PEEPING INTO THE MINT FACTORY

The rupee’s recent depreciation to more than 70 to a dollar just ahead of Independence Day led to historical comparisons of the value of the rupee. In this context, let’s glimpse into the interesting currencies of all time. 1

Colon, the currency is colourful and includes pictures of the country’s wildlife like sharks, monkeys, sloths and butterflies. The Colon is named after Christopher Columbus or Cristobal Colon. The bills come in denominations of ¢ 1,000, ¢ 2,000, ¢ 5,000, ¢ 10,000, and ¢ 20,000, ¢ 50,000. Identify the country. 2

The 1890 Grand Watermelon Bill is the rarest and most famous of all currency notes. When it was sold, it became the most expensive banknote in the world. It’s name comes from the fact that the large zeros on the note look like watermelons. Identify the country. 3

This popular brand prints up to $ 50 billion of its currency each year. The US Bureau of Engraving and Printing has a much smaller budget it must follow, with only $ 826.7 million allocated for printing costs in 2014. Last year they produced approximately 26 million bills a day. Who are they? 4

The year 2007 marked the 140th anniversary of this country’s Confederacy, and the Royal Mint marked the occasion by creating a 100kg coin of 99.99 per cent gold depicting Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse face. Despite its face value of $ 1m, the coin fetched roughly $ 4.1m at auction. Identify the country. 5

She is one of Britain’s most enduring authors and is now on the country’s 10pound note. Apart from the Queen, whose portrait is on all UK currency, she is only the third woman to feature on a modernday British banknote after Florence Nightingale and Elizabeth Fry. Identify.

ANSWERS:

Austen Jane 5) Canada 4) Game Board Monopoly 3) America of States United 2) Rica Costa 1)