What material is money mostly made out of?
According to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, US paper currency is made up of 75% cotton and 25% linen. That is, there are three-fourths of a pound of cotton in each pound of dollar bills. This same source also informs us that there are 454 bills in a pound of currency.
During the 2009 Fiscal Year , over six billion bills of all denominations were printed in the United States, consuming 21,476 bales of cotton. The total dollar value of these bills was two hundred and nineteen billion dollars, or $21,290.55 per pound of cotton.
What are your thoughts on this subject?
241 Comments
Julie Allen
Should have said US notes
eugene wilson
1) Obama is not Muslim he is Christian, his Paternal Grandfather and Paternal Grandmother is/were Muslim. His "Granny Sarah" is Muslim.
2) Obama is not Communist, he might have some Socialist Democratic ideals similar to the Canadian political system and health care system, which might be related to his early works as a community organizer and advocate at places like Altgeld Gardens in Chicago.
Even if he was Muslim so what. Doesn't the United States of America have Freedom of Religion for all of it's citizens?
Vivienne Redding
Yes, question should have said US notes. Downunder bank notes certainly are not made of linen and cotton.
John Moore
You didn't specify the US. In the UK and many other countries notes are made of synthetics so they last longer, saving the main banks money. I think the US is behind the times
Wendy Petty
It seems this question was relating to ONLY US bills, maybe a different result worldwide?
Denise Bruce
A lot of countries other than US now use synthetics!
Lesley Ryan
Depends which currency, Australia it is synthetics .. question should have read, US currency mainly composed of ...
Doris Dallaire
American money isn’t the only money in the world! Many countries now use a synthetic for their money. Australia, Canada, a lot of Asian countries and many more use the synthetic. So probably most money in the world is synthetic - not cotton! You should have specified which country you were referring to since there are many countries other than the US in the world!
Joyann Ayre
Poorly worded question. Canadian money is mostly synthetic.
Louise C.
I live in Australia and now our money is made of synthetic material and is very secure and like others have said on here that our mint makes money for many other countries.
And if one of the notes happens to go through the wash, they seem to survive lol.
Sarah65
Micheline Ratcliffe, Then submit questions regarding other countries. Problem solved.
Omar Mung
the money that I use is not made of paper, synthetics or linen… light provides me with a visual presentation of currency on my devices that I spend and save
Eve
Canadian money is also synthetics
Micheline Ratcliffe
Very badly worded question and why are most of these always U.S.A. based ? There are other countries in the world far more advanced in this area ! Australian banknotes, for example, are printed on polymer, a type of plastic, and they have a distinctive feel. Polymer banknotes were developed to make our currency more difficult to counterfeit. Many other countries employ this medium. It's about time the US realize there are other countries beyond their borders, countries who function at a far higher level of development.
hugseveryone
When I was in trade school (printing) our instructor took us to a paper mill that showed us how wood to be made into paper then added a special ingredient (?) to make it into a special paper the mint only that had this!
Karen Copus
eugene wilson, agree !!!!!
Cheryl Love
Not only did this question not specify a country, it didn’t specify bank notes over coins. Just said money. Not a good question as written.
Roy Tinis
In Canada, our bills are plastic so they last longer.
elizawheeler
Wow, I didn't know that. I always thought it was paper. In fact, we always called bills paper money.
Char
eugene wilson, the real Socialist are the Rich welfare Elites bunch. Thats our money we put in not thiers as they don't really pay any taxes yet always riding on our backs they are the Socialist it's time they pay thier fair share instead of working us as slaves while paying us little yet we pay taxes. We need help then we are put down time for change now
Donna
You didn't say American money.
Dave Robinson
Should of stayed US in the question
Chris Brown
Here in New Zealand, we began circulating polymer banknotes in May 1999. Until then, New Zealand's banknotes were printed on paper made from cotton. Polymer banknotes have a number of advantages over paper banknotes: the average polymer banknote lasts about four times as long as a paper note.
Fleuriefirst
I’d have said metals, as in coins. To say nothing of the fact that world is moving towards synthetic notes or electronic
Coral Harvey
I guessed cotton but coming from UK I thought paper would be the source of our currency. The wording of the question was ambiguous