For everyone and about everything. The most unusual money The smallest bill
Each country and some territories have their own currency, different from others. The different colors, designs, portraits and symbols printed on bills and coins generally relate to the history and culture of a country, but sometimes they may relate to other subjects such as raising awareness for a particular cause or being issued to celebrate a special event. However, there are some currencies that have some pretty weird themes printed on them. There are also those that depict normal themes in bizarre ways. From Zairian hole-punched banknotes to Mongolian talking coins, these crazy currencies have actually been used all over the world. Can you imagine paying for your products with talking money?
The US Federal Reserve System was created only in 1908. Until that time, any American bank could issue its own money, which meant there was absolutely no control over fiscal policy. Today, the dollar exchange rate in Moscow banks and other world banks plays an important role in building the world economy.
1. Fiji.
In 2012, the Republic of Fiji released a limited edition of 999 $10 coins made from sterling silver containing an actual piece of the Neuschwanstein meteorite. The meteorite fell to Earth on April 6, 2002 near Neuschwanstein Castle, on the border of Germany and Austria.
24. Belarusian banknotes with animals.
While most countries featured portraits of historically important people and symbols on their banknotes, Belarusian banknotes previously featured animals. The 50 kopeck note featured a squirrel, the 1 ruble note featured a hare, and the 3 ruble note featured a pair of beavers. More expensive banknotes are decorated with images of wolves, lynxes, moose, bears and bison.
23. Concentration camp money.
These banknotes were created by the Nazis for the infamous Theresienstadt concentration camp, which was located in what is today the Czech Republic. The camp served as a showpiece for the Nazis to show to the Red Cross and other institutions to show how well they treated Jewish prisoners. The goal was to show that prisoners took part in cultural events and even took their children to school. These 10 crown notes were part of propaganda. In fact, they were just pieces of paper and had no value. They were also not used.
22. Commemorative 100 Thai baht note.
In 2004, Thailand's Queen Sirikit celebrated her seventy-second birthday, and for this day the national bank issued a commemorative banknote depicting her next to her husband, King Rama IX. The reverse side covers important scenes from the queen's life.
21. 100 franc marijuana coin from Benin.
The world's first silver marijuana coin was issued by order of the government of the West African Republic of Benin. The reverse side featured a bright green hemp leaf that, when rubbed, gave off a distinct marijuana smell thanks to synthetic additives.
20. IDR 20,000 banknote.
Due to high inflation rates, denominations of Indonesian banknotes are very high. Currently, the largest Indonesian banknote has a denomination of 100,000 rupiah, which is equivalent to approximately 2 dollars. The Rs 20,000 note includes an interesting combination of colors and imagination. The man depicted is Ki Hadjar Dewantara, former Minister of Education and Culture, with a strange and perplexed expression on his face.
19. German 50 pfennig banknote.
German emergency money was often illustrated by local artists. The images on the banknotes included themes ranging from romantic folklore to social satire, leaving behind the cultural legacy of this period in German history. Scary designs like those on this 50 pfenning note are no exception.
18. Coins of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire with the remains of mammoths.
The limited edition 1,000 franc coins issued by the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire contained small pieces of mammoth remains.
17. Thai 60-Baht Square Bill
In 1987, the Bank of Thailand issued a special edition of 60 baht notes to celebrate the 60th birthday of its King Rama IX. The banknote was square. Its size was 16 by 16 centimeters. It is one of the largest banknotes in the world.
16. Zimbabwe's $100 trillion banknote.
Hyperinflation in Zimbabwe began shortly after the confiscation of private holdings from white landowners, towards the end of Zimbabwe's involvement in the Second Congo War (1998 - 2003). Inflation peaked at 79,600 million percent in November 2008. At that time, the National Bank issued notes in denominations reaching $100,000,000,000,000.
15. Mongolian talking coins.
Mongolian 500 tugrik coins released in 2007 took the expression “money speaks for itself” literally. The coins with the image of US President John F Kennedy on the back side had a button that, when pressed, allowed the president to listen to the famous “I am a Berliner” speech. Almost immediately after the coins were released, they were snapped up by eagle-eyed collectors.
