How much money does six-bits equal in U.S. currency?

Six-bits is commonly understood in the United States of America to be 3 quarters or about 75 cents. The word “bit” a colloquial expression long meant, in England, any coin of a low denomination. In early America, “bit” was used for some Spanish and Mexican coins that circulated and were worth one-eighth of a peso, or about 12 and one-half cents.

So, in the U.S., two bits has routinely equaled about 25 cents, and four bits has typically been considered to be about 50 cents. In sequence, it therefore means that 75 cents is six-bits and eight-bits is a dollar.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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28 Comments

Christopher Taylor

As I understood it, the Spanish silver dollar coin was commonly chopped into eight pieces or bits. "Pieces of Eight"

Curtis R Anderson

"Shave and a haircut / two bits"

Ronald Schertz

such is inflation...

Richard G. Gomsrud

Love the answer here that explains that bit referred to pieces of a larger coin not the bogus explanation to the question. Memorializing incorrect information is not a good thing.

Angie Daniels

As child I remember my older brothers using the term "two bits" often. The term takes me back to an earlier time.

Steven Ernest Scott

Christopher Taylor, Parrot: "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! {Squawk!}"

Jon Woolery

Musically: "Shave and a haircut, two bits!" (That was a ways back)

Edward Yeomans

O.K.

Gary Noble

This threw me off. We used to have 20 cent coins ( back in the early 1870s.) They were referred to as "two bits." Using that knowledge I answered six.

Janice Fish

Great question

Jim Laughner

Christopher Taylor, You understood it correctly, the Spanish "Pieces of Eight" was a monetary unit consisting of one larger piece of silver, (worth one dollar), that was scored so it could be easily broken into eight equal pieces, (each being worth one eighth of a dollar). Those "pieces" were called "pieces", not "bits". Pieces of Eight was it's own monetary unit and didn't officially evolve into a "one bit" coin but "two bits" did evolve from the denomination of two of those "Pieces of Eight" being worth one quarter of a dollar.

Kate Foley

Gery Tillmanns, more people could write some questions geared to other places....you could yourself! 😊

Leah Colson

I guessed wrong. As I was waiting for the answer to appear I thought of the cheer "two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar..." and knew it was 75 cents as each bit is a quarter. Oh well.