US Currency Guide for Online Shopping

US currency is the most widely traded currency in the world. It’s represented by the United States dollar bills and coins. US coins in circulation are the penny, the nickel, the dime, the quarter, the half-dollar, and the dollar. US dollars in circulation are the $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills.

In international markets for such commodities like gold or oil, prices are quoted in US currency. It explains why the US dollar is the top reserve currency in the world. US currency held by non-US central banks, institutions, and individuals are described as “Eurodollars”. In countries like Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Lebanon, and Ecuador, US currency is used as official or unofficial currency.

Since US currency is the most popular and most held currency in the world, the counterfeiting of US currency is prevalent in many countries. Every year, a good number of people fall victim to the counterfeiters, losing a good deal of money. To avoid the pitfalls of US currency counterfeits, it’s absolutely necessary to learn how to spot fake US dollar bills and coins. Check out these resources to learn more about how US currency is made, the design and features of US dollar bills and coins, how US currency is circulated, and how to spot counterfeit US currency.

History of US Currency

• The History of US Currency: Timeline of US currency from 1690 to the present.
• History: A brief history of US currency with links to historical currency and historical legislation.
• American Currency Exhibit: Take this online tour to learn about the history of US currency.
• “In God We Trust”: The history of the famous US currency motto.
• Know Your Money: Traces the history from the Revolutionary War onwards.
• The Dollar Bill: A look at the history of the US dollar bill.
• US Coins: A timeline of the history of US coins from 1785 to 1979.
• The First US Silver Dollar: Provides information on the first US silver dollar coin.
• Money in North American History: An account of the history of money in the US.
• History of the Quarter: Follows the history of the US quarter.

How US Currency is Made

• Cotton & US Currency: Shows how US currency is related to cotton.
• The Production Process: Details the entire production process of US dollar notes.
• The Currency Paper: Provides information on the paper used for US currency.
• FAQs: Answers questions about US currency production and circulation.
• How Coins are Made: A virtual tour showing how US coins are made.
• How Money Is Made: Discusses the production process of US currency.
• Mathematical Mysteries: Explores some interesting aspects of the US $1 bill covering the materials and production.
• Engraving and Printing Currency: The guideline for engraving and printing US currency.
• Printing of Currency: Brief information on how US currency is printed.

Types of US Paper Money

• Types of US Paper Money: Provides information on US paper money in circulation as well as those that are no longer in circulation.
• Types of US Currency: Covers Federal Reserve Notes, United States Notes, Silver Certificates, Gold Certificates, National Currency, and more.
• United States Notes: Original documents about this type of US paper money issued from 1878 to 1897.
• US Legal Tender Notes: Offer images and information about some of the earliest US paper money.
• US Silver Certificate: A look at a US silver certificate printed in 1935.
• $100,000 US Gold Certificate: Find out more about the US paper money with the highest dollar value. 
• National Bank Notes: Good place to find images and information about these US paper money issued from 1865 to 1914.
• Images: A collection of currency images.
• 2 Dollar Note: A picture of a Federal Reserve bank note issued in 1918.
• Small Denominations: The most authoritative resource on Federal Reserve notes with information and images on $1 to $100 notes.

Types of US Coins

• The United States Mint: Official site with most authoritative information on US coins.
• Circulating Coin Designs: Provides information on 20^th century circulating coin designs.
• DC Quarter: A look at the 2009 District of Columbia quarter.
• Lincoln Bicentennial: Discover more about the special 2009 pennies to commemorate the 200^th birthday of Abraham Lincoln.
• American Bison: Offers images and information on the 2005 nickel.
• Native American Dollar: Brief description of the 2010 Native American $1 coin.
• New Coin Designs: Focuses on the new designs for 2010 coins with links to more information.
• The PhD Dollar: Provides information on a number of $1 coins.

Currency Features

• The Face of US Currency: Focuses on some of the features of US dollar bills.
• Positions of Important Features: Showcases the positions of important features on all Us dollar bills.
• Security Features: The ultimate authority on all security features on US currency.
• The New $100 Note: Highlights all the security features of the new $100 bill.
• Currency Features: A good overview of US currency features covering color, portrait, watermark, Federal Reserve indicators, and more.
• US Currency Serial Numbers: Discusses the intricacies of serial numbers on US currency.
• Portraits: A listing of all the portraits on US dollar bills in circulation.
• Security Thread & Watermark: Provides some information on the security thread and watermark of US dollar bills.
• Micro printing: Learn about the micro printing found on some US currency in this lesson.
• Thumbprints: A series of close-up images of the US $20 bill.
• New Color of Money: A look at the color, watermark, security thread, and color-shifting ink of the $50 note.
• $20 Bill: Outlines the security features of the $20 bill including serial numbers, low vision feature, symbols of freedom, and more.
• Symbols on American Money: Examines some of the symbols on US currency.

Circulation of Money

• Currency in Circulation: A chart showing US currency in circulation from 1985 to 2010.
• How Much Money is in Circulation?: Discusses how much money is circulating in the US economy.
• The Circulation of Money: A description of how money circulates.
• Money & The Circular Flow of Money: A model to study the flow of money.
• When Money Is Damaged Or Wears Out: Describes the situation when money cannot be used anymore and what to do about it.
• How to Replace Damaged Money: Explains how to replace damaged money.
• Redeeming Damaged Currency: Offers information on how to redeem damaged US currency.

Spotting Counterfeit Money

• Cons & Scams: Everything you need to know to spot counterfeit US currency.
• New Counterfeit US Dollar: Shows how to spot counterfeits of post 1996 US currency.
• Detecting Counterfeits: Excellent tips on how to detect counterfeit US currency.
• World Volume: A report on the issues of counterfeit US currency in the world.
• Counterfeit Currency: An overview of counterfeit currency and the methods.
• Counterfeit Currency Detection: Basic skills in detecting counterfeit currency.
• Revealing Fake Money: An article about a new way to detect counterfeit money.
• Making Money Keeps Getting Easier: Examines the ease of producing counterfeit money nowadays.
• Counterfeit: Provides information on counterfeit US currency as well as counterfeit of other US obligations.
• Counterfeiting: Discusses how to detect counterfeit money covering topics like portrait, Federal Reserve and Treasury Seals, and raised notes.
• Counterfeit Coin Detection: Explains how to detect counterfeit coins including US coins.
• Counterfeit Deterrence & Visual Accessibility: Relates how the design of currency must promote counterfeit deterrence and visual accessibility.
• Guidelines: Provides the rules for reproducing US currency.