14. Wooden banknotes of Germany.
Germany fell into a deep financial crisis after World War I, which led the Germans to begin printing their own form of unofficial currency known as "Notgeld" (German for "emergency money"). Cities printed currency on everything from wood and aluminum foil to playing cards in an attempt to get around the depreciating value of the Deutsche Mark.
13. Cook Islands 10 dollar bill.
The country, located in the South Pacific Ocean and consisting of 15 small islands with a total area of 236.7 square kilometers, has very creative and colorful banknotes relating to its Polynesian culture and folklore. For example, their $10 bill features a beautiful topless woman riding a shark.
12. Commemorative coin of the Republic of Palau.
In honor of the 150th anniversary of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to St. Bernadette in Lourdes, southern France, the Republic of Palau (Western Pacific) issued a commemorative coin in 2008. It contains a dropper with real water from Lourdes.
11.5 Northern Ireland pounds
This £5 note, featuring Manchester United footballer George Best, was unique to Northern Ireland. The note issued by Ulster Bank in 2006 to commemorate the death of this great player was dedicated to his memory and would have become a collector's item as only 1 million of these notes were issued.
10. Zambian kwacha with a face value of 5000, backed by silver.
This strange looking coin, containing approximately 31 grams of silver, was first issued in honor of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Its unusual shape is actually a combination of the maps of Australia and Zambia, which is quite difficult to determine since both countries are presented in the same size. The dimensions of the coin itself are 4.8 cm by 4 cm
Paper bills were first used by the Chinese, who began using paper money during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) - mainly in the form of privately issued bills or exchange notes. Paper money was used 500 years before it began to take root in Europe in the 17th century. This Chinese Kuan note is the oldest known note, dating back to 1380.
8. Hungarian 100 million billion pengo banknote.
Hungary's currency, the pengo, experienced the highest hyperinflation in human history. As a result, in 1946, the Bank of Hungary issued a 100 million billion pengo note. (This number: 100,000,000,000,000,000). Despite the ridiculously large number, this bill was only worth about 20 American cents. In July 1946, the country replaced pengö with forint.
7. Easter Island Head Coin.
Easter Island's most famous landmark is depicted on this coin in an original and interesting way. The silver coin was designed so that the miniature statues could be inserted vertically into the hole on the coin, creating a three-dimensional version of the famous Easter Island monuments.
6. Banknotes of Mobutu Zaire.
In 1997, the people of the African country of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) overthrew the totalitarian regime of President Joseph Mobutu. However, due to the fact that the new government did not have enough new currency, they decided to use old 20,000 Zaire bills with Mobutu's portrait cut out.
5. Coin with a freshwater pearl, Republic of Palau.
Another original and intricate coin from Palau. These coins are inlaid with green freshwater pearls, a local symbol of good luck that is supposed to bring happiness. The coins, decorated with different types of sea shells, are part of a limited edition that is intended to raise public awareness about the protection of marine animals.
4. Yugoslav banknote of 500,000,000,000 dinars.
Yugoslavia experienced rampant inflation from 1989 to 1994 when currency reforms were introduced. The highest denomination in 1988 was the 50,000 dinar note, but by 1994 the most valuable note was the 500,000,000,000 dinar note.
3. Coin of Tristan da Cunha with a piece of the Concorde's head fairing.
Tristan da Cunha, an area of remote volcanic islands in the south Atlantic Ocean, issued a special edition of coins to commemorate Concorde's twentieth anniversary in 2009. The coins are plated in gold and each contains a small piece of titanium alloy from the Concorde's head cone.
2. Alaska parchment money.
These banknotes were in circulation from 1816 to 1867 and were issued by a Russian-American company engaged in the fur trade in Russian America. The money was also known as seal or walrus skin receipts as they were printed on parchment made from seals and walruses. In use were 10, 25, 50 kopecks and 1.5, 10 and 25 rubles.
1. 100,000 pesos bill, Philippines.
The banknote was issued by the Central Bank of the Philippines in honor of the Philippine Centennial Celebration in 1998. The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes the 21.5 centimeter wide and 35.5 centimeter long note as the largest banknote used as legal tender.
