<Well, in a few months, we'll have to shift into the Euro currency.

You Europeans are going to be SO damn sorry.

When the Euro is inflated beyond recognition in a few years by the socialists who set up this whole thing, remember you heard it here first.

As for coins, they originally had intrinsic value. A gold coin was worth its value in gold, as was a silver coin or a copper one. Proper paper currency was directly based on gold or other commodities stored somewhere ("Silver Certificates"). Governments hate this with a passion since you cannot inflate a currency with intrinsic value. This was reflected in the elimination of precious metal coins in the U.S., and eventually, making it a crime to own gold (thankfully, that one was repealed.) Our current paper money is based on the promise of the U.S. government to back it. And the fact that everyone accepts it right now. That's pretty much it.