The US Monetary System is a decimal system, with one dollar equal to one hundred cents. One dollar is written as $1 or $1.00. One cent is written as 1¢. One dollar and twenty-five cents would be written as $1.25. Dollar amounts are written with a comma every three digits, so one thousand dollars would be written as $1,000.00. Paper currency is used for amounts of $1 or more, and coins are used for amounts under $1. The most common coins and their dollar equivalencies are as follows:
Coin |
Value (Cents) |
Value (Dollars) |
Penny |
1 cent |
0.01 dollars |
Nickel |
5 cents |
0.05 dollars |
Dime |
5 cents |
0.10 dollars |
Quarter |
25 cents |
0.25 dollars |
Half Dollar |
50 cents |
0.50 dollars |
Dollar |
100 cents |
1.00 dollars |
Paper currency is most often circulated in the following denominations: $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. Occasionally you will encounter a $2 bill. The denomination of all currency is clearly marked on the bottom of both sides of the bill, and on all four corners. Some stores will not accept bills larger than a $20
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