From the peculiar origins of coins to the quirky secrets of modern banknotes, the cash (and coins) you carry in your wallet have a story to tell. Money makes the world go round, but there’s more to it than saving, spending, and earning.

Money isn’t paper

We may call it paper. But dollar bills are far more durable than your average piece of printer paper for a reason. U.S. dollars are made of 75% cotton and 25% linen.

A penny saved was expensive to make

A penny saved may be a penny earned, but the government spent three times as much to make it. In 2023, the U.S. Mint reported that it costs about $0.03 to make and distribute a penny and $0.12 to get a nickel into your pocket.

There is a $100,000 bill

But you can’t use it.

The largest U.S. bill ever printed was the $100,000 bill featuring President Woodrow Wilson. It was used only for transactions between Federal Reserve Banks and never circulated among the public.

Those are anti-theft ridges

The ridges on coins like dimes and quarters, were initially added to prevent coin shaving, a practice where people would scrape off small amounts of precious metals from the edges.

The first coin appeared in 1787

The first official U.S. coins, known as the Fugio Cents, bore the phrase "Mind Your Business" and a sundial to remind people of the value of time. Some people attribute the design to Benjamin Franklin, but not all historians agree.

Those bucks have a backstory

Many people believe the term "bucks" as a nickname for dollars dates back to early America, when deer skins, or "buckskins," were commonly used as a medium of exchange in bartering. Buckskins were highly valued for their utility in making clothing and other goods, and their use in trading was so widespread that the term "buck" became synonymous with a unit of trade or value. (Not all historians agree.)

The hidden message on the $1 bill

The pyramid on the back of the U.S. $1 bill has 13 steps, symbolizing the original 13 colonies. At the top, an eye represents divine providence, with the Latin phrase "Annuit Coeptis," meaning "He has favored our undertakings."

A dollar lives about 6.6 years

An average dollar lasts about 6.6 years in circulation. A $100 bill can last 22.9 years on average since most of us choose to save more significant amounts of money in the bank.

The $1 bill has been to the moon

A $1 bill, signed by Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin, came along for the ride to the first moon landing in July 1969. Astronauts signed such bills before missions, which were carried aboard the spacecraft and used post-flight to certify the crew’s identities.

Our money isn’t just how we pay the bills and buy the little treats — cash connects us to history and even to the moon.

If you’re looking for somewhere to stash your cash where it can grow, consider our MarketEdge Money Market Savings account, where you can earn high-yield savings with easy access to your funds.