Outrageous Opinion # 3 - The United States has the Ugliest Money on Earth

ooooh pretty!!!!

This will be a short one. I thought of it while sitting at my desk and staring at a pile of pesos. I'm talking nickel, dime, and quarter sized coins worth approximately one tenth of their face-value in dollars.

What do you mean, you ask, by this intrusive injection of math, Bob Spiller?

For instance: a 500 peso note (paper money, beautiful to look at) is worth around $50. Got it?

Now, this piece isn't about net value, but the artistic appeal of various bits of currency from around the world. Let's begin with Mexico. Those same coins that started this conversation are bi-colored--nice. Brass colored in the center (a little circle of brass) surrounded by more traditional nickel coloring. Very pretty. But that's nothing compared to their bills. Blue, pink, purple, with various translucent sections that make the whole bill pop (I watch a lot of HGTV).

But Mexican currency isn't the only currency kicking our butts. Canadian money is nice to look at. So is French, British, German, Brazilian, Chinese, you name it. All colorful, all artistically designed. Very easy on the eyes.

Are we so hide-bound that we are incapable of considering money other than the green-back (which should actually b called the green and gray back)? I mean, C'mon.

Well, I'm done with my rant. Of course, it won't change anything. There is actually a significant fraction of the our populous who will consider any change (Probably of anything) as un-American. Certainly they will consider me a heretic.

Have a nice day.