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Money, the Staff of Life Trivia Quiz

Love money? Then try my quiz. Ten questions all relating to money.

A multiple-choice quiz by Zeldabar. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Zeldabar

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
336,409

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
367

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What was the name given to the barter currency of the Native North Americans, composed of shells of Venus mercenaria, strung together to form belts or "fathoms", and worth five shillings? Hint

Wampen

Winnipay

Hookah

Wampum

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. In J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books, which three currency units are issued by Gringotts Bank? Hint

Escudo, knuts and galleons

Escudo, sickles and knuts

Andorra, comoros and koruna

Galleons, sickles and knuts

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which nineteenth-century British coin was known as a "bun penny"? Hint

Victorian penny

The sixpence

The silver farthing

Guinea

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Question 4 of 10

4. What was the origin of the phrase "penny plain, tuppence coloured"? Hint

Animal theatres

Toy theatres

Hospital theatre

Roman theatre

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Question 5 of 10

5. On which small island off Nova Scotia is the "Money Pit", alleged to be the repository of a fabulous treasure, located? Hint

Oak Island

Devils Island

Port Hood Island

Seal Island

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which piece of real estate in North America did Peter Minuit, the first director of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, buy in 1626 for sixty guilders? Hint

Manhattan Island

Long Island

Coney Island

Brooklyn

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Question 7 of 10

7. In Scotland, what does the term "bawbee" mean when applied to coins? Hint

Any coin of low value

A fault in the coin

Coins made for special occasions

A coin printed without the date

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Question 8 of 10

8. What is Maundy money? Hint

Gifts in money given by the monarch

Money given to the poor on Sundays

Money left in a church collection box

A tax on ale

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Question 9 of 10

9. In which town is the British Royal Mint? Hint

London, England

Pontypool, Wales

Llantrisant , Wales

Clydebank, Scotland

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Question 10 of 10

10. After whom was the old silver threepenny piece once colloquially called a "Joey" in Britain? Hint

Jon Owen Jones

Nigel Jones

Joseph William Ashton

Joseph Hume

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was the name given to the barter currency of the Native North Americans, composed of shells of Venus mercenaria, strung together to form belts or "fathoms", and worth five shillings?

Answer: Wampum

Wampun was used as currency until 1704 in the American colonies. Its value varied from three to six shells to one English penny.

2. In J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books, which three currency units are issued by Gringotts Bank?

Answer: Galleons, sickles and knuts

A golden galleon is worth seventeen silver sickles. A silver sickle is worth twenty-nine bronze knuts.

3. Which nineteenth-century British coin was known as a "bun penny"?

Answer: Victorian penny

A Victorian penny was issued between 1860 and 1894. It depicted on the obverse Queen Victoria with her hair in a bun.

4. What was the origin of the phrase "penny plain, tuppence coloured"?

Answer: Toy theatres

An East London maker of toy theatres printed scenery and characters on sheets of thick paper for cutting out. They were sold at one penny if plain, and two pennies if coloured.

5. On which small island off Nova Scotia is the "Money Pit", alleged to be the repository of a fabulous treasure, located?

Answer: Oak Island

The "Money Pit" is a complex circular shaft blocked by a series of oak platforms and booby-trapped by tunnels which flood it. The pit was discovered by a sixteen-year-old game hunter, Daniel McInnes, in 1795. In 1804 a wealthy Nova Scotian, Simeon Lynds, formed a treasure company to excavate the pit, but his efforts only made him bankrupt.

6. Which piece of real estate in North America did Peter Minuit, the first director of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, buy in 1626 for sixty guilders?

Answer: Manhattan Island

Peter Minuit was born in 1580. He purchased Manhattan from the Native Americans for trinkets which were valued at sixty guilders.

7. In Scotland, what does the term "bawbee" mean when applied to coins?

Answer: Any coin of low value

A bawbee was originally a silver coin worth three Scottish pennies. It was minted by James V's mint master, Alexander Orrock of Sillebawby.

8. What is Maundy money?

Answer: Gifts in money given by the monarch

The money was given on Maundy Thursday to the number of impoverished men and women corresponding to the monarch's age. It was specially struck in silver coins to the face value of one, two, three, and four pence. Each person received a set of coins for each decade of the monarch's age, with the additional years made up with coins to the appropriate value.

9. In which town is the British Royal Mint?

Answer: Llantrisant , Wales

Llantrisant is in the Rhondda Valley in South Wales. It was founded there in 1968.

10. After whom was the old silver threepenny piece once colloquially called a "Joey" in Britain?

Answer: Joseph Hume

Joseph Hume, born in 1777 and died in 1855, was a member of the British Parliament and a monetarist. He advocated the usefulness of a small coin for paying cab fares and the like, and suggested the introduction of the silver Britannia groat which was struck between 1836 and 1855. The nickname was later transferred to the silver threepenny piece.

Source: Author Zeldabar

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
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