The largest and heaviest coin
The largest coin in terms of denomination and size is the one million dollar coin, created by artist Stanley Whitten. It is made from 999.99 fine gold and was minted by the Bank of Canada for the Royal Mint. On one side of the coin there is a portrait of the head of Canada, Queen Elizabeth II, on the other side there is a maple leaf. Each coin took up to eight weeks to make by hand. The weight of the coin is about 100 kilograms, or more precisely 99.95 kilograms or 221 pounds, the diameter is 20 inches or 50.8 cm, the thickness is 1 inch or 2.5 cm. Before it was made, the coin from Austria was considered the heaviest worth 100,000 euros, whose weight was 31.1 kilograms. 15 coins were issued and they sold out to collections in less than a month. Wooden coins of Africa
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the first wooden (maple) coin was produced in 2005, which is an official means of payment. The denomination of the coin is 5 francs. It features a picture of a gorilla and the words “Protect the Animal World” in French. The weight of the coin is 2.4 grams, diameter is 40 mm. 
The smallest and lightest coin in the world
This 1/4 jawa silver coin was issued in Nepal in 1740. Its mass is only 0.002 grams. 
The smallest banknote
The Romanian 10 bani, printed at the beginning of the 20th century, is considered the smallest banknote in the world. It was issued in 1917 by the Romanian Ministry of Finance. The 10 bani banknote measured 27.5 by 38 millimeters. 
Largest paper banknote
The 1 guan note was issued between 1368 and 1399 by the rulers of the Ming Dynasty in China. It measures 23 by 33 cm, which is larger than an A4 sheet. And the largest modern banknote is the bill issued in 2007 in Thailand. It consists of three banknotes in denominations of one, five and ten baht, united by one payment slip, the size of which is 147 by 228 mm. This bill is also the largest current 16 baht bill, which is still a means of payment today. 
The most expensive coin in the world
The $20 Double Gold Eagle coin was released in 1933. Immediately after its production ceased, previously sold coins were bought back from the population at a price 2.5 times their face value. All but three coins were bought back. Two are now in the museum, the third was stolen and nothing was known about it for a long time. It was only in 1996 that the coin surfaced from a private Egyptian collector. In 2008, the coin was sold at auction in New York for $7 million 590 thousand to a buyer who wished to remain anonymous. 
The largest banknote in the world by its denomination
This is considered the Hungarian banknote issued after the Second World War - sextillion (billion trillion) Hungarian pengö of 1946. Pengö, the monetary unit of Hungary from 1945 to 1946, “marked” the highest level of inflation in the entire world history of the circulation of banknotes. 
The largest current banknote in terms of purchasing power
This is a US $10,000 bill issued since the late 19th century. Of course, these banknotes, which were printed since the 80s of the 19th century, then had an incredibly large purchasing power, several tens of times higher than now. But today, more than a hundred years later, these banknotes, already many times depreciated, still have the greatest purchasing power on Earth. True, this banknote is a means of payment only in the United States. 
The largest banknote in terms of purchasing power for domestic payments in the country
That's £1 million. The banknote is currently out of circulation. It was printed for settlement purposes within the Bank of England. Today, only 2 such banknotes are owned by private collectors. Its auction price in 2008 was 78,000 pounds sterling. But the 100,000 US dollar bill is still in use today. It is valid only in settlements between banks, the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve. The banknote is not for sale to collectors. 
The most beautiful coin
The most beautiful coin on the planet is considered to be a Mexican coin, issued in 2005 from silver with images of the national coat of arms of Mexico and the calendar of the Aztec tribe. The decision to assign this status to the coin was made by members of the World Mint Conference, which was held in May 2008 in South Korea. The value of the coin is not specified. This outlandish coin attracted the attention of the jury not only for its amazing beauty, but also for the complexity of its execution technique. After all, to depict in all details on a small coin the Aztec monolith “Sun Stone” weighing 24 tons, which is also called a “calendar”, you must admit, is very difficult. 
Stamps-money
These are non-postage stamps, the purpose of which is to replace small change in case of shortage. First released in the United States during the War between the North and South in 1861-1865. Sometimes used as postage stamps, but this was rare. Usually there is no adhesive layer on the back of money stamps. And in Russia, a real boom in the issue of stamp money occurred during the First World War and the Civil War.
But in the Principality of Monaco, stamps are still issued that are accepted as a means of payment. This is due to the fact that internal mail there is free, and stamps on postal items are used only when it comes to external correspondence. 
