Henry Ernest Dudeney/Modern Puzzles/13 - Find the Coins

Modern Puzzles by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $13$

Three men, Abel, Best and Crewe, possessed money, all in silver coins.

Abel had one coin fewer than Best and one more than Crewe.

Abel gave Best and Crewe as much money as they already had,

then Best gave Abel and Crewe the same amount of money as they they held,

and finally Crewe gave Abel and Best as much money as they then had.

Each man then held exactly $10$ shillings.

To find what amount each man started with is not difficult.

But the sting of the puzzle is in the tail.

Each man held exactly the same coins (the fewest possible) amounting to $10$ shillings.

What were the coins and how were they originally distributed?

1926: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Modern Puzzles ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Money Puzzles: $13$. -- Find the Coins