particle と - と after counting something

Is there any special meaning to a "と" when used after a number? For example (these lines are in the same work but not one after another),

試作品の工場って、何百と見てきたんですよ。

試作品ったって、数百と作るわけだろ？

The dictionary says "量を受けて" for this usage, but it isn't clear if this と is needed or how the meaning would change if it was removed.

Answer

This kind of と is similar to も, which is used to form an adverbial phrase to indicate the speaker thinks the number is large. Intensifier phrases such as "as many as", "indeed", or "no less than" would be the equivalent.

In your example sentences, I think these と are interchangeable with も. But unlike も, と can't be used with concrete numbers. と is used in fixed idioms such as ごまんと, or with rather vague expressions like 何十人, 何百枚, 何万匹, etc.

• 財布に25万円も入っている: OK.


• 財布に25万円と入っている: Unnatural


• 財布に何十万円も入っている: OK



• 財布に何十万円と入っている: OK