I just can't help it. I have got to put in my two "cents" π€£...
Personally, as long as I know what you are talking about, I don't care what they are called, but then again I like to I choose my battles. However, I do enjoy a good debate, so, for those purposes only, I am gonna chime in.
In the scenario below, the person, whom we will call Pat since gender is unknown, has three pennies/cents, one nickel, and one dime.
Pat is in line to get a piece of bubble gum. He is hoping to have enough symbols of monetary value in his pocket to afford it. The cashier says that $. 18 (which normally, in the U.S.would be stated as 18 cents) should be remitted as payment. Now, does Pat leave the store with a broken heart and bad breath because of the lack of 18 "cents" (remember he only had three cents/pennies) or does Pat leave ready for a date and give the cashier the coins within his/her pocket with a value equal to $. 18, the amount due?
So here we are... The prefix cent means 100th, or one part of 100,right? So, in my mind, one cent is the amount equivalent to one hundredth of one dollar. Its physical symbol just happens to be what we coined as the penny. Had we coined the nickel to be that equivalence, then it could also be a cent. So I said all that to say this, IMHSO, I feel as though cents are values and pennies, nickels, etc. are symbols of such values.
I hope y'all can understand this because my mind was talking way faster than my hands could type. If not, well the meaning (value) of my words (symbols) weren't coinciding π. Have a spectacular day!! I am headed to town.