Money is what we use to buy things! Without money, we would have to trade (barter) – like trading your apple for my orange. Money makes buying and selling much easier. In the US, we use dollars and cents. Different countries use different kinds of money – the United Kingdom uses pounds, Japan uses yen, and most of Europe uses euros.

A penny is worth 1 cent. The symbol for cents is ¢. So 1 penny = 1¢. Abraham Lincoln is on the front (heads side). The back (tails side) shows the Lincoln Memorial. Pennies have been made since 1909 – that is over 100 years ago!

A nickel is worth 5 cents (5¢). The nickel got its name from the metal it used to be made from – nickel! Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, is on the front. The back shows his home, Monticello. Two nickels make 10 cents (a dime). Five nickels make 25 cents (a quarter).

A dime is worth 10 cents (10¢). Dimes are the smallest coin in size, but they are worth more than nickels and pennies. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president, is on the front. The back has a torch, an olive branch, and an oak branch. Ten dimes make one dollar. If you have a dime and a nickel, you have 15 cents!

A quarter is worth 25 cents (25¢). George Washington, the first president of the United States, is on the front. The back often shows an eagle, but some special quarters show different states or national parks. Four quarters make one dollar. One quarter is the same as two dimes and one nickel (10¢ + 10¢ + 5¢ = 25¢).

One dollar = 100 cents. That is why we say "one hundred cents makes a dollar." You can make a dollar in many ways: 100 pennies, 20 nickels, 10 dimes, 4 quarters, or combinations like 2 quarters (50¢) + 5 dimes (50¢) = $1.00. Dollar bills are made of a special cotton-paper blend, not regular paper!

2 quarters = 25¢ + 25¢ = 50¢. Add the dime: 50¢ + 10¢ = 60¢. Add the nickel: 60¢ + 5¢ = 65¢. You have 65 cents, which is also written as $0.65. Great adding! When you have 100 cents, you have one dollar. So 65 cents is 65/100 of a dollar, or 65%.

Change = amount paid – cost = 100¢ – 75¢ = 25¢. You should get back 25 cents, which is one quarter. Making change is an important real-life skill. When you buy something, you give money to the cashier, and they give you back the difference if you pay more than the cost. Always check your change!

The quarter is worth the most – 25 cents. Order from smallest to largest value: penny (1¢), nickel (5¢), dime (10¢), quarter (25¢). Remember: even though the dime is smaller than the nickel, it is worth more! Size does not always tell you the value. Always look at the number written on the coin or remember the color and edges.

2 quarters = 25¢ + 25¢ = 50¢ – that works! And 5 dimes = 10¢ × 5 = 50¢ also works. 10 nickels = 5¢ × 10 = 50¢. 50 pennies = 1¢ × 50 = 50¢. But 2 quarters + 1 dime = 50¢ + 10¢ = 60¢ – that is too much. There are so many ways to make the same amount of money. This is why understanding coins helps you count and pay in different ways. You are now a money master!