons on their
uniforms.
8.
California.
9.
United States of America.
10.
Northerners who sympathized with the Confederates.
11.
Copper.
12.
The Copper or Bronze Age.
13.
Steel cent of 1943.
14.
British twopence of 1797.
15.
Silver 3-cent pieces of 1851-1853.
16.
Cu.
17.
1815.
18.
Yes.
19.
Aes, Sestertius, Dupondius, Quadrans, Follis, Semis.
20.
$2,500 paid by Henry Hines for a U.S. cent of 1799.
