The first coins were most likely invented by the Lydians, the inhabitants of what is today western Turkey. The Lydians had an abundance of electrum, which is a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver. Gold and silver by themselves were already used as a means of exchange; they could simply be measured on a scale and their value assessed through the measurement. But the Lydians needed something to do with all the electrum, whose value was less certain. Their solution was to melt the electrum into circular shapes and stamp them with the sign of the king.

It has been an echo in the hallways of power for years now. It was something that even five years ago seemed ridiculous, but now seems almost obvious. The dollar is losing its luster as the world's reserve currency, and the G20 is trying to hammer out the details to replace it. The term currency war is being used again and again as one country argues with another over the best ways to proceed.

Buying currency is a must for a traveler coming into a country to visit or live. While in some European countries and Canada, there are a few forms of currency accepted, in the United States, the dollar is used, and all around the U.S. there are places where people can exchange foreign money for dollars called Currency Exchange Centers. Banks can also provide this service as well. This requires a little prior planning to determine the correct rates that will be applied, as well as some estimation as to what the money will be needed for. There are valuable resources in newspapers and on the internet to help guide the public to the correct information.

In the past, historical exchange rates were only found in business newspapers and magazines or by paid subscription. Today, these rates are available online and free of charge to the general public. Two concepts associated with old money exchange rates are; the historical rate of exchange between two currencies and the value, adjusted for inflation, of the same currency.

Old Canadian money was primarily printed by Charted Banks, Colonial and Canadian governments and by the Bank of Canada. The first bank note from Canada was issued by the Montreal Bank. The note was dated in 1817 and placed in circulation. Until 1858 Canadian banknotes were denominated in Shillings, Pounds and Dollars. Later on only Dollar denominations were printed and issued. Face values of old Canadian paper money ranged from $1 to $1,000. Canadian currency is widely collected by investors and collectors.