subsidiary coin

noun

a coin, especially one made of silver, having a value less than that of the monetary unit.

Compare minor coin.

Origin of subsidiary coin

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for subsidiary coin

subsidiary coin

noun

a coin of denomination smaller than that of the standard monetary unit

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012