Currency

History is full of artifacts that later turn out to be fakes, but occasionally the opposite can happen. New analysis of ancient Roman coins long dismissed as forgeries has found they seem to be authentic, revealing a previously unknown Roman emperor.

In an effort to make bitcoin more attractive to a wider range of legitimate businesses, students at Trinity College Dublin are looking for ways to increase transparency in transactions without ditching the anonymity altogether and believe a "credit-check" database could be one answer.

Bitcoin is having serious teething problems. Most of these problems are associated with bitcoin storage or conversion, and should settle down as the currency is more widely accepted. Assuming this happens, let's look at the strengths and weaknesses of a mature Bitcoin currency in a modern economy.

The Federal Reserve will begin circulating a new $100 bill on Tuesday. The redesigned bank note, which has been delayed by more than 2 and a half years, includes a number of measures designed to make it more difficult to counterfeit, including a 3D security ribbon and a new "bell in the inkwell."

Just as Microsoft is reportedly phasing out Microsoft Points, Amazon is launching a similar virtual currency.

In May, Amazon will give Kindle Fire owners "tens of millions of dollars" worth of virtual coins.

The U.S. Government has unveiled the new design for the $100 note.