World Currencies Quiz – Printable Version
20 multiple-choice questions with an explained answer key, ready to print.
Print the sheet (or save it as a PDF from the print window), hand it out, then mark it together using the answer page: every answer is explained. Perfect for a party, a birthday, a classroom, a care home or a team activity.
Name: ………………………………Score: ……… / 20
- What is the official currency of the United Kingdom?
- A. Dollar
- B. Euro
- C. Krona
- D. Pound sterling
- Which country uses the rand as its official currency?
- A. Kenya
- B. Nigeria
- C. Zambia
- D. South Africa
- What is the name of Turkey's official currency?
- A. Turkish lira
- B. Riyal
- C. Dinar
- D. Dirham
- What is the name of Ghana's official currency?
- A. Cedi
- B. CFA franc
- C. Naira
- D. Kwacha
- Which currency is legal tender in the Vatican, even though it is not an EU member?
- A. Ecu
- B. Lira
- C. Vatican franc
- D. Euro
- What symbol appears on the French side of 1 and 2 euro coins?
- A. The Sower
- B. Marianne
- C. The Gallic rooster
- D. A stylised tree
- What nickname is given to the US dollar, after the colour of its banknotes?
- A. Blue chip
- B. Silver buck
- C. Greenback
- D. Golden eagle
- On what occasion was the very first 'franc' minted in France, in 1360?
- A. To celebrate Charles V's coronation
- B. To pay the ransom of King John the Good, a prisoner of the English
- C. To replace Louis IX's écu
- D. To finance a crusade
- Which country holds the record for the worst hyperinflation in history, in 1946, with prices doubling roughly every 15 hours?
- A. Hungary
- B. Germany
- C. Zimbabwe
- D. Venezuela
- Who appears on the US $100 bill, despite never having been president?
- A. Alexander Hamilton
- B. Thomas Edison
- C. Martin Luther King
- D. Benjamin Franklin
- Guatemala's currency is named after which emblematic bird?
- A. Quetzal
- B. Condor
- C. Toucan
- D. Macaw
- Which territory uses the euro without being a member of the EU or the euro area?
- A. Montenegro
- B. Serbia
- C. Albania
- D. North Macedonia
- Why can euro coins look different depending on the issuing country?
- A. One side is national
- B. Each country changes their value
- C. The metal varies by country
- D. Only French coins are standardised
- Which country used the guilder before the euro?
- A. Netherlands
- B. Ireland
- C. Finland
- D. Portugal
- Historically, what does the Spanish word “peso” mean?
- A. Weight
- B. Crown
- C. Gold
- D. Trade
- Which symbol represents pound sterling?
- A. £
- B. ₤
- C. €
- D. ₣
- The name of Ghana's cedi is historically linked to what object once used as money?
- A. Cowrie shell
- B. Ostrich feather
- C. Glass bead
- D. Copper ingot
- Are the Central African and West African CFA francs exactly the same currency?
- A. No, they are distinct currencies at the same parity
- B. Yes, fully interchangeable everywhere
- C. No, one is worth twice the other
- D. Yes, but only since 2002
- What surprising feature of Yap's rai stones shows that money can be a social convention?
- A. Ownership can change without moving the stone
- B. They melt after a year
- C. They are all identical
- D. Only chiefs may own them
- Is Bitcoin legal tender in most countries?
- A. No
- B. Yes, in every G20 country
- C. Yes, since 2020
- D. Only on weekends
Answer key — World Currencies Quiz
- D. Pound sterlingThe pound sterling is the oldest currency still in use today, in circulation for over 1,200 years.
- D. South AfricaThe South African rand, introduced in 1961, takes its name from the Witwatersrand, the country's gold-mining region.
- A. Turkish liraThe Turkish lira underwent a reform in 2005 that removed six zeros to fight inflation.
- A. CediThe word "cedi" comes from the Akan term for cowrie shells, once used as a medium of exchange.
- D. EuroA special monetary agreement with the European Union allows the Vatican to use, and even mint, the euro.
- D. A stylised treeThe tree symbolises life, continuity and growth, surrounded by the motto 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity'.
- C. GreenbackThe green backs date from the Civil War in 1861: green ink was harder to counterfeit.
- B. To pay the ransom of King John the Good, a prisoner of the EnglishThe gold coin showed the king on horseback with the words 'king of the Franks'.
- A. HungaryThe pengő collapsed so badly that a 100 quintillion (10²⁰) note was issued.
- D. Benjamin FranklinInventor of the lightning rod, diplomat and signatory of the Declaration of Independence, he is one of the Founding Fathers.
- A. QuetzalThe quetzal is both Guatemala's currency and an emblematic Mesoamerican bird.
- A. MontenegroMontenegro uses the euro unilaterally without being institutionally part of the EU or euro area.
- A. One side is nationalEuro coins have a common European side and a national side, while remaining usable throughout the euro area.
- A. NetherlandsThe Dutch guilder, gulden in Dutch, was replaced by the euro.
- A. Weight“Peso” literally means “weight” in Spanish, reflecting the historic link between money and weighed metal.
- A. £The £ sign derives from a stylised L linked to the Latin libra, an old unit of weight.
- A. Cowrie shellThe word cedi derives from an Akan term for cowrie shells, once widely used as a medium of exchange.
- A. No, they are distinct currencies at the same parityThey have the same euro parity but are issued by different central banks and are legally distinct.
- A. Ownership can change without moving the stoneThe community can recognise a new owner even while a huge rai stone stays in place.
- A. NoBitcoin may be traded or accepted in many places, but that does not make it legal tender in most states.