The raised rim around a U.S. coin is not decoration; the Mint forms it before striking so the design wears less and millions of coins can stack more easily

American coins are designed with a raised rim, a thoughtful manufacturing feature aimed at protecting their intricate designs from daily wear. This rim allows coins to stack orderly, making them compatible with automated systems. Research indicates that the wear on coins tends to follow specific patterns, a principle known since antiquity, promoting seamless transactions and smooth integration with machines.