David Rockefeller, chairman of Chase Manhattan Bank, has become the first American bank executive to set foot in the People’s Republic of China since 1949. His arrival marks a bold moment in a rapidly evolving global landscape, one in which two long-estranged nations appear ready to reexamine thei...

You might think of the U.S. Secret Service as presidential bodyguards, but it was originally formed in 1865 to tackle a different threat: rampant counterfeiting. At the time, nearly one-third of all U.S. currency was counterfeit, jeopardizing the nation's economy. It wasn’t until after President M...

Have you ever noticed how Canadian dollar bills seem to stand up to the daily wear and tear of being crammed into wallets, tossed into pockets and passed from person to person? It’s no accident that Canada’s bank notes have a reputation for being tough. The Bank of Canada designs and produces al...

Imagine stepping up to the very first Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in June 1967, installed outside a Barclay’s Bank branch in Enfield, London. This machine, a brainchild of John Shepherd-Barron, represented a significant leap in banking technology, enabling you to withdraw cash without ever inte...

You hold history in your hand each time you use the British pound. This venerable form of money dates all the way back to 775 AD, when it was known as the pound sterling in honor of the silver pennies, called sterlings, that Anglo-Saxon kings used for trade. Despite its ancient lineage, the pound co...

You might be intrigued to learn that back in 2009, someone or perhaps a group calling themselves Satoshi Nakamoto introduced Bitcoin to the world. As you delve deeper into its history, you’ll discover that Bitcoin defied traditional notions of money, allowing users to send funds without the need f...

You might not realize it, but only around 8% of the world’s currency takes the form of coins and banknotes. The rest of the money that shapes your day-to-day life is purely digital, numbers stored on computers and managed by banks across the globe. While it’s convenient to pay for groceries or s...

Venturing beyond the traditional U.S. dollar, numerous communities across the nation boast their very own unique currencies. Among the most enchanting? Walt Disney World's very own money! This whimsical twist is not just limited to the Magic Kingdom. Dive in as we explore these captivating local cur...

In a surprising twist from the annals of U.S. banking history, individual banks once had the authority to print their own currency. This financial free-for-all persisted until the establishment of the Federal Reserve in 1913. Imagine a world where each banknote had its unique design, stemming from i...