This video provides an in-depth look into the production of various types of currency, including the US dollar, the Euro, the British Pound, and the Russian Ruble. It starts with the production of the US dollar, which begins with the engraving of steel plates and the printing of images and inscriptions on paper made from synthetic fibers. The paper is then dried, cut, and packaged before being sent to the Federal Reserve Bank.
The production of the Euro is also detailed, with the process highlighting the use of security features such as watermarks, micro text, holographic images, and stroke patterns. The British Pound Sterling is noted for its transition from paper to polymer banknotes, which are harder to tear, can withstand high temperatures, and are more difficult to counterfeit.
The Russian Ruble, the second oldest national currency, is produced by a joint stock company rather than a central bank. The banknotes are made from a special composition that includes reagents, filigrees, textile fibers, and polymeric threads, which provide resistance to humidity, abrasion, light, and other elements.
The video also discusses the concept of inflation, providing historical context and relating it to current events. It concludes with a question for viewers: what would they do if they became a trillionaire.
1. Money is a topic that is commonly used but not often deeply thought about.
2. The production of money involves various processes and innovations.
3. The US dollar is a well-known and important global currency.
4. The average life expectancy of a dollar bill is about 22 months.
5. Dollars are born in the US Office of Engraving and Printing, part of the US Department of the Treasury.
6. The production of dollars begins with engraving on steel plates by artisans.
7. Once the engraving is ready, a paper is made, specifically banknotes printed on paper forged with synthetic fibers and composed of 25% linen thread and 75% cotton thread.
8. The banknotes made on this paper have an inner layer that is practically impossible to fake watermarks on.
9. Dollars are obtained when the fibers are extracted from this layer in a certain order.
10. The preparation stage is dried in strips to secure the paper.
11. The paper is then dried under the press and rolled.
12. The images and inscriptions on the front of the bills are printed in black ink that has magnetic properties.
13. The images and inscriptions on the back of the banknotes are printed with green ink that does not have magnetic properties.
14. Euro dollars are a widely accepted currency but in Europe, it is better to carry euros instead of dollars.
15. Euro banknotes are printed on cotton fiber paper which prolongs the useful life of the banknotes and makes them more difficult to counterfeit.
16. Euro banknotes are literally packed with all kinds of security features, making the euro one of the most protected currencies in the world.
17. The pound sterling is not only made of paper, but a few years ago, polymer production was launched for sterling notes.
18. The polymer banknotes last twice as long as paper money and are harder to tear and can burn at 120 degrees celsius.
19. The Russian ruble is the second oldest national currency that has preserved its name, despite the fact that the banknotes are not made by the central bank but by a joint stock company.
20. The production of Russian rubles involves creating special composition paper with reagents, filigrees, textile fibers, and polymeric threads.
21. Coins have ridges created by famous physicist Isaac Newton to fight counterfeiters.
22. The double eagle is the most expensive coin in the world, with its remaining pieces being worth billions of dollars.
23. On average, a one-dollar bill manages to pass through the hands of 30,000 to 50,000 people before it finally breaks down.
24. Spent bills are disposed of in special workshops, with Russia destroying 600 million worthless rubles daily and the Federal Reserve of New York destroying more than 35 million dollars in spent bills every day.
25. Inflation is a term that many people complain about but it is not as bad as some historical cases, such as Germany after the first world war or Zimbabwe, where inflation and denomination were much worse.