currency library

 

The Currency channel explains all you ever wanted to know about dollars and cents. Check out these articles for in-depth information on what happens to money in the economy (or in your washing machine.)

Featured Article:  How Exchange Rates Work

What exactly is the cost of money? What are the fundamentals of exchanging dollars for other currency? We'll explore these questions, plus give tips for money-changing travelers. See more »

Can I really trade my dollars in for gold bullion?

Can I really trade my dollars in for gold bullion?

You can trade your dollars in for gold bullion from Fort Knox whenever you want -- right? Maybe not.

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How Currency Works

How Currency Works

What is currency, exactly? We all know currency is a piece of paper or metal you can trade for stuff you need or want, but who decides what your money is worth? And why does its value fluctuate?

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How Exchange Rates Work

How Exchange Rates Work

What exactly is the cost of money? What are the fundamentals of exchanging dollars for other currency? We'll explore these questions, plus give tips for money-changing travelers.

See more »
How much actual money is there in the world?

How much actual money is there in the world?

The Federal Reserve is responsible for tracking all of the money that in circulation and on deposit in the United States. That's a formidable job in and of itself, so how does one count all of the money in the world?

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How the Euro Works

How the Euro Works

Believe it or not, the Euro was the idea of Winston Churchill in 1946, when he suggested the creation of the "United States of Europe."

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How the New $20 Bill Works

How the New $20 Bill Works

With the introduction of the new $20 bill, the U.S. Treasury has introduced a whole new element to the dollar: color. Learn about the new look of the currency and about the benefits of the new features.

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If you took all of the gold in the world and put it in one place how much would there be?

How much would all the money in the world weigh and how much would it be worth? Find out what "all the money in the world" really means.

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What do the symbols on the U.S. $1 bill mean?

On the back side of the United States $1 bill is a picture of a pyramid with an eye on top along with a Latin verse. Find out the significance of the picture and the meaning of this Latin verse.

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Why are the penny and the nickel the only U.S. coins with images that don't face left?

Learn why Lincoln and Jefferson don't face left like all the other presidents on U.S. coins.

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Why do some U.S. bills have a star instead of a letter at the end of the serial number?

Some dollar bill serial numbers have a star at the end of the serial number. What does it mean?

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Why doesn't paper money disintegrate when it gets washed in the washing machine?

Why doesn't washing paper money cause it to disintegrate? Learn how paper bills are made to withstand excessive use (or misuse!).

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How does a dollar bill changer work?

Have you ever wondered how a dollar bill changer converts your bills to change? Learn how a dollar bill changer works.

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How often do state quarters come out and how many does the mint produce?

The mint began producing state quarters in 1999. Learn about the schedule of state quarter minting.

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If all the money in the U.S. only totals $6 trillion how can the New York Stock Exchange have stocks valued at $15 trillion?

Ever wondered why the stock exchange is valued at 15 trillion dollars, while the amount of money in the U.S. is only 6 trillion? Learn why the stock exchange can be valued higher than a nation's total financial value.

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