Tuesday, July 22, 2008
images for alot of currencies
The cost of collecting paper money
The ever-growing availability of cheap and varied material from around the world has already brought the hobby well within reach of even those on the tightest budget. This is one collecting field where prices are actually falling in many areas, mainly where new issues are concerned. For this, we can thank the effects of inflation. In comparison to western countries, many countries have steep inflation rates, making their currency sink in value in relation to our own. Thus, their currency notes become ever cheaper for us to obtain. Some typical cases from recent years include Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Russia, Zaire, Iraq, Yugoslavia and Turkey. In fact, we can even obtain notes with denominations of 50,000,000,000 or more for a dollar or two! Another exciting source of very cheap notes has recently emerged: the new ex-Soviet republics. Here is an opportunity to obtain the very first issues of several new republics for mere pennies. One can only imagine the value these first issues will have to collectors in future years.
For under $1 each, you can obtain some beautiful, older notes from earlier this century - the golden age of banknote design. Germany and Hungary for example, both suffered runaway inflation in the first half of this century, rendering their banknotes less valuable than the paper they were printed on in some cases. Nevertheless, they were wonderful examples of the engraver's art. Even notes from the early 1700's can still be bought for well under $20 - the Assignat notes of the French Revolution, for example.
Conversely, well-off collectors world-wide, pay large sums of money for single rare notes. Sometimes this will be to fill a gap in a valuable collection. Sometimes it will be with a view to passing the item on to a fellow collector or dealer - for an even higher price. Collectable banknotes are one field where real bargains and quick profits can be made - if you know what to look for. Experience will soon teach you this.
For under $1 each, you can obtain some beautiful, older notes from earlier this century - the golden age of banknote design. Germany and Hungary for example, both suffered runaway inflation in the first half of this century, rendering their banknotes less valuable than the paper they were printed on in some cases. Nevertheless, they were wonderful examples of the engraver's art. Even notes from the early 1700's can still be bought for well under $20 - the Assignat notes of the French Revolution, for example.
Conversely, well-off collectors world-wide, pay large sums of money for single rare notes. Sometimes this will be to fill a gap in a valuable collection. Sometimes it will be with a view to passing the item on to a fellow collector or dealer - for an even higher price. Collectable banknotes are one field where real bargains and quick profits can be made - if you know what to look for. Experience will soon teach you this.
What are the attractions of collecting paper money?
This exciting hobby is growing in popularity for many reasons. For one thing it’s becoming increasingly easy to find interesting and attractive banknotes from around the world, with great visual, historical and cultural interest - often for only a few pence each. A banknote collection can be a fine investment. Many notes have been growing quite dramatically in value over the years, sometimes even over a few months. Besides this, the hobby is a great educator. It has something to teach everyone, about foreign culture, history, economics - and much more. As communication technologies brings the ‘global village’ ever closer, it becomes ever more desirable to have a knowledge of foreign affairs and cultures. It’s amazing how much knowledge of this kind you naturally absorb while enjoying this hobby. But collectors also love banknotes for their rich visual appeal. Every banknote collection is most definitely an art collection - and one of growing value.
A banknote collection makes a powerful conversation piece which rarely fails to arouse interest and admiration. Even an inexpensive collection makes a fabulous display of some of exquisite pieces of printing and graphic design. An exceptional amount of work and skill goes into the design of banknotes by artists and engravers of outstanding skill and talent. The design and manufacturing process is a field of study in itself - but many of the methods used are shrouded in secrecy to make forgery difficult. Nevertheless, forgeries do occur and these are often worth more than the genuine article to collectors!
As collectors’ items, banknotes have distinct advantages over stamps and coins: They have a much larger surface area, creating more room for interesting information and attractive artwork. Compared to a coin, a banknote is extremely lightweight and thin, making a large collection much easier to store and transport. Over the postage stamp, the banknote has the advantage of having two sides, and again, a much larger surface area.
Banknote enthusiasts enjoy individualist status; the hobby is regarded as intriguingly different. It has a certain prestige attached to it; people tend to assume that a banknote collector must be well-off - but this is often not the because many attractive banknotes can be obtained for well under 50p each. The hobby has a refreshing dignity to it; the banknote collecting fraternity is generally an honest, friendly community, with a genial camaraderie born of a common interest.
The hobby is still much less widespread than stamp and coin collecting, although interest is growing every year. Many stamp and coin collectors are now considering banknotes as the promising new collecting frontier. The hobby holds many of the same pleasures as stamp and coin collecting: One gets the same thrill at finding that elusive item to fill a gap in a series or a set. There is the same reverence one feels for owning something that has been preserved in perfect condition for a hundred years. There is the same satisfaction of travelling to a collector’s fair to hunt down bargains and meet fellow enthusiasts and develop one’s knowledge.
A banknote collection makes a powerful conversation piece which rarely fails to arouse interest and admiration. Even an inexpensive collection makes a fabulous display of some of exquisite pieces of printing and graphic design. An exceptional amount of work and skill goes into the design of banknotes by artists and engravers of outstanding skill and talent. The design and manufacturing process is a field of study in itself - but many of the methods used are shrouded in secrecy to make forgery difficult. Nevertheless, forgeries do occur and these are often worth more than the genuine article to collectors!
