Making $ense of All the Different Cents

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Learn about currencies used all over the world.

Learn about currencies used all over the world.

At Young Americans, we teach about saving, needs versus wants, entrepreneurship and what it takes to run a business.  But sometimes the cents don’t add up.  So, this month we are focusing on foreign currencies.  Our Concept of the Month is; Euro, Peso, Dime.  We want to introduce the importance of global money and why it’s different all around the world.

Currency by Country

Money is important to everyone in the world because it is used around the world by everyone. Through programs at Young Americans like International Towne, students are able to learn about where money comes from and which countries use various currencies. But you don’t have to attend International Towne to test your knowledge on currencies.  Try out this  fun game to match currencies to their countries.

Coins reflect the history of a country or region.
Coins reflect the history of a country or region.


Different country, Different money

Why doesn’t everyone in the world use the same money? Why does China use the yen, America use the dollar and Europe use the euro? One reason is that every region and country has a story to tell, and through their coins and dollar bills, they tell their region’s country’s story. Read some of these stories of why each country uses the money it does.

Why money?

2013_Concept_BillOut of our pockets we pull this green soft piece of paper with a funny looking guy on it by the name of George, and we pull a couple of shinny silver and bronze circular objects with some small funny looking guys in it out of our pockets too. We hand them over to the cashier and suddenly we own a new shirt. But who exactly came up with the idea of handing over a piece of paper and few shinny objects in order to buy a shirt, or bread, or headphones?

Money hasn’t always been around in its current form, but exchange and bartering has always existed.  Many believe the first form of money was made by an ancient tribe in the Middle East called the Sumerians. Money was invented for a few reasons but since its invention, the trade of valuables and our daily lives has been easier. Learn more about why money was invented by reading here, and you’ll learn more about how the world is connected. Because, without these little circular things that jingle in our pockets we wouldn’t have phones that are built in china, or coffee from Brazil, or oil from the Middle East. Coins and dollar bills bring the world together in the most valuable way.

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