Paper Money

Read engaging stories about historic and modern paper currency from all over the world written by today’s top collectors.

Health Crisis

March 7, 2025

5 min read

An attorney who entered the banking business became gravely ill at a young age, causing his financial venture to fail.

Health Crisis

Downward Spiral

February 7, 2025

5 min read

The Confederacy attempted to stem out-of-control  inflation in the South by issuing a new series of bank notes.

Downward Spiral

Holy Land

January 7, 2025

4 min read

A bank note from Jordan depicts a religious site that is sacred to followers of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

Holy Land

Paper Pandemonium

December 7, 2024

5 min read

The Civil War caused turmoil in commerce as citizens struggled to find an effective replacement for coinage.

Paper Pandemonium

Anatomy of a Bank Failure

November 7, 2024

3 min read

A Boston bank president suffered financial losses that ultimately led the Cochituate Bank to close its doors.

Anatomy of a Bank Failure

Egyptian Pharoah

October 7, 2024

5 min read

A colorful bank note depicts an ancient ruler and thegod Horus, who appears as a falcon behind the king’s head.

Egyptian Pharoah

Handcrafted Fabrications

September 9, 2024

5 min read

Crooks looking to make an easy profit altered the notes of banks that were no longer in business and put them in circulation in distant towns.

Handcrafted Fabrications

Back from the Dead

August 7, 2024

5 min read

A library that closed in 1821 retained its charter and was twicerevived as a note-issuing institution of questionable character.

Back from the Dead

Clash of Cultures

June 30, 2024

3 min read

China’s 50-yuan note depicts a controversial ruler and a magnificent Tibetan palace that once served as the Dalai Lama’s winter home.

Clash of Cultures

Funding Public Works

June 4, 2024

5 min read

The Pennsylvania Colony issued notes to pay for construction projects and alleviate the suffering of the poor.

Funding Public Works

Financial Losses

May 1, 2024

5 min read

The future of banking looked bright in an Indiana county until the economy collapsed in the 1930s and forced many banks to close.

Financial Losses

Teaching in Korea

March 29, 2024

5 min read

The author’s first job landed him in Korea, which has produced beautiful bank notes that highlight its history.

Teaching in Korea

1 2 Next »