American currency

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The term "U.S. dollar" refers to a specific denomination and the U.S. currency in general. It was initially traded as a coin worth its weight in silver or gold and then exchanged as a paper note redeemable in gold. During the 1970s, the gold standard was dropped, and the dollar's value was allowed to float. Today, although its value fluctuates, it's in strong demand. Although the dollar is still represented by currency, its true value is represented by credit. Now more than ever, the U.S. dollar is the real symbol of faith in the U.S. Dollar Symbolism The s, which represented the Mexican peso, Spanish piaster, or "pieces of eight." People eventually began to write the 'P' over the 'S,' then a single line over the 'S,' creating the dollar symbol. There has been a great deal of controversy surrounding the enigmatic symbols on the U.S. dollar bill. For instance, the arrows being held by the eagle on the dollar bill were originally held in the right talon. Arrows symbolize war, and the right side signifies dominance. Some took that to mean dominance by war. In fact, the Founding Fathers used these symbols to convey strong messages; however, they have become garbled over the years. • The American eagle flying free, holding 13 arrows of war in its non-dominant left talon and an olive branch for peace in its dominant right talon. • The banner in its beak reads "E Pluribus Unum," meaning “Out of Many, One.” • The shield's horizontal blue band represents Congress uniting the origin...

The dollar is not just the currency used in the U.S., it is very much the world's currency. It's been that way for 80 years – but that could change. Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images You might just think of the dollar as the money in your wallet, the cash you use to buy your morning coffee. But the dollar is much, much bigger than that. The dollar is the world's currency: It dominates global business. Economists call it the "global reserve currency," a fancy title the dollar got about 80 years ago that has brought some pretty serious perks to the U.S. economy. But could the dollar get knocked off the top spot? There are challengers emerging, and history shows that countries whose currency dominated the globe can fall from that top spot pretty fast ... even over the course of a few days. How it started: timing + muscle + lots of gold The U.S. dollar did not luck its way into the top spot. It was a carefully engineered plan that unfolded in the mountains of New Hampshire nearly 80 years ago. At the time the British Pound Sterling was the international currency. A title it had held for decades. The dollar's rise happened pretty suddenly at the Bretton Woods International Monetary Conference in 1944. Bretton Woods was a gathering of world leaders at the end of World War II. They came together to try and establish an international system for trade and finance, to help bind the world together and increase prosperity for all. Everyone agreed that in order to ease international tra...

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