Each sheet is tracked by the BEP as it passes through the production process. The BEP receives the paper in brown paper-wrapped loads of 20,000 sheets. The quality of the paper is very high, and it would take almost 4,000 double folds (first forwards and then backward) before a note will tear. paper currency are as distinct as their design. The paper and ink used in the production of U.S.

This is what gives the United States currency its distinct look and feel. American banknotes or currency paper is made of 75% cotton and 25% linen. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) develops and produces United States currency notes. Metal prices have strong control over which metal is used, even if there are new technologies available.Īnother day, another dollar.but how are they made? Credit: © 2013, a division of Getty Images. Today, steel is added to the making of all coins. However, advanced technology has eliminated such problems. In the past, only the faces of the coins were plated, which caused coins to rust. Today, all pennies are made primarily from copper-plated zinc.Ĭoins that have a silver color include quarter, nickel, and dime coins, made using a copper-nickel combination. Initially, pennies were made from copper, but during wartime years the penny was made from steel mixed with zinc so as to conserve copper for weapons and shell casings. Other metals such as copper, nickel, and zinc are used to make ordinary coins. However, due to the increasing price of these metals, they are only used now for making bullion coins or collectors’ coins. Precious metals such as silver and gold were previously used by the United States mint to make coins. Cupro-nickel is silver in color with hard-wearing and excellent striking properties. To counter this problem, coins are now made from a combination of metals such as cupro-nickel. This would allow smelters to melt the coins and re-sell them. The metal used must have excellent wear resistance and anti-corrosion properties, hence coins are usually made using base metal alloys.Ĭare should be taken to ensure that the value of the metal within a coin is not greater than the face value. The metals used in coin production are specifically chosen to last a long time. In 1861, the federal government circulated the first paper money.Mint and established a federal monetary system with set denominations for coins, and specified the value of each coin in gold, silver, or copper. In 1792, the Coinage Act of 1792 created the U.S.In 1785, Congress adopted the dollar as the monetary unit of the United States.It was to support the financial operations of the fledgling government. In 1781, Congress chartered the Bank of North America in Philadelphia as the first national bank.Here is a brief look into the history of currency in the U.S.: One American dollar is divided into 100 smaller units called cents. Coins available from the United States mint are made from a variety of metals. It is the official currency of the United States of America and its overseas territories. During the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress issued paper currency-called Continentals-to help fund the war.The United States dollar (USD/US$) is also referred to as the American dollar or the U.S. Approved by the states in 1778, the Articles of Confederation gave both the states and Congress the authority to coin money. Prior to the Coinage Act of 1792, the challenges of not having a national coinage system had become a critical problem for the fledgling independent nation. mint to strike coins of gold, silver, and copper of various denominations. The Coinage Act of 1792 instructed the U.S.The United States Constitution addressed the currency crisis by giving Congress the sole authority to coin money.This resulted in a glut of debt certificates and Continental dollars, which quickly lost value as they were not backed by physical assets such as silver or gold.During the Revolutionary War, both Congress and the states had the right to coin money and issue debt in order to fund their war efforts.dollar as the nation's currency and created a mint for national coinage.

The Coinage Act of 1792 established the U.S.

Coinage act of 1792