The World’s Most Beautiful Banknotes

I’ve never considered money as something beautiful to look at, but I have to admit, some banknotes look better than others. Here are the top 10 most beautiful banknotes in the world, according to David Standish, author of The Art of Money:

Top 10 currencies via CNBC

10. Faroe Islands (Kronurs)

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9. Iceland (Kronurs)

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8. Hong Kong (Hong Kong Dollars)

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7. Cook Islands (Cook Island Dollars)

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6. New Zealand (New Zealand Dollars)

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5. Comoros (Comorian Franc)

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4. Switzerland (Francs)

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3. Sao Tome & Principe (Dobras)

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2. The Maldives (Rufiyaa)

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1. The French Pacific Territories (Franc)

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They’re all interesting, I guess, but here are a few other nice looking banknotes from around the world, maybe even nicer than the ones in Mr. Standish’s top:

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[Photo Credits]

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Living Photos by Mole and Thomas

Taken at the beginning of the 20th century, by English photographer Arthur S. Mole and his American colleague John D. Thomas, these living photographs show thousands of American soldiers posing as symbols of American history.

I’ve seen a few of these living photos on the internet before, but it’s nice to finally find some real info about them, like what they represent and how many people were needed to create them.

via Telegraph.co.uk

The Living Uncle Sam: 19,000 officers and men at Camp Lee, Virginia, January 13, 1919

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The Human US Shield: 30,000 officers and men at Camp Custer, Battle Creek, Michigan, 1918

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The living emblem of the United States Marines, formed by 100 officers and 9,000 enlisted men at the Marine Barracks, Paris Island, South Carolina

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A portrait of President Woodrow Wilson, formed of 21,000 officers and men at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio, 1918
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The Human Liberty Bell, formed by 25,000 officers and men at Camp Dix, New Jersey, 1918

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The Human American Eagle: 12,500 officers, nurses and men at Camp Gordon, Atlanta, Georgia, 1918

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Living insignia of the 27th Division, New York’s Own, breakers of the Hindenberg Line. Formed of 10,000 officers and enlisted men, March 18, 1919

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In the picture of the Statue of Liberty there are 18,000 men: 12,000 of them in the torch alone, but just 17 at the base. The men at the top of the picture are actually half a mile away from the men at the bottom

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Mega-Pizza

I like my pizza with rich toppings, just like everyone else I suppose,  but how much is too much?

Take this mega-pizza for example, the cook added a crazy amount of toppings, including, sausage, mushrooms, ham, shrimps, pineapple, cream-cheese, Parmesan, bacon and an egg on top. This delicacy was over 4 inches thick before going into the oven and judging by that last, delicious-looking photo, it didn’t drop too much after cooking.

I have to say I’m a big pizza fan (who isn’t, right?) and I would love to try this tasty-looking mega-pizza. Who knows, maybe I’ll try making one of my own, right after I’m finished with this stupid diet. It certainly easier to make than the meat house.

via Struntsaker

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Mint Hard – The Ice-Cream Hard-Disk

Mint Pass, a Korean tech company, revealed one of the craziest hard-disk concepts I’ve ever seen.

Named Mint-Hard, their new gadget will be shaped like an ice-cream and will be used as an external hard-drive. Users will be able to stock data on the ice-cream part of the device, while the stick is actually a USB-stick that can be used to transfer data.

Mint Pass plans to release its ice-cream hard-disk in the following flavors/sizes:

Chocolate (120Gb HD/ 8Gb Flash)

Strawberry (80Gb HD/ 4Gb Flash)

Vanilla (60Gb HD/ 2Gb Flash)

via Mint Pass

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Chinese Chef Makes World’s Longest Noodle

Li Enhai, a talented cook from China, insured himself a spot in the Guinness Book of Records after  making a 2,852 meters long noodle, with just one kilogram of flour. In the photos, you can witness his noodle stretching technique, at a hotel opening, in Keshikten, northern China, on July 29.

Photos by Xinhua/Sun Guoshu

via People.com.cn

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Piglets Love Tequila!

Not the Mexican drink, although I’ve seen pigs eat and drink anything, but a 2-year-old Rottweiler/pit-bull named Tequila, who adopted six little pigs.

It all started on a rainy Monday morning, when both farmer John Favreau’s dog and his sow gave birth. Because of the rainstorm, John had to move the piglets in his home, where his dog, Tequila, was nursing her newborns. As the farmer turned his head for just a moment, the piglets rushed to Tequila and she welcomed them like they were her own pups.

Now they’re all one big happy family, and the piglets follow Tequila everywhere she goes. She in turn cleans them when they get a little dirty (that’s going to be a tough job in the long run). Favreau says he tried reuniting the piglets with their natural mother, but they started acted strange so he took them back to the dog.

