Euporium in Counterfeiting
Fool's Gold
-Electrons emit light based on energy levels.
-They get excited, crash, then emit a certain color of light.
-The European Union laced a fluorescent dye with europium ions on its paper bills.
-The dye has an antenna that captures incoming light energy, which excites the electrons.
-Euporium appears dull under visible light.
-If you slide a euro note beneath the laser, small fibers will glow a green color.
(see pages 230 and 232 for more information)
- The Gold Rush universally began in 1848
- Gold hungry miners in Australia were tricked by fool's fool's gold in 1896.
- Tellurium is the only element that binds to gold, and formed calaverite, which resembles iron pyrite in shine and color.
- Pyrite was popular in Roman times as a source for sparks when struck with steel. Later in 1500 - 1600 AD this ability was used as a source for ignition in most firearms. It was also used as an early source for oil of vitriol (sulfuric acid).
Aluminum
- Aluminum is much less valuable than gold today, but, in the past, it wasn't. In fact, the man who first efficiently isolated aluminum made a profit equivalent to 650 million dollars from the time he was only 23 years old to when he died. (Web)
- Price Difference
- 1884
- $16 per pound
- Annual minimum wage in 1890: $.20
- Now
- $.78 per pound
- Indiana's minimum wage: $7.25 an hour
Elements in Money
By: Cameron Brice
Alex Alburo
Astrid Trapp
Nathan Hall
Coins
- The world's first coins appeared around 600 B.C. in modern-day Turkey
- Made of electrum, an alloy of gold and silver
- Eventually, gold and silver replaced electrum, as the coin values reflected the actual values of the metals
- Nickels, dimes, and quarters are pickled before they are minted (soaked in a special chemical solution that washes and polishes them)
Coinage in the United States
- The first coinage act was passed April 2, 1792
- The first coins were minted using either gold, silver or copper
Works Cited
Penny
Quarter
- Very first coins minted in the United States
- Amount of copper and zinc in the penny has changed significantly through the years
- Pure copper from 1793 to 1837
- Composition is now 2.5% copper and 97.5% zinc
- Originally made of pure silver in 1796
- Now made of 8% nickel and 92% copper
- In 1965, the old 90% silver alloy was replaced by a "sandwich" alloy of copper-nickel layers around a pure copper core
Dime
Nickel
- From 1942 to 1945 five-cent coins contained no nickel
- Therefore, they weren't considered nickels
- Orignally made of copper, silver, and magnesium in 1866
- Nickel is now made of 25% nickel and 75% copper
- The Roosevelt dime was designed by John R. Sinnock
- Originally made of 89% silver and 11% copper in 1792
- Dime is now made of 8% nickel and 92% copper
- Word dime comes from the old French "disme", meaning 1/10
- http://www.livescience.com/2058-profound-history-coins.html
- http://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/10/history-of-us-coinage.asp
- Disappearing Spoon- Sam Kean
- http://www.usmint.gov/kids/coinNews/funFacts.cfm
- http://www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/Once-Upon-A-Dime-353684.html
- http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/jom/9511/binczewski-9511.html
- http://www.nps.gov/klse/learn/nature/what-fools-gold.htm
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