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How to Identify International Bank Notes & Currency

You may come across international bank notes and currency either during your travels, as a hobby in coin collecting, or merely finding something left over in a shoebox once belonging to a relative. Some currency is easily identifiable. Yet you may find a few bank notes confusing, since some countries known for one name may use another on its currency, such as Helvetia, which is used by the Swiss instead of Switzerland.

Things You'll Need

Coin catalog

Instructions

- 1
  Study bank notes and currency for identifying names of countries. Use the pictures to recognize familiar landmarks or items associated with each particular country. Recognizing denominations will also aid in narrowing down the nationality.
- 2
  Visit websites specializing in identifying currency. Sites such as bank-note.org have lists of countries with photographs or languages to match up to the images and wording on your currency.
- 3
  Visit the public library and review books such as coin catalogs. Contact local coin collectors and attend auctions. Ask museum curators for advice on rare, aged currency with faded imprints and wording.
- 4
  Go to a local bank. Ask a teller about how to find out information concerning the place of origin for the international bank note and currency.

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