2min chapter

The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean cover image

How to Be Smarter than Isaac Newton

The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean

CHAPTER

How to Avoid Isaac Newton's Dumbest Mistake

In Newton's time, people did not realize that the trial of the picks still allowed for a full 1% deviation. People simply didn't have the mathematical tools then to appreciate why it was a sham. As a result, crappy coins kept flooding the market. The Mint did introduce other measures to prevent coin clipping, including milled edges.

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