Hello Kitty – Old Money into New

TOKYO – Coin importer Taisei Coins Corp
and Sanrio Co said Wednesday that they will jointly sell three euro coins
with images of the latter’s "Hello Kitty" character on them,
beginning on Dec 5.

A 1-ounce gold coin with a face value of 50 euros will cost 168,000 yen.
A quarter-ounce, 10-euro gold coin will cost 52,500 yen, and a 1.5-euro
silver coin will cost 8,400 yen. Images on the coins, made by the Monnaie
de Paris minting authority in France, depict "Hello Kitty" characters
enjoying life in Paris.

As economists have often noted, the preeminent position
of the dollar as a currency for international trade is a main factor
in the continued dominance of the US economy in the world economic system. Isn’t
it just like those sneaky Europeans to woo our little Asian brothers
from beneath our protective economic embrace by such an insidious tactic
as PUTTING A JAPANESE CULTURAL ICON ON EUROPEAN MONEY!

Look for the US to retaliate with "Great Wall of
China" fifties and a new Saudi King Abdullah thousand dollar bill. Actually,
for the latest redesign of US currency, see the very next story…

from Japan Today