More Fun Money Facts

I posted a blog a few weeks ago discussing interesting money facts. I received great feedback from this posting, therefore I decided to share more fun money facts. Who would have thought that learning about money could be almost as fun as spending it?

• During the fiscal year of 2008, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced approximately 38 million notes a day with a face value of approximately $629 million.
• If you had 10 billion $1 bills and spent one every second of every day, it would take 317 years before you went broke.
• A stack of currency one mile high would contain over 14½ million notes.
• You can double fold a note 4,000 times before it will tear.
• Contrary to popular belief, the automobile pictured on the back of the $10 bill is not a Model "T" Ford. It is a creation of the designer of the bill.
• All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of a $5 bill.
• There is more Monopoly money printed in a year, than real money printed throughout the world. The amount of money in a Monopoly game is $15,140.
• There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
• Nine thousand years ago, people used cows for money!
• The words "The United States of America" appears on the $100 note 12 times
• 3 in every 10,000 US bills is counterfeit.

References:

http://www.moneyfactory.gov/document.cfm/18/106

http://www.delraycc.com/InterestingMoney/12MoreAmazingMoneyFacts/tabid/183/Default.aspx

http://www.happyworker.com/magazine/facts/weird-and-wonderful-money-facts

10 Technologies That Will Soon be Extinct

Technology is all around us, and it continually evolves and becomes more sophisticated. We use technology in almost everything we do; computers, iPods, cell phones, GPS etc. Technology is used at home, work, in the car and at school. However just like anything else, some technology comes and goes with the time. According to FOX News, here are the top 10 technologies that will soon disappear:

1. Landline phones- Cell phone plans with unlimited calling and text messaging quickly replaced the land lines that once occupied every home
2. Floppy disks- Flash drives and CDs are more compact and easily accessible and therefore, more popular. In fact, most newer computers don't even have a floppy disk drive.
3. Wrist watches- While watches can be fashionable, most cell phones and iPods can tell you the time and date.
4. VHS tapes and VCRs-Today people rely on DVDs, Blue Ray discs and even TiVo to supplement their entertainment needs.
5. Beepers-Most beepers took a hike when cell phones hit their peak.
6. Film cameras- Digital cameras have conveniently replaced film cameras due to the fact that you can view photos taken, upload them to your PC, and print them from your own home.
7. Typewriters- Laptops and computers are a much easier route to type a report, letter or compile data.
8. The Walkman and Discman- The introduction of MP3 Players and iPods in the early 2000's quickly decreased the sales and production of the Walkman and Discman
9. Dial-up internet- High speed, high speed, high speed
10. DVD's- This one actually surprised me but according to the article companies like Netflix are now sending movies right to your computer!

Resources:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,515647,00.html

http://www.indianamuseum.org/uploads/images/collection/sh_slay_typewriter.jpg

How Coins are Made

When out in the classrooms, I am constantly being asked how coins are made. Therefore, I have decided to educate not only myself, but you as well, just in case your students ask you how coins are made.

Step 1- Blanking
The U.S. Mint purchases strips of metal 13 inches wide and 1,500 feet long used to process the coins. The strips come rolled in a coil. Each coil is fed through a blanking press, which punches out round discs called blanks. The leftover strip is then recycled.

Step 2-Annealing, Washing & Drying
The blanks are heated in an annealing furnace in order to soften them. They are then run through a washer and dryer.

Step 3- Riddling
The newly washed blanks are sorted on a riddler to screen out any that are the wrong size or shape.

Step 4- Upsetting
The good blanks then go through an upsetting mill. This raises a rim around the blanks edges.

Step 5- Striking
Finally, the blanks head to the coining press. Here, they are stamped with the designs and inscriptions, which make them genuine United States coins.

Step 6- Inspection
A press operator uses a magnifying glass to spot-check each batch of new coins. Then all the coins go through a coin sizer to remove any misshaped or dented coins.

Step 7-Counting & Bagging
An automatic counting machine counts the coins and drops them into large canvas bags. The bags are sewn shut, loaded on pallets, and taken by forklifts to be stored in vaults. New coins are shipped by truck to Federal Reserve Banks. From there, the coins go to your local financial institution.

For more information please visit the US Mint website.