# What is the Most Valuable National Currency? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2004, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136 "2004-03-13T22:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/1 "2004-03-13T22:54:13Z")
I’m not sure quite how to ask this, and I’m sure the economists on these boards will provide learned responses dealing with such things as, uh, economics. But that’s not quite what I mean. Here’s what I mean: The Japanese yen is worth something like $0.0132. The British pound, OTOH, is worth something like $1.69. The Euro, last I heard, was worth around $1.18. The American dollar is worth, uh, $1. So is the pound the single most valuable unit of currency (in terms of its value on the foreign exchange market)? Do you guys have any idea what I’m trying to ask? And BTW, another thread mentioned that the 500 Euro note is the single most valuable bank note in the world today. What’s the most valuable coin (let’s exclude ceremonial coins such as the $20 gold double eagle, or whatever it’s called)? I nominate the Japanese 500 yen piece, worth around $5, give or take. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/2 "2004-03-13T22:59:37Z")
The UK pound is not the highest value unit of national currency. For example, the Cyprus pound is worth GBP1.16 and the Maltese pound is worth GBP1.59. Both of these national currencies may eventually be replaced by the euro. ---
**Author:** ![a\_gherkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@a\_gherkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a_gherkin)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/3 "2004-03-14T01:52:34Z")
On the topic of the most valuable coin, we have, or had for a short while (not a special comemorative coin) a 5 pound coin here in Britain, and it was huge and weighed a ton!! I had one and saw a few more but havn’t come across any more in the last year. Such a coin would be worth $8.979 according to [www.xe.com/](http://www.xe.com/) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/4 "2004-03-14T07:27:05Z")
There’s the Gold Britannia bullion coins, collectors’ items with a face value of up to £100. [http://rscott.org/bullion/brit\_g.htm](http://rscott.org/bullion/brit_g.htm) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/5 "2004-03-14T07:28:29Z")
Better link: [http://www.taxfreegold.co.uk/britanniasinfo.html](http://www.taxfreegold.co.uk/britanniasinfo.html) ---
**Author:** ![Thaumaturge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@Thaumaturge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thaumaturge)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/6 "2004-03-14T07:31:21Z")
Last I was there, the Kuwaiti Dinar was worth about 3.30 US dollars. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/7 "2004-03-14T07:36:03Z")
Aha…the highest face value of any coin is the Australian 1992 1kg Platinum Koala, worth Aus$10,000. [http://www.amark.com/products/platinum.asp](http://www.amark.com/products/platinum.asp) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/8 "2004-03-14T07:46:11Z")
_sigh_ Can’t find any info on the highest value in everyday circulation. ---
**Author:** ![Thaumaturge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@Thaumaturge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thaumaturge)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/9 "2004-03-14T08:01:47Z")
Acording to [this site, the Kuwaiti Dinar is now almost $3.39. Unfortunately [url=http://www.xe.com/ict/table.cgi]this]([http://www.xe.com](http://www.xe.com)) handy table they have does not list all currencies, and the KD is not listed as well. I’d have to do through all the countries individually to find the highest. ---
**Author:** ![Thaumaturge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@Thaumaturge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thaumaturge)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/10 "2004-03-14T08:03:01Z")
ehh…that second link is [supposed to be here](http://www.xe.com/ict/table.cgi). …And no, I don’t preview. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/11 "2004-03-14T09:07:59Z")
The R.O. (Omani Rial) _was_ up around $3.50 at one point, I think. Haven’t got a clue where it is now ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/12 "2004-03-14T09:24:09Z")
1 Omr = 2.60 Usd ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/13 "2004-03-14T09:27:51Z")
The Seborga Luigino is fixed at $6. [http://seborga.net/money/index.html](http://seborga.net/money/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/14 "2004-03-14T12:36:31Z")
You can use the [full version of the currency converter](http://www.xe.com/ucc/full.shtml) to check out any specific currency (e.g., as **Thaumaturge** discovered, the Kuwaiti Dinar is currently worth $3.388888), but it doesn’t give you a _table_ of all of them - you have to choose a currency to convert, and look at the result. Trial and error might be a bit slow! So far, **GorillaMan’s** Seborga Luigino looks like the winner. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/15 "2004-03-14T22:21:05Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > You can use the [full version of the currency converter](http://www.xe.com/ucc/full.shtml) to check out any specific currency (e.g., as **Thaumaturge** discovered, the Kuwaiti Dinar is currently worth $3.388888), but it doesn’t give you a _table_ of all of them - you have to choose a currency to convert, and look at the result. Trial and error might be a bit slow! So far, **GorillaMan’s** Seborga Luigino looks like the winner. Seborga is not an internationally recognised country, notwithstanding their claim that “Experts of international law agree that the Principality of Seborga cannot be considered part of the Italian Republic”. I think it’s fair to say that most experts on international law agree that this territory is indeed part of the Italian republic. ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/16 "2004-03-15T07:44:54Z")
Yeah, Seborga is just a joke or game - not really any different from Sealand - offshore in the Thames Estuary > **[Welcome to Sealand. Now Bugger Off.](https://www.wired.com/2000/07/haven-2/)** > > Hunkered down on a North Sea fortress, a crew of armed cypherpunks, amped-up networking geeks, and libertarian swashbucklers is seceding from the world to pursue a revolutionary idea: an offshore, fat-pipe data haven that answers to nobody. Ryan... Although how in the hell GorilllaMan found it’s supposed currency exchange rate is a far more interesting question. I would support the Omani rial as probably the most valuable in USD terms in legal circulation - I even have some I have never bothered to change back. It is probably worth checking most of the the other Gulf States as the most likely bet for any alternative that will beat it. Most of them seemed to have a currency worth more than the pound sterling IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/17 "2004-03-15T13:00:16Z")
> [@notquitekarpov](#): > > Yeah, Seborga is just a joke or game - not really any different from Sealand - offshore in the Thames Estuary Well, from the link I gave, they claim a heritage for their currency back to 1666. > [@](#): > > Although how in the hell GorilllaMan found it’s supposed currency exchange rate is a far more interesting question. 'cause I saw it on the XE convertor, and thought ‘what’s that?’. Yeah, I was sad enough to try going through manually to find the most valuable - I only tried oil-rich countries though, and Oman is still on top so far. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/18 "2004-03-15T14:07:33Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > …'cause I saw it on the XE convertor, and thought ‘what’s that?’. Yeah, I was sad enough to try going through manually to find the most valuable - I only tried oil-rich countries though, and Oman is still on top so far. Yeah, I figured that if the XE converter lists the Luigino, there must be some validity to it. Among the “undoubtedly legit currencies,” the Kuwaiti Dinar (at $3.39) beats out the Omani Rial (at $2.56). ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/19 "2004-03-15T15:58:05Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Do you guys have any idea what I’m trying to ask? No. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136/20 "2004-03-15T23:57:03Z")
Interestingly enough, this month’s _Playboy_ (April 2004, cover: Rachel Hunter) addresses this very topic. The most valuable, like **Early Out** said, is the Kuwaiti Dinar. Just for kicks, the five least valuable are:[ul][li]Dong (Vietnam) - $0.0000652US[_]Metical (Mozambique) - $0.0000422US[_]Sucre (Ecuador) - $0.0000400US[_]Leu (Romania) - $0.0000302[_]Lira (Turkey) - $0.000000815US[/ul]I was surprised my perennial favourite value for worthless, the Italian lyra, was absent. Oh, and I read it for the articles.[/li] “… Stacy’s mom has got it goin’ on!” 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-valuable-national-currency/234136.md?page=2)