Let’s solve this step by step.
The question at the bottom of the page says:
> What else might be in this time capsule? Perhaps money! In 1883, a coin called...
It cuts off — but we can infer what it’s asking. It wants us to think about what kind of
coin was used in the United States in
1883, since the time capsule is from that year and mentions U.S. history (like Chester A. Arthur being president).
In 1883, the most common coins in circulation in the U.S. were:
- Penny (1 cent)
- Nickel (5 cents)
- Dime (10 cents)
- Quarter (25 cents)
- Half dollar (50 cents)
- Dollar coins (like the Morgan Silver Dollar, which started in 1878)
But here’s the key: The text says “a coin called...” — implying there’s a specific name for a coin from that era that might be interesting or notable.
One very famous coin from 1883 is the
“Liberty Head nickel” — also known as the
“V nickel” because it has a Roman numeral “V” on the back for 5 cents. This coin was first minted in 1883 and became iconic. Some early versions didn’t say “CENTS” on them, so people tried to pass them off as $5 gold pieces — which caused confusion!
Also, the
Morgan Silver Dollar was being made then too — named after its designer, George T. Morgan.
Since the passage talks about everyday life and historical items, either could fit — but the
nickel is more likely what they’re hinting at, especially since it’s mentioned right after “money!” and nickels are small, common, and have an interesting story from 1883.
Another possibility: Maybe they mean the
“Seated Liberty” series coins — but those were being phased out around that time.
Wait — let’s check the context again. The paragraph before ends with:
> ...the first sound recording that survives today was made in 1883.
Then it jumps to:
> What else might be in this time capsule? Perhaps money! In 1883, a coin called...
So it’s prompting us to complete the sentence with the name of a real coin from 1883.
The most accurate and commonly referenced coin introduced in 1883 is the
Liberty Head Nickel.
✔ Final Answer:
Liberty Head Nickel
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of 7th grade reading worksheets.
