Colorful Money of The World

I can’t seem to formulate any good thoughts today due to feeling a bit sick-o, so instead I thought we’d go for some cool visuals to help stimulate your brain cells today. And what better way to do that than feasting our eyes on some cool, and quite beautiful, money from around the world!

So please to enjoy today a handful of world currency I’ve collected over the years by either visiting these places myself, or getting them in the mail from generous, and adventurous, friends that I’m blessed to have. Perhaps this is the reason we have so much debt here in the United States? Our money isn’t colorful enough to want to hold on to?? ;)

foreign currency
foreign currency
foreign currency

My favorite is that little girl flying around on that goose (duck?) in the first snapshot. Isn’t it so artistic? The one below that with the heart-sy design is also pretty cool – always been a fan of the hearts for some reason… Even thinking of getting one for my next tattoo.

But for now I go back to the couch and work on feeling better again… If you’d like to help out that process, feel free to send me some of your worldly currency too ;) Nothing cheers up a finance blogger more than money!

Like this stuff? Check out my coin and currency blog I’ve since started: Coin Thrill :)

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PS: In case you’re wondering why I snapped pics of all these currencies instead of just scanning them in, it’s because my scanner denied me each time thinking I was trying to reproduce ’em!! How it can track foreign currency – and even those now discontinued? – is beyond me, jeez… Though it did get me to show off my old school Christmas desk again, hehe… Gotta keep it festive around here.

PPS: If you like this sorta thing, check out our post on old stock certificates too!

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44 Comments

  1. Free Money Minute August 14, 2013 at 6:12 AM

    I think I have some currency from our trip to Mozamibique. Not sure I want to send that to you because that is probably all I have in addition to currency from here (USA) or maybe a canadian quarter (the vending machines will not take them, I have tried) or pennies. You know, Canadian currency is almost on par with the currency in the US these days, so why won’t the machine just take it!

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 14, 2013 at 10:26 AM

      I remember reading about how the US Gov’t always had to shoot down different ideas for US coins when it came to shape and makeup because it would affect all vending machines in the country :) I’d think that wouldn’t be as top of a concern these days though, considering they’re not used as much? (or maybe they are?)

      Reply
  2. The Warrior August 14, 2013 at 8:22 AM

    One of the best parts to a lot of international money these days is that most of it is made of very thin plastic and not paper. By being made of plastic, it lasts a lot longer and cannot be as easily damaged. Don’t believe me, try ripping an Australian bill. ;)

    The Warrior
    NetWorthWarrior

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 14, 2013 at 10:27 AM

      If you send me one I’d happily give it a shot!

      Reply
  3. David Hunter August 14, 2013 at 8:28 AM

    Nice collection!

    Now all you need is a 100 trillion dollar bill from Zimbabwe! Ha

    Reply
      1. David Hunter August 14, 2013 at 4:54 PM

        Haha! Awesome!

        Reply
  4. Retire By 40 August 14, 2013 at 8:47 AM

    The greenback is so boring! I like the Kronor too, great art. I’d like to see the rest of the Kronor bills.

    Reply
  5. John S @ Frugal Rules August 14, 2013 at 9:11 AM

    Yea, we’re too boring with our cash – ours don’t even compare to these one bit. That one with the goose is pretty sweet.

    Reply
  6. Cat Alford (@BudgetBlonde) August 14, 2013 at 9:35 AM

    Hehe we always call our Eastern Caribbean Dollars monopoly money because they are sooo purty!

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 14, 2013 at 10:32 AM

      Well save some for me, gosh darn it :) If you get me one of all major denominations, and its coins!, I’ll reimburse you for it all plus shipping and a finders fee! Hehe… no joke. Unless it costs me like $100 ;)

      Reply
  7. No Waste August 14, 2013 at 9:42 AM

    Foreign currency always seems…fake to me.

    Like funny money. So it’s much easier to spend on vacation!

    That is one dapper gentlemen on the $1,000 bill at the bottom!

    Reply
  8. Mark Ross August 14, 2013 at 10:02 AM

    I think currencies used all over the world can be considered as an art. It can really tell you things about the country that it is being used.

    Reply
  9. Tara @ Streets Ahead Living August 14, 2013 at 10:21 AM

    I think it’s Australian dollars that are basically plastic… so weird.

    Money around the world makes great art, especially like those discontinued bills you have from before the Euro!

    Reply
  10. Anne @ Unique Gifter August 14, 2013 at 10:26 AM

    Uruguayian ? (totally spelled that incorrectly) money has a topless woman on one of the bills! The 20 pesos note, I think.

    There’s no Canadian cash in there!

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 14, 2013 at 10:44 AM

      I WANT ONE OF THOSE!! :)

      And yeah, no Canadian cash there cuz most people know what that looks like already so I left out. I have like 100+ others in my collection, but I plucked out some of the good artsy types to show off today.

      Reply
  11. Debt Blag August 14, 2013 at 10:43 AM

    Oh wow! Those are colorful! I’ve always liked that bills in countries I’ve traveled to were different colors and different sizes; it made grabbing the right one that much easier :)

    Reply
  12. Joel @ SaveOutsidetheBox August 14, 2013 at 11:01 AM

    Thanks for sharing J. That’s some good looking moolah. I hope you feel better man.

    Reply
  13. Nick @ ayoungpro.com August 14, 2013 at 11:31 AM

    Geez, why does our money have to suck so bad?

