During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress issued paper money called continentals.
The Founding Fathers needed the money to pay for their war against Great Britain. But so many bills were printed that they became worthless. Colonists soon adopted the expression “not worth a continental.”
But times change, and now, the stability of the U.S. makes the dollar the world’s most desirable currency. Each day, the U.S. Treasury’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing makes 38 million paper bills, with a face value of about $750 million! This is primarily done to replace worn-out bills. The U.S. Mint, which is a factory that the government controls, makes between 14 and 20 billion coins each year. The coins are stamped with special designs and include their value and usually the year of their planned release. “Minting” is the name of this stamping process.
