Today, everything we buy, starting from food and ending with an apartment or a car, costs a certain amount of money. They include paper bills and metal coins, and more recently, even credit cards. But money is money strife. Each country has its own currency, and therefore the perception of the entire monetary system is rather complicated. In this article you will find basic information about the money of different countries, as well as interesting facts about the means of calculation, their circulation.
History of money
The history of money from different countries dates back several thousand years. The first primitive coins appeared around 500 BC. in the small country of Lydia (currently part of Turkey). They were made of an alloy of gold and silver. In many historical sources, money is mentioned in one way or another. Even before the emergence of modern-style money, the main equivalent for exchange was a product that was of particular value. This means that money replaced furs, shells, tea, precious stones, etc.
Appearance of money
Gradually, society developed, and the equivalent of value was not furs and pearls, but money, the exchange value of which was recognized by all. Money from different countries of the world is also quite different. For example, in the USA the dollar is in use, in Japan - the yen, in Europe - the common currency of the euro.
Basic information about the money of different countries cannot be formulated without describing the appearance of currencies. Almost always, from the images in the currency, one can trace the path of historical transformations in the state. Since the money depicts prominent political and cultural figures of a country or important historical events. A very accurate example is the currency of the European Union. Each banknote or coin is marked with images of various architectural monuments and styles (Baroque, Gothic, Classic, Romanesque) that characterize historical eras in the development of the European community.
The main functions of money
Even despite the fact that the money of the world is quite diverse, it is generally accepted that they all perform, if not the same, then quite similar functions, among which the following can be distinguished:
- money is a measure of the value of all goods and services;
- money acts as a kind of intermediary in the exchange of goods and services;
- money acts as a means of accumulation and savings;
- money serves as an economic intermediary between states, individuals and legal entities.
If we give a more general classification, then the money of different countries of the world can be divided into two more groups:
Absolutely any natural currency unit has its own useful value. But over time, this type of money leaves the circulation system. It is replaced by symbolic money. This type includes various coins, paper money, bonds, bank checks, electronic currency , etc.
The main cost of such symbolic (essentially modern) money is not the cost of the material from which they are made, but their symbolic face value, officially approved by the country's leadership.
The name of the money of different countries of the world
As already mentioned, in every country different money for many reasons. In order to have basic information about the money of different countries, they should be classified and mentioned.
Monetary units of Africa: Liberian dollar, Nigerian naira, Egyptian pound, Chadian franc, Ghanaian cedi, Malian franc, Tunisian dinar , etc.
Monetary units of Asia: Vietnamese Dong, Israeli Shekel, Syrian Pound, Japanese Yen, Indian Rupee, Philippine Peso, Bhutanese Ngultrum, Thai Baht and many others.
Monetary units of America and Oceania: Argentine peso, US dollar, Cuban peso, Australian dollar, Bahamian dollar, Vanuatu vatu and others.
Monetary units of Europe and the CIS: Danish krone, Euro, Russian ruble, Ukrainian hryvnia, Armenian dram, Serbian dinar, Kyrgyz som, Kazakh tenge, Estonian kroon, etc.
As you can see, money is a universal payment system that has developed historically and is recognized by all countries and peoples as a convenient means of payment. This is the basic information about the money of different countries.
Interesting facts about money
In June 1993, the Royal Mint of Great Britain issued obsolete coins, which were withdrawn from circulation 20 years ago. And this was done deliberately and on a special occasion, which most of the British do not even guess about. The whole point was that the guitarist of the legendary rock band Queen, Brian May, didn’t use the pick and the penny of the 1970 issue while playing the guitar. At his personal request, the issue of an obsolete series of coins in denominations of six pence was organized.
Coin "old copper nose"
Pretty strange name for a coin. But it really was published in England at the end of the 8th century by King Henry. It is famous for being the first of its kind coin, which was cast not from silver, but from copper (subsequently they were covered with silver). In the process of circulation, the silver layer on the coin was quickly erased, especially on the protruding part. That is, the nose was first erased in the image of the king. Therefore, the name “old copper nose” was fixed to the coin.
Half a penny
Perhaps the most curious coin that has ever walked in the USSR. Half a penny was minted in 1926-1927, and there was talk of them for half a century. The fact is that in the Union in order to save copper, it was decided to mint a coin from an alloy of copper with zinc.
We examined the basic information about the money of different countries and illustrated them with interesting facts. But this information is sufficient only for a general idea. What money in different countries, we tried to briefly consider.