How Much Does a Million Dollars Weigh? 36 Interesting Facts About Money
1. In honor of the total solar eclipse of 1999, best observed in Romania, the government issued a plastic banknote of 2,000 Romanian lei. The note featured a transparent window through which the eclipse could be seen.
2. In 1969, U.S. President Richard Nixon discontinued large denomination bills according to a government directive aimed at combating organized crime.
3. The commonly used phrase "money does not smell" originates from Ancient Rome. Emperor Vespasian uttered these words when his son criticized him for taxing public toilets to fill the treasury.
4. There exists a $2 bill, though it is considered unlucky and often refused as payment or change.
5. All U.S. currency issued since 1861 is still accepted at full face value. The U.S. government has never devalued its dollars.
6. The paper used for U.S. dollars is exclusively produced at the Crane & Company's factory in Massachusetts.
7. American currency, both paper and coin, features only American presidents, except for three individuals: Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and the Native American woman Sacagawea.
8. Italians are quite superstitious. The country has approximately 150,000 registered magicians serving over 16 million people. Many of these sensitive individuals prefer receiving payment in the local currency, lira, and are known locally as "lyrists."
9. The estimated value of Earth is five quadrillion dollars.
10. The most common occupation among millionaires' wives is teaching.
11. The current top 100 richest people on the planet have collectively earned enough to end global poverty four times over.
12. The world's most expensive wedding was estimated at $55 million.
13. There are 8 configurations of pearls found in nature: button, drop, pear, oval, semi-baroque, round, irregular, and spherical.
14. If all the world's gold reserves, totaling 32,000 tonnes, were melted into a cube, it would measure about 12 meters on each side.
15. The "Allah Pearl" boasts an incredibly unique shape resembling a human brain, weighing over 6 kg and valued at more than $40 million.
16. The most expensive pen, recognized by the Guinness World Records, costs 1 million euros. It is the platinum Montegrappa pen.
17. In 2006, casino tycoon Steve Wynn accidentally put his elbow through Picasso's painting "Le Rêve" just after finalizing its sale, resulting in a hole in the canvas. The buyer backed out of the deal.
18. The total amount of U.S. dollars in circulation is 829 billion.
19. The oldest bank in the world, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, was founded in 1472 and is located in Italy.
20. The average lifespan of a $100 bill in circulation is approximately 89 months.
21. The largest U.S. banknote ever printed was in 1934 with a denomination of $100,000, used exclusively for bank transactions.
22. Each dollar bill is designed to withstand 4,000 double folds.
23. One million dollars in $100 bills weighs approximately 10 kg, while the same amount in $1 bills weighs about 1 ton.
24. One-third of the world's population lives on less than $2 per day, with 1.2 billion people living on less than $1 per day.
25. The first paper money appeared in China.
26. According to Forbes, the world's wealthiest individuals typically reach an average age of 60.
27. In 1865, one-third of the U.S. currency in circulation was counterfeit.
28. Until the 18th century, Sweden used copper coins weighing up to 20 kg.
29. The largest freely circulated U.S. banknote was $10,000.
30. The most expensive coin in the world is the ancient Greek decadrachm, sold at auction in Zurich for $314,000.
31. Until the mid-20th century, some parts of Africa used livestock instead of money.
32. At the end of the 20th century, Belgium issued coins with advertising texts.
33. In a survey, 92% of respondents preferred money over lifelong happiness in love.
34. The likelihood of being murdered is three times greater than winning the jackpot in the lottery.
35. In Ancient China, bronze coins were cast in the shape of tools and household items.
36. The term "money laundering" originated from mafia activities in the United States.