Walruses
This is the colloquial name for checks issued by the Arkhangelsk branch of the State Bank in 1918 - 1920 and served as a means of payment in the Northern Region. In relation to the pound sterling, Arkhangelsk checks had a rate of 40 rubles per 1 pound.
The need for local banknotes was caused by an acute shortage of banknotes with a face value of less than 500 rubles. To solve this problem, in February 1918, the State Bank issued official permission to issue banknotes of 3, 5, 10 and 25 rubles. Walruses got their common name thanks to the images of a polar bear and a walrus among snow and ice floes on the front side of a twenty-five-ruble check, which differed from other checks in its large size. 
Siamese silver bullet coins
They were produced in Thailand, formerly called the country of Siam, one of the most powerful states in Indochina, from 1782 to 1868.
Bullets were used in Thailand instead of money until the end of the 19th century. Such coins were made by bending a small piece of silver into a ball, on which the name of the king who issued the coin and the name of the dynasty to which he belonged were minted. 1 coin weighs about 15 grams, its diameter is about 14 mm. 
Colored coins
Most often, colored coins are issued for collectors. But there are also similar banknotes that serve as a means of payment. Thus, in 2004, the Canadian Mint issued about 30 million silver 25 cent coins, in the middle of which a red poppy is depicted against a maple leaf background. The coins were issued in honor of the 117 thousand Canadians who died during World War II. After all, in Canada, the poppy is a symbol of memory.
In 2006, Canada minted its second issue of colored coins. The 25 cent coin was intended to raise awareness of breast cancer. The reverse of the coin contains an image of a pink ribbon in the center. The obverse depicts Queen Elizabeth. 
Oval coins
Most copper farthings from the times of Kings of England James I (1566-1625) and Charles I (1600 - 1649) were oval-shaped. These unusually light coins, 15 mm long, served as currency from 1534 to 1700.
But such money was common not only in Europe. Before Japan's currency was called the yen, the island nation's coins had oval, rectangular and other shapes. One of them, the koban, a gold coin from the Edo period, was equal to one tenth of an oban. And the yen, as you know, got its name because of the appearance of the coins, which have a round shape, since “en” translated from Japanese means “round”. 
Wine money of Yakutia
After the October Revolution, wine labels played the role of money in Yakutia in 1919 - 1921. They were produced by Alexei Semenov, who in the future became the People's Commissar of Finance of the republic. 
The history of the creation of this money is quite interesting. In pre-revolutionary Russia, wine was bottled without labels; they were issued separately as confirmation of the quality of the drink. Therefore, for the illiterate population of Yakutia, the multi-colored pieces of paper that Semenov found in one local warehouse were quite suitable. The authenticity of the banknotes was confirmed by the painting and seal of Alexey Semenov. 
We all make certain payments every day, and money has become a familiar means of exchange for us. Perhaps everyone is interested in what money was like in the past.
However, today we will not talk about ordinary money that people used before, but we will talk about the most unusual money in the world, both ancient and modern.
The most unusual and interesting money in the world
1. The largest coin.
American artist-sculptor Stanley Whitten created a coin that set a record for several characteristics at the same time: size, weight and denomination. This coin was issued by the Canadian National Bank and has a denomination of one million US dollars. On one side of this true work of art there is a Canadian symbol - a maple tree leaf, and on the reverse - an image of the Canadian Queen Elizabeth II. This coin weighs a whole centner and consists almost entirely of pure gold. There are 15 such coins in total and all of them are in personal collections.
2. The most expensive coin.
At the moment, the most expensive coin in the world is a coin issued in the 30s of the 20th century. Its face value is only $20, but it sold at a New York auction for seven million dollars in 2008. The lucky owner of the unique coin wished to remain anonymous.
3. The lightest coin.
The lightest coin in the world is considered to be the Nepal coin, which was issued in 1740 and consists of silver. The weight of the coin is only 0.002 grams.
4. The most beautiful coin.
The Mexican coin of 2005 was recognized as the most attractive coin in appearance. It is made entirely of silver and features the Mexican coat of arms on one side and the Aztec calendar on the other. The decision that this particular coin will bear the proud title of the most beautiful in the world was made by the commission of the World Mint Conference in 2008.
