Currency

If you found a bag full of cash, which currency would you prefer it to be? The quick answer might not be the best one; while a suitcase full of U.S. dollars would mean you could start spending immediately (provided you were in the U.S., or in a country that accepted the U.S. dollar as an official currency), there are actually more valuable currencies out there.

By Zach Taras

Why does the dollar sign have a slash? Did a British pound originally weigh 1 pound? Find out the stories behind these and other currency symbols.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Dogecoin started out as a spoof, but is now an actual cryptocurrency with tens of billions of dollars in value. So, should you invest in it?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Just when America seemed to be getting over the great toilet paper shortage, the next thing in short supply was coins. But why?

By Dave Roos

Most U.S. currency contains a serial number that ends with a letter, but some end or begin with a star instead. What does the letter stand for? What is the significance of the star?

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Around the world, people convert their money into U.S. dollars for safety, making it the de facto global currency. But how did the U.S. dollar become so mighty and could it ever be replaced?

By Dave Roos

In challenging economic times, people often turn to gold as a hedge against a falling stock market. But is this a good idea?

By Dave Roos

What happens when your cash gets damaged due to fire, flood or Fido deciding to eat it? Are you just out of luck?

By Patty Rasmussen

The design of the U.S. $1 bill is full of symbolism. We'll tell you what it all means.

By Sarah Gleim

Cryptocurrencies are likely here to stay. But who's really behind their creation and should we trust this new form of digital cash?

By Diana Brown

Cryptocurrencies have been in the news a lot lately. How much do you know about the legitimacy of these 'invisible' currencies?

By Diana Brown

Most bank notes and coins made in the U.S. feature famous people from American history. But we often use these bills without registering whose faces are actually on the notes. Can you guess without opening your wallet?

By Nathan Chandler

Even items with the word 'penny' in their name, like penny candy, cost more than a cent. What does a penny buy in America these days?

By Dave Roos

Whether your account has been hacked or you've lost your private key code, do you have any recourse for recovering your lost bitcoin?

By Dave Roos

Bitcoin had a banner 2017, trading at up to around $20,000 per unit. So, hopes were high for its debut on the futures market in December. How is this cryptocurrency faring in the real world of financial regulation?

By Dave Roos

Bitcoin's price of more than $10,000 a coin has gotten everyone excited, but some financial experts are putting their money on another cryptocurrency.

By Dave Roos

An 1864 law bars living people from appearing on U.S. currency. What do you have to do to get your grill on a bill?

By Laurie L. Dove

Why aren't there numbers on American coins? The words "dime," "penny" and "nickel" sure don't convey anything obvious. Is the U.S. just being inhospitable to guests?

By Chris Opfer

No one knows the exact amount of money lost or thrown out, but it's a lot more than you might imagine. One man made more than $20,000 picking up loose change every day for 10 years.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Unlike dollars, pounds or yen, Bitcoin isn't backed by any government. It's a completely decentralized form of money. Is the world ready for virtual currency?

By Dave Roos & Nathan Chandler

The idea of minting a trillion-dollar coin to pay the U.S. national debt seemed intriguing, if far-fetched. Though it was nixed by the Fed and the Treasury, could it have worked - and why?

By Laurie L. Dove

For the people of Anuta, money is an afterthought, not a reason for being. How does a gift economy work, and can generosity and gratitude alone really keep a community going?

By Jessika Toothman

If we took all the U.S. dollars, British pounds and every other currency out there and added them up, how much would it come to? Find out why it's so hard to figure out how much money there is in the world.

By Kathryn Whitbourne & Francisco Guzman

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

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

By Ed Grabianowski