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Money

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

The Eccles Building of the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C., featuring the U.S. flag and a clear blue sky.

Money is a special way people use to buy things or pay for services. It makes trading easier because you don’t have to trade one thing for another, like swapping a chicken for a knife.

Long ago, people used valuable things like gold or silver as money. Today, most money is called fiat money. This means a government says it’s worth something, even though the paper isn’t special. You can find money as banknotes, coins, or numbers in bank accounts.

Money helps us in many ways. It lets us buy what we need, measure the value of things, and save for later. For example, you can save allowance in a piggy bank and use it later for a toy. Money also helps businesses trade and grow.

Different places use different kinds of money. In Europe, many countries use the euro. In the United States, people use dollars. Some places accept more than one type of money near borders.

People have used many things as money throughout history, like shells, grains, and even special stones. Over time, coins and paper money became common. Today, most money exists as numbers in computers, moving quickly between banks.

Money is made and controlled by governments to keep things fair and help economies grow. This way, everyone can trust that the money they use will help them get the things they need.

Images

A collection of Euro banknotes and coins from various European countries.
An ancient Egyptian gold coin from the time of Pharaoh Nektanebo II, featuring a prancing horse and hieroglyphics.
A graph showing changes in money supply categories (MB, M1, and M2) from 1981 to 2012, based on data from the St. Louis Federal Reserve.
Workers printing paper money at a factory in Perm, Russia.
A person counting Swedish money notes.
A 1914 Australian half sovereign coin featuring Saint George and the dragon, an important piece of numismatic history.
Illustration of a U.S. American Gold Eagle coin from 2006.
An ancient coin from Jerusalem featuring a menorah, a symbol important in Jewish history.
Various banknotes and coins from different countries around the world.
A royalty cheque from a music publisher, showing how artists can earn money from their work.
An ancient coin from the Kingdom of Lydia, dating to the early 6th century BC, showing a roaring lion on one side.
An ancient Chinese woodcut showing early paper money from the Northern Song Dynasty.
Historical Chinese banknote design from the Song dynasty, featuring traditional artwork and symbols.
A collection of 5000-value banknotes from different countries, including the Japanese yen, US dollar, and others.

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Money, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.

Money — Safekipedia Explorer