10 Mind-Blowing Facts About Money

10 Mind-Blowing Facts About Money

Everyone wants money, but how well do you know your cash? Below are 10 amazing facts about the U.S national currency that will surprise you.

1. The eagle on your money has a name.

“Peter the Mint Eagle” is kind of a celebrity in Philadelphia’s U.S. Mint building from 1830 to 1836. He would swoop in often that the workers cared for him and used him as a model for coin engravings.

2. Pennies are worth more than you think.

According to the U.S Mint, it costs 1.7 cents to make one penny!

3. Your loose change gave TSA over half a million in 2015 alone.

The loose change you dump at airport security sure adds up. TSA reported collecting $765,759.15 in loose change at checkpoints across the country. And yes, they do get to keep it all.

4. Paper money is not paper.

What is it made of? U.S paper money is 75% cotton and 25% linen. During Benjamin Franklin’s day, torn bills were put together with a needle and thread!

5. The U.S penny had a different motto.

Speaking of Franklin, he designed America’s first U.S. penny in 1787. It did not say E PLURIBUS UNUM though. What was emblazoned on the penny? MIND YOUR BUSINESS.

6. Microwave your bills to crisp them up.

Are your bills getting rejected by the vending machine? Pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds and it will crisp up – problem solved!

7. $2 bills are not rare.

In fact, there are over 1.1 billion in circulation. You can even request some from your local bank.

8. The largest note ever printed was the $100,000 Gold Certificate.

These bills were printed from December 1934 through January 1935 and were used in transactions between Federal Reserve Banks and the U.S. Treasury.

9. The secret service was created to stop counterfeiting.

Following the Civil War, half of all cash in circulation was counterfeit. To fight this epidemic, the U.S Secret Service was born on July 5, 1865.

10. Grooves on quarters are important.

They prevent people from scraping off the coin faces and selling them as precious metals. Bonus: How many grooves does a quarter and a dime have individually? 119 and 118!