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June2006
HOME All That Jazz! Show Me The Money! He Was as Strong as a Bull Moose Who Was Anacreon . . . and Why Do We Care? In the Footsteps of Marco Polo 'Bound for Glory' Honor Your Father . . . At Least Once a Year
Show Me The Money!

It is believed that the use of a commodity to gain a good or service dates back at least 75,000 years. The use of so-called "representative money," such as currency printed on paper, dates back only about 1,300 years. China was the first country to use paper money.

"Hennessy Leroyle's Famous Success, Other People's Money from Hoyt's Theatre New York : Written by E.O. Towne," ca. 1898 Fac-simile of the First Money Coined by the United States. Continental Currency 1776

The history of money is a fascinating tale of the use of barter, farm animals, cowrie shells and other commodities that people have used to get what they want.

You can read all about the history of money, see how it has changed in use and looks over the centuries and access a bibliography of "money" resources in the "History of Money" page created by the Library's Business Reference Services team.

The page offers links to many Web sites of Federal Reserve Banks, such as the one in Atlanta, which gives "Fundamental Facts About U.S. Money." Here, you can learn about the types of U.S. money; currency features such as watermarks, security threads, microprinting, color-shifting ink and other devices used to thwart counterfeiters; and the denominations of bills printed today.

Do you know which denominations are no longer printed? Or whose portrait appeared on the largest denomination ever circulated ($10,000)?

"Specialized Business Guides" are available for a wide range of other topics, such as the automotive industry, the oil and gas industry and the history of the New York Stock Exchange.


A. "Hennessy Leroyle's Famous Success, Other People's Money from Hoyt's Theatre New York : Written by E.O. Towne," ca. 1898. Prints and Photographs Division. Reproduction information: Reproduction No.: LC-USZ62-30023 (b&w film copy neg.); Call No.: POS -- TH -- 1898 .O85, no. 1 (C size) <P&P>[P&P]

B. "Fac-simile of the First Money Coined by the United States. Continental Currency 1776." Prints and Photographs Division. Reproduction information: Reproduction No.: LC-USZ62-54402 (b&w film copy neg.); Call No.: Illus. in E174.L87 [General Collections]