5. The smallest banknote.
The banknote, which was issued at the beginning of the 20th century in Romania, can easily be confused with a tram ticket - after all, its size is just over 3 centimeters.
6. The largest banknote in size.
But the largest banknote was in use already in the 14th century in China. Its long side is 33 centimeters.
7. Banknote of the largest denomination.
The Hungarian banknote, which appeared in the 1940s, is the largest banknote by denomination. It amounts to a sextillion pengö (Hungarian currency from 1927 to 1946).
8. Wooden coins.
But in the Republic of Congo, the legal medium of exchange is a wooden coin, the production of which began in 2005. Maple wood was chosen to make these coins. Obviously, the creators were trying to give the coin some social character, since the inscription on it calls for the protection of animals, and there is also an image of a gorilla on both sides.
9. Fiber money.
In 1944-1945, in Japan, in the Manchuria region, coins made of reddish-brown fiber were used. The use of this particular material for coins was a necessary measure, since metal reserves were on the verge of extinction.
10. The oldest paper banknote.
- the first country in which money began to be used from the material to which we are accustomed - from paper. This happened at the end of the 1st century AD. Money from that period, unfortunately, has not survived to this day. The most ancient paper money that has survived to this day looks like this:
11. African money sticks.
Residents of some areas of Africa, until the 20th century, used money in their everyday life, which was small iron sticks. They were called “kissi” money. For convenience, they were often used in whole bundles, which had an equal number of sticks.
12. Bullet coins.
For almost two hundred years, starting from the 18th century, bullet coins were in use. In appearance, such coins resembled a small, uneven ball of silver. Each coin bore the name of the king and his dynasty.
13. Geometric money.
For lovers of regular geometric shapes, there is a direct route to Somalia - they issue coins in the shape of a cylinder, cone, sphere and cube.
14. Coins - motorcycles, - guitars and - cars.
These coins, which can also be found in Somalia, are more reminiscent of key chains or small souvenirs.
15. Diamond coin.
In the UK, a tiny diamond coin was issued in 2012 with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The diameter of the coin is only 750 nanometers.
16. Coins for space tourists.
Luster University, in collaboration with the American National Space Center, has released coins intended for use exclusively in outer space. The coins, called Quid, are not used on Earth. Such money is endowed with a special level of super-protection and can withstand any cosmic load.
17. “Holy” coin.
The island of Palau issued a silver coin in the denomination of one dollar in 2007. Its peculiarity is that the coin is attached to a small container with holy water obtained from a French holy spring.
The fairy and paradise coins of Yap Island are the heaviest. They are stone discs with a hole in the middle. Some of them have a diameter of more than 3.5 meters and a weight of 4 tons. I wonder how they paid with them?
The largest denomination and heaviest coin
The largest and therefore heaviest coin is the one million dollar gold coin created by artist Stanley Whitten. This 999.99 fine gold coin was minted by the Bank of Canada for the Royal Mint. On one side of the coin there is a portrait of the head of Canada, Queen Elizabeth II, on the other side there is a maple leaf. Each coin took up to eight weeks to make by hand.
The weight of the coin is about 100 kilograms, or more precisely 99.95 kilograms or 221 pounds, diameter - 20 inches or 50.8 cm, thickness -1 inch 2.5 cm. Before it was made, the heaviest coin from Austria was considered to be worth 100,000 euros , whose weight was 31.1 kilograms. 15 coins were issued and they sold out to collections in less than a month. Thus, the new largest and heaviest coin is more than 3 times more solid than its predecessor!
The most beautiful coin
The most beautiful coin in the world is rightfully considered the Mexican coin, issued in 2005 from silver with images of the national coat of arms of Mexico and the calendar of the Aztec tribe. The decision to assign this status to the coin was made by members of the World Mint Conference, which took place in May 2008 in South Korea. The value of the coin is not specified. This outlandish coin attracted the attention of the jury not only for its amazing beauty, but also for the complexity of its execution technique. After all, depicting the Aztec monolith “Sun Stone” weighing 24 tons, which is also called a “calendar”, in all details on a small coin is very difficult.
