The Euro. €. Not euros, but euro is ok. In fact, "Euros" is used so much, it is starting to be accepted. Actually the only thing we really care about the euro is the exchange rate. Right now, it is not very good, and I really don't see it getting any better in 2 1/2 months. In effect, we give them $1.00 and they give us €.71 (of note: I started writing this a week ago. Today they would only give us $.70) They give me a Euro, and I give them $1.41. Not great, especially when the cost of housing is high. (The £ is even worse, but this blog is about euro.)
So when the European Union was formed, one of the primary concerns was easing commerce across the borders of the individual countries. So, as of January 2009, some of the casualties of the merger were the lira, franc, gulden, peseta, koruna, tolar, mark, and the escudo, among miscellaneous other odds and ends. In its place they created the euro.
Not all individuality was squashed, though. There is a common side to all of the coins, and the reverse side was designed by each individual country. They were given the chance to make it their own. Each coin, although tagged with that country's stamp, can be used in any other EU participating country. So while you couldn't spend the Italian lira in France, you can spend the Italian designed euro in Germany, France or the Netherlands, etc. Oh, and as mentioned in a prior blog entry Vatican City (city state), the Republic of San Marino (an independent republic within the boundries of Italy), and the Principality of Monaco (another city state) each have their own National side.
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| Top coin: Common side Next coins: National side Bottom three: City States I think it would be interesting to collect one of each country, but it could make for a very heavy backpack. Oh, and the British Pound Sterling? If we give them $1.00, they give us £.62 and if they give us £1.00, we give them $1.61. Whoever said that travel was enriching very clearly did not mean financially. |
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