After playing this game, your class will be able to take their coin identification skills straight to the bank! 

Using their money knowledge and addition skills, students will flip cards to match each group of coins with their numerical values. 

How to Use This Coin Identification Game

Practice identifying the value of coins!

Shuffle the cards and place them face down in rows in the middle of the playing area. Players take their turn by flipping over two cards to find a match. For example, if a player picks up the card with a dime and a nickel, they need to match it to the card that reads 15¢.  

If the cards make a match, the player picks up the cards, keeps them, and takes another turn. If the cards do not match, turn them back over, and the next player takes their turn. Play continues until there are no more cards left in the playing area. The player with the most matches wins!

Once they have found a match, encourage students to record their answers on a sheet of paper—a great way to hold your students accountable during math center time. 

Use this resource as a center activity, with your guided math group, or a whole class activity (see below). 

🪙 Scaffolding and Extension Tips + More Coin Activities with This Game

Use this resource as independent practice for fast finishers and full-class learning opportunities like scoot activities, lesson reviews, comprehension assessments, and more.

After matching the cards, have your students put all of the values in order from least to greatest. Students can also create math word problems using the values of coins given on two different cards.

Support struggling students by first focusing only on cards with lesser values, allowing students to build capacity by working on more difficult values.

💸 Coin Value Bust

Project each of the coin value cards one at a time, challenging students to come up with as many ways as possible to reach that amount using quarters, nickels, dimes, and pennies. You can also work with students on making exact change from a dollar, helping them subtract the coin value from 100. 

🏦 Show Me!

Give each student a mini dry-erase board and a dry-erase marker. Project the coin cards one at a time and have your students write the value for each on their board. When everyone has written down their answer, say, “Show Me.” Students will flip their boards, allowing you to see who needs extra support with this skill.

💰 Knock Off

Have your students stand up and make a line across the room. Project a coin card on the screen and use our Random Name Picker widget to draw a student’s name to answer. If the student correctly identifies the value of the coins, they tap the person on their left or right to send them back to their seat. If the student answers the card incorrectly, they must sit out. Play continues until only 1 student is standing.

Get our 10 Best Scaffolding Strategies to try today! 

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Print on cardstock for added durability and longevity. Place all pieces in a folder or large envelope for easy access. 

Before You Download

Use the drop-down icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or Google Slides version of this resource. 

This resource was created by Anna Rudolph, a teacher in California and a Teach Starter Collaborator. 

Don’t stop there! We’ve got a vault of coin identification games and money teaching resources to make sure your students are spending their time wisely:

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