Deepen your students’ money knowledge with our Comparing Coins worksheet. This interactive activity asks learners to carefully study Australian coins and record important data about their features, including colour, rubbings, and value. By focusing on observation and comparison, students strengthen recognition skills while practising accurate financial vocabulary.

Students begin by examining the physical attributes of each coin, paying attention to details such as colour, size, images, and edges. They then complete coin rubbings to capture textures and designs, followed by recording the coin’s value. This structured approach encourages students to see connections between a coin’s appearance and its worth, making money concepts more concrete and memorable.

Practical and no-prep, Comparing Coins is easy to use during whole class lessons, small group rotations, or independent tasks. It can be paired with real or plastic coins for hands on learning, and the completed pages create a reference chart that students can revisit during future money lessons. The task also integrates fine motor skills through coin rubbings and careful recording.

Key Learning Outcomes

• ✅ Recognise and name Australian coins by their features
• ✅ Record colour, design, and other physical characteristics
• ✅ Complete accurate coin rubbings to capture detail
• ✅ Identify and record the value of each coin
• ✅ Use mathematical and financial vocabulary to describe coins

What’s Included

• Worksheet with structured sections for colour, rubbing, and value
• Space for multiple coin comparisons
• Clear labels and prompts to guide recording
• Optional blank template for teacher-created challenges
• Answer guide for teacher reference

Materials Needed

• Printed worksheets on paper or light cardstock
• Australian coins or plastic replicas for observation
• Crayons or soft pencils for rubbings
• Pencils for writing responses
• Clipboards or hard surfaces to support rubbings

How to Use

1. Provide each student or group with the worksheet and a set of coins.
2. Model how to observe colour, size, and features closely.
3. Demonstrate how to make a rubbing using a crayon or pencil.
4. Students record the value of the coin and complete all sections.
5. Discuss findings as a class, reinforcing correct coin names and values.

Ideas for Classroom Use

• 💡 Use in maths rotations as a focused money investigation task.
• 💡 Pair with magnifying glasses for a coin discovery station.
• 💡 Integrate into group work where students compare results and share observations.
• 💡 Add to early finisher tubs for independent reinforcement.
• 💡 Display completed worksheets to create a classroom money wall chart.

Top Teacher Tips

• 💛 Provide sharpened crayons or soft pencils for clear rubbings.
• 💛 Pre-select coins for younger students to avoid overwhelming choice.
• 💛 Laminate a blank template and reuse with whiteboard markers for quick practice.
• 💛 Encourage students to describe coins aloud as they work for oral language development.
• 💛 Use as a lead in to lessons on ordering coins by size or value.

Comparing Coins is a practical, hands on worksheet that combines observation, recording, and tactile learning - an ideal no-prep resource for rotations, group work, or independent study in your money unit.