The largest coin in Russia in terms of purchasing power
A commemorative coin with a face value of as much as 50,000 rubles of the Russian Federation was released into circulation by the Bank of Russia on February 1, 2010 for its 150th anniversary. The weight of the coin made of pure gold is 5 kilograms, the circulation is 50 copies. This coin serves as legal tender throughout the Russian Federation and is accepted for payment at its face value of 50,000 rubles, although the real value of the coin is several orders of magnitude higher than the nominal value.
On the obverse of the coin, in the center, the state emblem of modern Russia is depicted, framed by all the emblem symbols that existed in its history at the bottom, with the inscription “Fifty thousand rubles” at the top.
On the reverse of the coin in the center there is the building of the Central Administration of the State Bank in St. Petersburg in the period from 1860 to 1918, in the foreground there are fragments of the Bank Bridge and two griffins, in the oval medallions at the top there are portraits from right to left: Stieglitz A.L., Alexander II, Lamansky E.I. At the bottom it is written: “BANK OF RUSSIA was founded in 1860.”
The predecessor of this largest coin was a commemorative coin with a face value of 25,000 rubles of the Russian Federation made of 3 kilograms of pure gold, dedicated to the 190th anniversary of the Federal State Enterprise Goznak. The coin was issued by the Bank of Russia on August 11, 2008, its circulation is 50 copies.
An interesting fact: with a five-kilogram gold coin you can make a purchase in any store, for example, buy a gold chain weighing 50-60 grams.
The largest small change coin in Russia by its denomination
The largest denomination coins of Russia, from the times of the Russian Empire to the Russian Federation, are the 100 ruble coins of the Russian Federation issued in 1992 from two metals and the 100 ruble coin from a copper-nickel alloy issued in 1993. These coins were mass produced, that is, not investment coins.
The smallest coin in Russia
In the 15th - early 16th centuries, small copper coins were minted in Moscow, Pskov and Novgorod - pula (pulo, pula). The denomination on these coins was not indicated, and in terms of purchasing power the coins were equal to only 1/60-1/70 money (1/120-1/140 kopecks).
At the turn of the 17th and 17th centuries, a now quite rare half-half coin was issued, equal to an eighth of a penny (half a half or quarter money). The coin was minted by Peter I in 1700.
The heaviest coins of Russia
In the Russian Empire, it was a square copper plate worth 1 ruble of Empress Catherine I with the denomination in the center and the seals-coats of arms of Russia on the four edges. Inscription in a circle: Price ruble. Ekaterinburg. 1725. Its weight was a little more than 1.6 kg, so ten of these coins weighed exactly a pound. The thickness of the coin is 5 mm, size 18x18 cm. The coin was issued in the period from 1725 to 1726 and is now very rare (the collection value of such a coin back in the 60s of the last century was more than two thousand rubles).
In modern Russia, on November 22, 1999, the Bank of Russia issued a commemorative 900 silver coin in honor of the 275th anniversary of the St. Petersburg Mint. The total circulation of the coin is 150 pieces, the denomination is 200 rubles and the weight is 3342 grams. It took more than 3 kilograms of pure silver to make one coin. After that, two more of the same coins were issued: 200 coins made of 925 silver and 300 coins made of 900 silver.
The heaviest nickel
The largest regularly minted 5-kopeck coin by weight is the coin issued in 1726 by Catherine I at the Yekaterinburg Plat Yard. The weight of this copper coin, made in the form of a square plate, is 81.9 grams, size 45×45 mm.
Smallest denomination note
In Russia it’s one kopeck. It was first issued by Nicholas II in 1915, as there was a shortage of small change coins due to the outbreak of the First World War.
The smallest banknote in terms of purchasing power
This banknote is 1 ruble in nickels or kerenkas from 1918 and Soviet signs from 1919. At the time of redenomination in 1924, the banknote was worth 1/5,000,000,000 of the ruble in Soviet chervonets. This means that 1 chervonets then cost 500,000,000,000 rubles in 1918.
The most unusual in terms of material of manufacture
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the first wooden coin was produced in 2005, which is an official means of payment. The denomination of the coin is 5 francs. It features a picture of a gorilla and the words “Protect the Animal World” in French. Coin weight 2.4 grams, diameter 40 mm, material – maple.
