Total number of physical dollars?

[ThunderAeroI]

In economics, M0 - M3 explains the amount of money in different things, but what I can't find is how many physical dollars there actually is.

Where would I find the total number of printed money?

Thanks.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Apparently, the total of actual currency (notes & coins) in circulation is about $5 trillion globally, or $1.5 trillion if you're just looking at the U.S.

Source

(I found this quickly through the magic of Google. Chances are you'll have better luck with this type of factual question using a search engine than asking here.)

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Some are out of circulation I have about 9 bucks left from my last trip to the US.

I assume the figures in that article are based on the printers' statistics. However, the Dollar is extremely easy to forge and is consequently the most forged currency in the world. Therefore I think we can safely assume that the figure of what appear to be Dollars (i.e. real plus fake ones) would be about 1.5-2 times as high (possibly higher).

 

[MacLeod]

I also have several US dollars, which are unlikely to be used until 2021 or perhaps 2025.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Therefore I think we can safely assume that the figure of what appear to be Dollars (i.e. real plus fake ones) would be about 1.5-2 times as high (possibly higher).

Really, that much? At 2 times, that would mean half of all American currency (by value) out there was counterfeit. That seems somewhat high to me, but I guess honestly I wouldn't really know.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

When I'm at home, I usually carry no cash at all. I pay for everything with a credit card. Much easier that way.

Travelling, I take a small amount of cash with me for emergencies.

(My dad and I are planning on going to the Oktoberfest this year, so we will probably have to take a fair amount of Euros - I'm not sure if our US credit cards will even work in Germany. My bank says they will, but I think some caution is called for.)

 

[Amaris]

*looks in pocket*

$10.

 

[urbandefault]

*looks in pocket*

$10.

Two flash drives, a nail clipper, and an empty money clip.

 

[Refuge]

^Emptied my handbag the other day (looking for a tin of sweets I had bought). There were mentos peppermints loose, folded shopping bag, receipts, hair brush, lipstick, mirror, keys galore, sp, hanky, paracetamol, migraine meds, actual purse, credit card folder, power pack, iPhone cord, phone, couple of pens, perfume, hand towelettes... there was more but I forget. Like a little Tardis. I wish I could keep things in just a pocket - that would be sooo liberating.

 

[Amaris]

^Emptied my handbag the other day (looking for a tin of sweets I had bought). There were mentos peppermints loose, folded shopping bag, receipts, hair brush, lipstick, mirror, keys galore, sp, hanky, paracetamol, migraine meds, actual purse, credit card folder, power pack, iPhone cord, phone, couple of pens, perfume, hand towelettes... there was more but I forget. Like a little Tardis. I wish I could keep things in just a pocket - that would be sooo liberating.

I hate pockets. I keep keys in there, along with money. In my back pocket is my wallet, so when I sit on it I can feel my spine bend. I wish guys would carry handbags more often.

 

[dahj]

Two flash drives, a nail clipper, and an empty money clip.

Two flash drives.

Well, well, look at the aristocrat here...

 

[Refuge]

I hate pockets. I keep keys in there, along with money. In my back pocket is my wallet, so when I sit on it I can feel my spine bend. I wish guys would carry handbags more often.

They are useful to be honest, I mean bags AND guys, lol I've seen some guys with bags but not very often. I just need to be less survivalist in my approach. You know I just remembered I had a deck of cards in there as well. I mean... why??

 

[Verteron]

I currently have $29 of US physical money, so there's that.
If we all chip in, maybe we can total it up.

Given I don't live in the US, and am not planning on visiting again until August or September at the earliest, I have put them in a drawer.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I have $37 in Canadian dollars in my safe deposit box. Left over from my last trip to Canada (CALGARY STAMPEDE, baby! ), and all ready to use for the next one.

 

[Amaris]

They are useful to be honest, I mean bags AND guys, lol I've seen some guys with bags but not very often. I just need to be less survivalist in my approach. You know I just remembered I had a deck of cards in there as well. I mean... why??

You may be transported to the early 1900s, and stuck in San Francisco without any money. Those cards could be used to set up an impromptu poker tournament. If they get too nosy, just tell them you're French.

 

[Refuge]

You may be transported to the early 1900s, and stuck in San Francisco without any money. Those cards could be used to set up an impromptu poker tournament. If they get too nosy, just tell them you're French.

Oui!

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I assume the figures in that article are based on the printers' statistics. However, the Dollar is extremely easy to forge and is consequently the most forged currency in the world. Therefore I think we can safely assume that the figure of what appear to be Dollars (i.e. real plus fake ones) would be about 1.5-2 times as high (possibly higher).

Do you have a link for that information?

Really, that much? At 2 times, that would mean half of all American currency (by value) out there was counterfeit. That seems somewhat high to me, but I guess honestly I wouldn't really know.

It seems really doubtful to me. From https://www.frbsf.org/education/pub...2004/april/money-supply-currency-counterfeit/:

As a testament to the Secret Service’s efforts, in fiscal year 2001, the U.S. Treasury estimated that less then .01 percent of approximately $600 billion in U.S. currency in circulation was counterfeit!​

(That link might provide answers to other questions raised in the thread.)

It would be extraordinary for there to be a lot of counterfeit US currency in circulation. As the Sagan standard says, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

 

[rhubarbodendron]

As I said I just estimated. However, 0.01% seems definitely too little. After all, that'd be only 60 millions. That sum appears to be somewhat low, consideing that in 2007 alone, the German police found 16 Million fake Dollars in one single raid. (That article also confirms that the Dollar is the world's most forged currency and that 66% of all forged banknotes found in Germany alone are Dollars.)
Arsalan Fathipur, a politician in Iran claims that about 5 billions of fake Dollars have been smuggled into his country. No offense to the Iranis but I'd suspect this to be a typically oriental overstatement. 5 millions wouldn't surprise me, though.

@ Refuge: geez! Do you always carry that much around with you? Your handbag must weigh half a ton!

my one today: keys, hankies, cell phone, diabetic pass, bus ticket, mp3 player (usb-stick-sized), wallet with driving license, identity card, warrant card and roughly 70 Euros.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

As I said I just estimated. However, 0.01% seems definitely too little. After all, that'd be only 60 millions.

Nope.

You realize that .01% of $5 trillion in circulation would be half a billion fake dollars, give or take, right?

 

[rhubarbodendron]

I strongly protest in the name of all mathematicians from Thales of Milet to Ada Lovelace and Stephen Hawking.
0.01% of 5 Trillion is not 0.5 Billion but 50 Billion (or 0.05 Trillion)

Besides, you said 0.01% of 600 Billion:

the U.S. Treasury estimated that less then .01 percent of approximately $600 billion in U.S. currency in circulation was counterfeit!

60 billion multiplied by 1/100th of 1 % =
60 billion multiplied by 1/100 of 1/100 =
600,000,000,000 x (0.01 x 0.01) =
600,000,000,000 x 0.0001 =
now we cancel 3 superfluous zeros in both factors
600,000,000 x 0.1 = 60,000,000 = 60 Million.

It is far simpler in powers of 10, without all these confusing Zeros, but this board offers only bold, italic and underlined, no [sup]tags. I'll use underlined for the powers

(6 x 1011) x (10-4) = (6 x 107) x 100 =
Since ten to the power of zero is one, we get
6 x 107 = 60 x 106 = 60 Million