10 Little-Known Facts About Currency

10 Little-Known Facts About Currency

Here are 10 little-known facts about currency.

Thanks to technology, paper money may not be as popular as it once was, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less fascinating. Here are 10 lesser-known facts about world currency.

Number 10. Hasbro prints more money than the US Government. On average, the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing only churns out about 974 million.

Number 9. According to the Brits, the pound as a unit of currency is the oldest still in use today, and has been for over 1200 years.

Number 8. Not all coins are pocket-sized. The largest one out there hails from Perth, Australia and measures an astonishing 31 inches across. It’s made almost entirely of pure gold and is valued at over 50 million Australian dollars.

Number 7. Some bills have a whole lot of zeros. Shortly after World War 2, Hungary printed a bank note with 20 of them. More digits don’t always mean more value, though. The 100 Million Billion Pengő bill only equated to about 20 US cents.

Number 6. Queen Elizabeth the 2nd is a money celebrity. According to Guinness World Records, her portrait has been placed on the currency of 35 countries. The likenesses, however, differ. Some show her in full regalia while others feature a more everyday sort of Queen.

Number 5. US Bills have wildly varying life expectancies. 100s live the longest, with an average circulation stretch of 15 years. Time is shortest for the 10-dollar-bill, which lasts only about 4-and-a-half years.

Number 4. Most of the world’s money isn’t entirely tangible. Of the estimated 75 trillion dollars in existence on the planet, only 5 trillion of it is in the form of bills and coins.

Number 3. America’s money is printed on really fancy paper. Forget wood pulp. The stock used by the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing is comprised of 75% cotton and 25% linen. It’s manufactured by Crane & Company, who are perhaps best known for their fine stationery.

Number 2. It’s dangerous. And not just in the love of money leading to evil sort of way. Researchers at New York University found that the average $1 bill is teeming with over 3 thousand different kinds of bacteria, some of which can cause illness.

Number 1. There may soon be a woman on the 20-dollar bill. A New Hampshire Senator has proposed that a committee of citizens be convened to discuss the matter. If her measure passes, the US Treasury will be obligated to do so.

Which fact about currency do you think is most fascinating?

Can you find the synonyms of the following words or expressions?

Key:

1.d.

2. a.

3. h.

4. j.

5. c.

6. b.

7. i.

8. g.

9. e.

10. f.