The most expensive lot of numismatic auctions in Moscow
In the archives of the Leningrad Mint there is a stamping tool for proof 50 and 10 kopecks, but there is not a single sample of the coins themselves. A few years ago, a fifty-kopeck piece was presented in one of the private collections, the only currently known example of a proof coin minted in 1929. At the Znak auction in 2011, the coin was sold for 10,000,000 rubles. Recently, this price was a record for a Soviet or Russian coin.
The most expensive coin in the world for 7.6 million dollars.
They paid so much money for the coin not because of the high cost of the metal and its quantity in the coin, but because of its rarity. The “double gold eagle” coin, worth only $20, was issued in 1933. After the US Federal Bank changed its decision to release it into circulation, the previously sold coins were bought back from the public at a price 2.5 times the face value. All but three coins were bought back. Two are now in the Smithsonian Museum, the third was stolen and nothing was known about it for a long time. It was only in 1996 that the coin surfaced from a private Egyptian collector. The company that produced the coin bought it (at what price is unknown) and sold it at an auction in New York in 2008 to a buyer who wished to remain anonymous.
The smallest and lightest coin in the world
This 1/4 jawa silver coin was issued in Nepal in 1740. Its mass is only 0.002 grams.
The world's largest banknote
The 1 billion trillion pengö banknote was issued by Hungary in July 1946 after the introduction of the derivative unit adopengö, equal to two trillion pengö. At the same time, the Egi 1 billion trillion bill was issued.
It was possible to stop inflation in Hungary only a month later, in August 1946, when a new monetary unit was introduced - the forint; the exchange of penge at the rate for forints was 4x1029: 1, which is also an absolute record for all financial systems in the world.
The smallest banknote
It was issued in 1917 by the Romanian Ministry of Finance. The 10 bani banknote measured 27.5 by 38 millimeters.
Largest paper banknote
The 1 guan note was issued between 1368 and 1399 by the rulers of the Ming Dynasty in China. It measures 23x33 cm, which is larger than an A4 sheet.
I don’t even remember what such a huge number is called. But this is not fantasy, but a real currency of the now non-existent state of Yugoslavia. Hyperinflation struck Yugoslavia in 1989, until reforms were introduced in 1994. This particular banknote was printed in 1988. Unfortunately, I don’t know what exactly could be bought for that kind of money. A loaf of bread?
Banknote from a concentration camp
This money was created by the Nazis for Jews in a concentration camp from Czechoslovakia. This camp served as a model camp for the Red Cross and other organizations that came to check the living conditions of the people living here.
The Nazis created schools for children in this camp, held cultural and educational events for prisoners, and even issued banknotes for internal circulation.
In fact, about 30 thousand people died in this camp, and about 90 thousand of the inhabitants of the “paradise” concentration camp were sent to other places, even more terrible.
The bills themselves were presented to the Red Cross, but were never actually used and had no value.
Hundred Trillion Dollars (Zimbabwe)
Another huge denomination note used in Zimbabwe in 2009. As you know, economic anarchy reigns there, and paper money is even scrapped. Sometimes the weight of paper money for which you can buy a loaf of bread exceeds the weight of the loaf itself.
One hundred million billion pengo (Hungary)
Yes, this country experienced the highest possible hyperinflation. This happened in 1946, so it is not a consequence of modern economic turmoil. So, one hundred million billion is 100,000,000,000,000,000,000. It is clear that the zeros did not fit on the bill, so they were not printed, writing the numbers in words. In July 1946, pengos were replaced by forints, a currency that is still the official currency of Hungary.
The oldest banknote is from 1380
This banknote is the oldest of all surviving ones. It was issued in 1380, although paper money was used in China as early as 800 AD.
Notgeld (Germany)
This money is something like coupons that were widely used in Ukraine after the collapse of the USSR. By the way, Notgeld can be considered the most unusual of all the “emergency” currencies issued as a replacement for regular money. As you can see, the design of the money is not just unusual, but very unusual. I wonder how something like this was allowed into circulation?
Banknote with Einstein
In 1952, Israeli Prime Minister Ben-Gurion proposed using Albert Einstein's face as a feature on the new Israeli 5-unit banknote, Lirot. This particular banknote was issued in 1968.
