how big is a silver dollar in cm

[McMalia]

Ah, the silver dollar! A coin with a bit of an identity crisis when it comes to size. Asking how big one is is like asking how long a piece of string is; you first have to know which piece of string you're talking about. The world of U.S. dollars isn't a one-size-fits-all situation.

Based on the official specs, there are two main answers. Your classic, old-school silver dollar, the kind you imagine a cowboy slamming on a bar (think Morgan, Peace, or even the big Eisenhower dollars), boasts a rather commanding diameter of 38.1 millimeters. For those who don't keep a tiny ruler in their pocket, that converts to a very specific 3.81 centimeters. It's a satisfyingly hefty coin, substantial enough to make a good decision-making flip.

Then you have the more modern, "small" dollars that began their run in 1979, like the Susan B. Anthony or the golden Sacagawea. These are a more petite and pocket-friendly 26.5 millimeters, which works out to 2.65 centimeters. So, depending on whether you're holding a piece of history or a more recent addition to the currency family, your silver dollar is either a robust 3.81 cm or a more demure 2.65 cm across.