Anthony Siuta, age 13, of Utica, N.Y., for his question

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF U.S. COINS IN CIRCULATION?

It has been estimated that about $8 billion in coins is currently in circulation in the United States. There are six denominations: dollars, half dollars, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies.

The Bureau of the Mint makes coins at mints in Denver and Philadelphia, and from time to time at the assay office in San Francisco. A date appears on the front of each coin. The date is usually the year when the coin was made, but during the mid 1960s the mints attempted to discourage hoarding by making a large number of coins without changing the date from one year to the next. This practice, however, was discontinued in 1966.

From time to time the government issues special coins to honor outstanding persons. A half dollar was issued from 1951 to 1954, for example, honoring George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington.