Economics

Curious about capitalism, the monetary system or white collar crime? Check out these articles. The Economics Channel defines and explores economic terms and controversies.

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How does the Social Security system work?

How does the Social Security system (in the U.S.) work? When I pay money into the system, where does my money go and where is my account kept (does some bank have the money in my account)?

Economics / Economic Concepts

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.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors Economics / Currency

How does a counterfeit detector pen work?

Counterfeit detector pens use special chemicals to spot a fake. How do they do it?

Economics / Scams

How much gold is there in the world?

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.

Economics / Currency

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.

Economics / Currency