As collectors’ items, banknotes have distinct advantages over stamps and coins: They have a much larger surface area, creating more room for interesting information and attractive artwork. Compared to a coin, a banknote is extremely lightweight and thin, making a large collection much easier to store and transport. Over the postage stamp, the banknote has the advantage of having two sides, and again, a much larger surface area.
Banknote enthusiasts enjoy individualist status; the hobby is regarded as intriguingly different. It has a certain prestige attached to it; people tend to assume that a banknote collector must be well-off - but this is often not the because many attractive banknotes can be obtained for well under 50p each. The hobby has a refreshing dignity to it; the banknote collecting fraternity is generally an honest, friendly community, with a genial camaraderie born of a common interest.
The hobby is still much less widespread than stamp and coin collecting, although interest is growing every year. Many stamp and coin collectors are now considering banknotes as the promising new collecting frontier. The hobby holds many of the same pleasures as stamp and coin collecting: One gets the same thrill at finding that elusive item to fill a gap in a series or a set. There is the same reverence one feels for owning something that has been preserved in perfect condition for a hundred years. There is the same satisfaction of travelling to a collector’s fair to hunt down bargains and meet fellow enthusiasts and develop one’s knowledge.
what is Currency
A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of goods and/or services. It is one form of money, where money is anything that serves as a medium of exchange, a store of value, and a standard of value. A currency is the dominant medium of exchange. To facilitate trade between currency zones, there are exchange rates, which are the prices at which currencies (and the goods and services of individual currency zones) can be exchanged against each other. Currencies can be classified as either floating currencies or fixed currencies based on their exchange rate regime. In common usage, currency sometimes refers to only paper money, as in coins and currency, but this is misleading. Coins and paper money are both forms of currency.
In most cases, each country has monopoly control over the supply and production of its own currency. Member countries of the European Union's Economic and Monetary Union are a notable exception to this rule, as they have ceded control of monetary policy to the European Central Bank.
In cases where a country does have control of its own currency, that control is exercised either by a central bank or by a Ministry of Finance. In either case, the institution that has control of monetary policy is referred to as the monetary authority. Monetary authorities have varying degrees of autonomy from the governments that create them. In the United States, the Federal Reserve System operates without direct interference from the legislative or executive branches. It is important to note that a monetary authority is created and supported by its sponsoring government, so independence can be reduced or revoked by the legislative or executive authority that creates it. However, in practical terms, the revocation of authority is not likely. In almost all Western countries, the monetary authority is largely independent from the government.
Several countries can use the same name, each for their own currency (e.g. Canadian dollars and United States dollars), several countries can use the same currency (e.g. the euro), or a country can declare the currency of another country to be legal tender. For example, Panama and El Salvador have declared U.S. currency to be legal tender, and from 1791–1857, Spanish silver coins were legal tender in the United States. At various times countries have either re-stamped foreign coins, or used currency board issuing one note of currency for each note of a foreign government held, as Ecuador currently does.
Each currency typically has one fractional currency, often valued at 1⁄100 of the main currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar, 100 centimes = 1 franc, 100 pence = 1 pound. Units of 1⁄10 or 1⁄1000 are also common, but some currencies do not have any smaller units. Mauritania and Madagascar are the only remaining countries that do not use the decimal system; instead, the Mauritanian ouguiya is divided into 5 khoums, while the Malagasy ariary is divided into 5 iraimbilanja. However, due to inflation, both fractional units have in practice fallen into disuse.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In most cases, each country has monopoly control over the supply and production of its own currency. Member countries of the European Union's Economic and Monetary Union are a notable exception to this rule, as they have ceded control of monetary policy to the European Central Bank.
In cases where a country does have control of its own currency, that control is exercised either by a central bank or by a Ministry of Finance. In either case, the institution that has control of monetary policy is referred to as the monetary authority. Monetary authorities have varying degrees of autonomy from the governments that create them. In the United States, the Federal Reserve System operates without direct interference from the legislative or executive branches. It is important to note that a monetary authority is created and supported by its sponsoring government, so independence can be reduced or revoked by the legislative or executive authority that creates it. However, in practical terms, the revocation of authority is not likely. In almost all Western countries, the monetary authority is largely independent from the government.
Several countries can use the same name, each for their own currency (e.g. Canadian dollars and United States dollars), several countries can use the same currency (e.g. the euro), or a country can declare the currency of another country to be legal tender. For example, Panama and El Salvador have declared U.S. currency to be legal tender, and from 1791–1857, Spanish silver coins were legal tender in the United States. At various times countries have either re-stamped foreign coins, or used currency board issuing one note of currency for each note of a foreign government held, as Ecuador currently does.
Each currency typically has one fractional currency, often valued at 1⁄100 of the main currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar, 100 centimes = 1 franc, 100 pence = 1 pound. Units of 1⁄10 or 1⁄1000 are also common, but some currencies do not have any smaller units. Mauritania and Madagascar are the only remaining countries that do not use the decimal system; instead, the Mauritanian ouguiya is divided into 5 khoums, while the Malagasy ariary is divided into 5 iraimbilanja. However, due to inflation, both fractional units have in practice fallen into disuse.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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