Identifying the Nickel (Value & Attributes) - First Grade Mathematics

Next up in our coin exploration is a sturdy, smooth silver coin called the nickel! The nickel is fascinating because it is noticeably thicker and heavier than a penny or a dime. When you hold a nickel in your hand, you can feel its solid weight. But the most important mathematical fact about a nickel is its value: one single nickel is worth five cents! That means one nickel can buy the exact same amount as five copper pennies. In this chapter, you will master the attributes of the nickel, recognize its front and back designs, and understand its 5-cent value.

The Attributes of a Nickel

A nickel is a medium-sized silver coin with several distinctive physical attributes.

Visual Profile of the Nickel:

   Front (Heads):               Back (Tails):
     .-------.                    .-------.
    /  _   _  \                  /   ---   \
   |  (o) (o)  |                |  /     \  |
   |     <     |                | [ MONT- ] |
   |   \___/   |                | [ICELLO ] |
    \         /                  \  =====  /
     '-------'                    '-------'
  Thomas Jefferson               Monticello Mansion

Attribute 1: Silver Color and Thick Rim

The nickel is made from a blend of metals that gives it a bright silver color. If you look at its side, a nickel has a thick, smooth edge. It feels thicker and heavier than a penny.

Attribute 2: The Face on Front (Heads)

On the front of the nickel is the portrait of Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States. He was the author of the Declaration of Independence and an architect who loved science and invention.

Attribute 3: The Building on Back (Tails)

On the back of the nickel is a grand domed building with tall front columns. That building is Monticello, the beautiful home that Thomas Jefferson designed and built in Virginia!

Attribute 4: Smooth Edge

Just like the penny, the outer edge of a nickel is completely smooth with no bumpy ridges.

The Value of a Nickel: Exactly 5 Cents

A nickel has a monetary value of FIVE CENTS.

The Value Trade:
  1 Nickel  =  5 Pennies!
    (5c)    =  (1c) + (1c) + (1c) + (1c) + (1c)

The Power of Five

Because a nickel is worth 5 cents, you can use skip counting by 5s to count collections of nickels! Two nickels equal 10 cents. Three nickels equal 15 cents. Four nickels equal 20 cents.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: What is the value of one nickel in cents? How many pennies equal one nickel?

Exercise 2: Who is the famous American president pictured on the front of the nickel, and what building is pictured on the back?

Exercise 3: If you compare a penny and a nickel, what are two differences you can see or feel between them?

Exercise 4: How much money do you have if you are holding 2 nickels in your hand?

Solutions and Explanations

Solution to Exercise 1: One nickel is worth 5 cents (5¢). It takes 5 pennies to equal the value of one nickel.

Solution to Exercise 2: Thomas Jefferson (the 3rd President) is pictured on the front of the nickel. His home, the Monticello mansion, is pictured on the back.

Solution to Exercise 3: A penny is reddish-brown (copper) and worth 1 cent, while a nickel is silver-colored and worth 5 cents. A nickel is also noticeably thicker and heavier than a penny.

Solution to Exercise 4: 2 nickels equal 10 cents (5¢ + 5¢ = 10¢).