Cases of dogs adopting pigs are very rare, with just one similar case being recorded, this June, in Thailand.

via news-press

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Kissing Animals…Oh Hell No!

Have you ever fantasized about making-out with an animal? You have?!? That’s just twisted…

Although zoophilia and bestiality are taboo subjects in our modern society, artist Saiman Chow tackles these delicate issues in his latest artworks. It’s not my thing, but maybe someone out there appreciates this more.

via Trend Hunter

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Money Wallet Looks Awfully Tempting

Things are often more than they appear to be, but the money wallet is a lot less.

Designed to look like a bunch of $100 bills in a rubber band, the Money Wallet looks awfully tempting to pickpockets, so it’s a good way to distract their attention and protect your savings.

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The Bookcase Coffin

With the number of home burials on the rise in the US, people have a wider range of coffins to choose from.

One of these options is the Bookcase Coffin, built by Chuck Lakin, a woodworker from Waterville, Maine. Mr Lakin makes all kinds of home burial coffins, that double as bookcases, coffee-tables or entertainment centers, until the moment they are needed.

I guess it’s a good way to save on furniture, but still, I couldn’t stand looking at my coffin every day, until I die. The Coffin Couch isn’t any better either.

via  Book of Joe

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Pimped-Out APC, Russian Style

Personally, I thought rollin’ around in a pimped-out Hummer was as cool as it could get, if you’re into big cars, but the Russians are on a whole other level.

This Russian APC has to be the coolest personal vehicle ever. Painted in black and green chameleon paint, fitted with xenon lights and featuring  GPRS navigation, night-vision devices, TV and audio equipment, satellite communication, air conditioning and various other cool stuff, this is the ultimate ride.

This VIP APC has an-leather interior with mahogany inserts and is powered by a 5.5 liter engine. It reaches a top speed of 120km/h on land and 12km/h on water.

via Kartuning

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The Upside of a Flood

Floods are never pretty, they cause a lot of damage and sometimes even death. But, if you can, it’s good to see a positive side in everything.

Take these two guys from Belarus, for example. After the streets of Minsk were flooded, on July 24, they found a way to turn things from tragic to fun. Using a jet-ski they had a world of fun instead of worrying about the flood.

via blogs.kp.by

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Giant Mortadella

I have been eating Mortadella ever since I can remember and I’m not even Italian. But I never knew Mortadella can be this big.

Apparently, in Bologna and the surrounding area, the boiled sausage known as Mortadella can be as heavy as 200 kilograms. Even weirder is the fact that it’s cut into the thinnest slices, so its taste and aroma can be fully appreciated.

If that’s really the case then one of those giant Mortadellas is enough to feed the whole city.

via CopyPast

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Life Span – The Video Collection

What looks like the world’s biggest videotape collection, is actually an artistic display presented at this year’s Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art.

Entitled Life Span and displayed in a small church on Garibaldi Street, this giant block full of VHS videotapes is the work of Australian artists Claire Healey and Sean Cordeiro. In numbers 195,774 tapes and features a total recording time of 66 years.

Life Span is a physical representation of what a human being can see from its birth, to the day it dies.

via Drugoi

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The Power of Make-Up

By slowly scrolling down from the first photo to the last one, you’ll realize the true power of make-up in the right hands.

This is why I never hit on women wearing too much make-up, you never know who you’re going to wake up in the morning. I’m not saying the girl in the first photo is ugly, but compared to how she looks covered with all that make up…Let’s just say there’s a chance you’ll be disappointed when you see “the real her” for the first time.

Bottom line: Make-up is powerful stuff!

via CLUB.SOHU.COM

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The World’s Biggest Pipe Organ

Surprisingly enough, the world’s largest organ isn’t located in a cathedral or a church, but in the center of Macy’s Center City Store, in Philadelphia.

The Wanamaker Grand Court Pipe Organ is the largest playable pipe organ in the world. Its console alone weighs 2.5 tons and the entire installation weighs 287 tons. It was bought by John Wanamaker in 1909 and installed in his store, but, unsatisfied with its size, the owner built an organ factory in the store’s attic, in order to enlarge the Grand Court Pipe Organ.

The Wanamaker Pipe Organ was played in 1911 for the first time and has been entertaining Philadelphia shoppers 2 times a day, Monday to Saturday and even more often during winter holidays.

This giant organ has 28, 482 pipes. 6 manual keyboards, 42 foot pedals and is able to deliver incredible sound power. The organist, Peter Richard Conte has 729 color-coded buttons to choose from, just when he wants a different rank of pipes to be played.

Photos by REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES SOCIETY BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT)

via Drugoi

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