Welcome to part II! The links between these three dollar gold pieces, three cent silver trimes, large cents, washers, and stamps is very complicated and complex, so you might find yourself needing to read it through a few times. I will try to set out a chart at the bottom. First, let's start with the link between silver trimes and three dollar gold. The trimes were minted from 1851-1873, very similar times to when the gold pieces were circulating (1854-1889). The three dollar gold pieces were issued first in 1854, but never saw much public use—except by some certain individuals who were hoarding these trimes, who found it easy to exchange one of these gold three dollar coins for 100 trimes. That wasn't too hard, was it? Now we add stamps into the mix. Three cent trimes were issued partly because of the current cost of a postage stamp, which were three cents each. That way, they could pay with just one coin. Now three dollar gold pieces were also able to be spent on exactly 100 stamps, or buying 100 trimes for 100 stamps. Now we have a circle, but what happens when we throw washers in? Back then, washers cost three cents apiece, so you could buy a stamp with a three cent or a washer, both only used one coin. Or you could buy 100 three cents to buy 100 washers with a three dollar gold piece, or you could just buy 100 washers. Confused yet? Well, this is where we toss large cents in. instead of buying your own washers for three cents or buying 100 trimes to buy 100 washers, people just made their own out of large cents, so it only cost one cent. Handy, right? Or you could buy 300 large cents with a three dollar gold piece, and make 30 washers yourself! Well, our hexagon is finally complete! Let me lay out a simple chart for you:

The History of U.S Half Dimes