    Reply
  14. Stefanie August 14, 2013 at 11:41 AM

    After I got back from touring in Asia for 7 months I remember looking into my wallet of freshly dispensed ATM US dollars and thinking “How am I supposed to tell these bills apart? Seriously, I have to hold each one up individually to find the number?” Silly, but true.

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 15, 2013 at 2:43 PM

      HAH! That is pretty bad, isn’t it?

      Reply
  15. Mom @ Three is Plenty August 14, 2013 at 12:09 PM

    I generally don’t keep bills from the countries I go to (unless I plan on going back, like Euros), but I do keep coins. I have quite a stash of European coins from before the Euro took over. I also have some Indian coins (and bills) from WW2 when my grandfather was stationed there – I showed them to my friend who grew up in India, and even she was amazed at how old it was…

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 15, 2013 at 2:44 PM

      Cool! The currency with history behind it is always the best :) Especially if it came from a friend or family and was passed down to you over time. You gotta carry on the tradition and hand down to your future kids/friends/family too!

      Reply
  16. Jake @ Common Cents Wealth August 14, 2013 at 12:11 PM

    I enjoy looking at other currencies. It’s pretty cool what designs and colors are out there. Our money is pretty boring compared to a lot of other places.

    Reply
  17. R. August 14, 2013 at 12:51 PM

    > that little girl flying around on that goose (duck?)

    I guess that’s actually a little boy, Nils, from the tale “The Wonderful Adventures of Nils” by Lagerloef, wearing a medieval-style hood. He was magically reduced in size and travelled around Sweden on a wild goose in that book.

    I think I have some discontinued russian notes stashed somewhere… those of soviet era (1961 type) and ’93 “candy wrappers”. Maybe even some from ’91, ’92, and ’95.

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 15, 2013 at 2:45 PM

      OOPS! Sounds like a fascinating story though :)

      Reply
  18. Done by Forty August 14, 2013 at 2:10 PM

    Feel better, and thanks for sharing those photos. The currency is always greener…

    Reply
  19. Sean @ One Smart Dollar August 14, 2013 at 2:17 PM

    My wife and I keep money from each country we visit. It’s really my only collection, but it’s a pretty cool one.

    Reply
  20. Paula August 14, 2013 at 2:58 PM

    Great post!
    I have been in quite some countries but never thought about collecting notes – just coins.
    I have huge collection of coins pre-euro – Germany, France… Almost all countries in europe.
    Can you by any chance put some kind of information where are those notes from?
    Is the one with gose from Denmark by any chances?
    And first one is Polish for sure.

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 15, 2013 at 2:47 PM

      That’s a good idea actually – I should make notes about each one and post them all up sometime so we can all learn more about them :) Off the top of my head, we’ve got a bill from Italy up there, one from India, and another from Ethiopia. You can tell cuz it’s written on the bills ;)

      Reply
  21. Roy August 14, 2013 at 11:09 PM

    Fascinating collection. I see HSBC get free government advertising on the Hong Kong 20 Dollar note! Or do they own Hong Kong?

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 15, 2013 at 2:48 PM

      Yeah, saw that too – how’s that for branding??

      Reply
  22. Christine @ ThePursuitofGreen August 15, 2013 at 12:26 AM

    I always wish US currency could be more colorful. They’ve added color lately, but still doesn’t beat what you can find in other countries! Get better soon!

    Reply
  23. Liquid August 15, 2013 at 1:09 AM

    Great pictures. I collect bank notes from around the world as well. Bought a stack of them recently from Europe :D Earlier this year I got a German 5,000,000 Mark from 1914, and a Zimbabwe $100 trillion dollar note lol. It shows the effects that inflation can have on fiat currency. Computer software have anti-counterfeiting measures coded into them as well. When I tried to brighten up an image of a US dollar bill I got a warning that copying and distributing money is illegal, lol. Thanks for the tip Adobe, I had no idea before :P

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 15, 2013 at 2:49 PM

      Haha yeah… It’s a good thing iPhones don’t have it yet ;)

      Reply
  24. C. the Romanian August 15, 2013 at 1:33 AM

    I never really thought about the color of our bills and just checked out and it seems that in Romania we have a preference for yellow/orange/pinkish combinations. Pretty interesting, and the bills you have posted look really nice. It seems I love looking at money too :))

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 15, 2013 at 2:50 PM

      Oooooh very cool! Gonna go now and look up what Romanian currency looks like :) Perhaps one day if we ever meet in person I can buy some off ya?

      Reply
  25. maria@moneyprinciple August 15, 2013 at 5:23 PM

    Lovely! I recognise most of those and have used them at one or other point of my life. This also reminded me I promissed you some coins but are you interested in currences that no longer are (French, German etc.). Let me know

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 16, 2013 at 8:46 AM

      I’m interested in ALL currencies – coins and paper money – old and new! Though yes, I do prefer older stuff than the newer stuff, but I still get turned on by all ;)

      Reply
  26. Sharon October 4, 2013 at 6:23 PM

    Was wondering where the 1000 bill is from and what it’s worth? I have one in my possession. Could someone please help me out? Thanks

    Reply
  27. J. Money October 4, 2013 at 8:23 PM

    That picture up above is a 1,000 YEN note from Japan. Currently worth $10.27 in US money :) It’ll change daily as the market changes, but as of today that’s what it is (you can actually type in different amounts and currencies into Google and it’ll spit you back out the conversion rate – it’s pretty cool!) Hope this helps!

    Reply
  28. George August 16, 2015 at 10:49 AM

    The philippine currency is also colorful you should check them out try googling them see if they fit as one of the colorful money of the world.

    Reply

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