Drachmas, Doubloons, and Dollars: The History of Money
-- Arts - Science
Venue: Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Cost: Free
Money makes the world go round. Money makes the man, and money answers all things. Even time is money. We use it every day, we talk about it every day, but it remains hard to define what it is and how it works.
This exhibition will show you the different shapes of money: coins, cowrie shells, salt, tokens, gold, paper money, credit cards and many more. It illustrates how money is first and foremost a way to store wealth and make payments. It makes trade easier and lets governments, merchants, and individuals pay their debts. But money is much more than just an economic object.
Every coin and paper bill can be a work of art, a political messenger, or a piece of jewelry. By looking at the money of many cultures and periods, we not only learn about their histories and attitudes, but we also gain a better understanding of how our own money works and what it says about our own culture and history.
Since at least the Renaissance, coins have attracted large numbers of collectors. Today millions of people all over the world-poor and rich-collect coins, medals or paper money. Individually, coins allow you to hold a piece of history in your own hand. Sometimes, we even know intriguing details about the person who used a coin or what it bought. More commonly, a coin is a silent witness. But, whether worn, fresh from the mint or cut, it shows us that someone in the past used or cared for it.
The American Numismatic Society and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York together invite you to visit this exhibition and learn more about the fascinating history of money.
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11/25/2009
10:00 AM
11/26/2009
10:00 AM
11/27/2009
10:00 AM
11/30/2009
10:00 AM
12/01/2009
10:00 AM
12/02/2009
10:00 AM
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Tour the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
-- Tours - Cultural Tours
Venue: Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Cost: Free
Located in the heart of the Financial District in a distinctive Italian Renaissance-revival style building, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York boasts the largest depository gold reserve found anywhere in the world, larger than even Fort Knox, containing 7,000 tons of gold. One of 12 regional reserve banks in the Federal Reserve System, the building assumes a fortress-like presence you would expect from a massive vault containing so much buried treasure located five stories below street level.
Visitors will learn about the central banking functions that the Federal Reserve System performs and see the Bank's vault of international monetary gold on the bedrock of Manhattan Island, five stories below street level. Descending into the reserve itself, you pass through narrow corridor cut into a 90-ton steel cylinder. Over 120 lockers contain bullion, much of which is in custody for foreign nations. Possibly one of the most extraordinary tours in America!
Tours are given Monday through Friday (except bank holidays) every hour from 9:30 am to 2:30 p.m. Note: there is no 12:30 p.m. tour. The tour is free, lasts about an hour, and each tour can accommodate up to 30 visitors. Because of the tour’s popularity, the Federal Reserve’s Public Information Department suggest you reserve a spot by calling the above phone number or e-mailing a request to FRBNYTOURS@ny.frb.org. Tour tickets that confirm the date and hour will be mailed out in advance and must be presented to the tour guide upon arrival at the Bank.
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11/25/2009
09:30 AM
11/26/2009
09:30 AM
11/27/2009
09:30 AM
11/30/2009
09:30 AM
12/01/2009
09:30 AM
12/02/2009
09:30 AM
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