While eCommerce is becoming increasingly popular and we’re using physical currencies less and less, there will always be a place for coins and notes. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes; most are quite standard, though there are a few currencies that are quite a bit different from the rest. Have a look at these rather weird currencies and see what you think of them.
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Norway’s fish notes
Norway recently introduced a raft of new banknote designs in 2017. They’re all inspired by the sea, which is no surprise given the country’s rich seafaring history. Designs include viking warships, ocean waves and…fish.
2. Somali coins
The guitar coins seen above have actually been used as legal tender in Somalia. The country has issue similar sorts of coins fashioned after animals, motorcycles and cars, all of which are worth a single shilling. The guitar coins are designed after famous guitars and were released to commemorate the anniversary of rock ‘n’ roll.
3. The Cook Islands’ nudity notes
Most countries would never even dream of having official currency depicting a topless woman riding a shark – the Cook Islands’ currency depicts just that!
4. Palau’s freshwater pearl coins
A limited number of coins featuring actual freshwater pearls were released into circulation in the Republic of Palau. The pearls, which were inserted into the coins to promote marine wildlife protection awareness, are meant to bring good luck.
5. The US dollar
Though it’s one of the most widely used and most recognisable currencies, many don’t realise just how strange the US dollar bill actually is. There are all sorts of conspiracy theories about the various symbols that adorn the back of the dollar bill, including the eye at the top of the pyramid, the thirteen stars above the eagle, the thirteen arrows in the eagle’s left talon and the olive branch in the eagle’s right talon that has thirteen olives and thirteen leaves.
6. Zimbabwe’s currency
Zimbabwe’s currency is pretty normal for all intents and purposes, except for one thing: hyperinflation. In 2005 and 2006, various financial problems in the country led to a period of extreme instability, with notes worth as much as fifteen figures being printed and circulated. The country’s economy has since stabilised somewhat, though it’s since switched to the more stable US dollar.
7. Bottle caps
Back in 2005 in Cameroon, people actually started using bottle caps for currency. A brewery began printing prizes on the underside of bottle caps to boost sales of drinks. Other breweries followed suit and bottle caps became commonplace – people would pay for local taxis with them and there were even some who would bribe police with them. the reason they took off was that as other breweries created them, the value of the prizes increased.
