There are rules for countries who want to use the Euro as their monetary system.  From the beginning, only countries with strong economies could use it as their country's money system.  Right now, the amount of Euro money that is in circulation is higher than the amount in U.S. dollars.
    These are important dates in Euro history:

	December 16, 1995:  The name Euro was approved.
	January 1, 1999: Travelers checks and bank transfers of money were done in Euros.  It still didn't have its own paper or coin money.
	January 1, 2002:  Coins and paper Euros started to be used.
	February 2, 2002: Each country's money wasn't recognized as legal anymore.  You couldn't spend it in stores, businesses, or trade it for Euros at your bank anymore.

     Even though you weren't allowed to use a country's old money anymore, some countries used their National Central Banks (like our Federal Reserve Bank) to cash them in for a couple of years.  The central banks in some countries still do trade old money for cash.
     The old currencies are examples of a government placing value on their money and then taking it away when they went to the Euro.  There are lots of people who think that the Euro should be used all around the world.  We think this would be a really good idea because of global travel, communication, trade, and interaction.  It would make life so much simpler that way.  The only drawback to this, in our opinion, is the fact that each country's currency is beautiful in its differences and great to collect.

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Fun Fact

Superstition:  If you find a penny face up on the ground and you pick it up, you will have good luck.