Strange & Surprising Ways People Use Money Around the World

Money isn’t just something we earn and spend; it often plays unexpected roles in cultures worldwide. From coins used in ceremonies to banknotes turned into art, travelers can find delightful and quirky money traditions across the globe. 

Wishing Coins

All over the world, people toss coins not to spend them, but to make a wish. Every day, visitors fling coins into fountains, hoping for luck. 

Rome’s Trevi Fountain is the iconic example: an estimated €1.4 million in coins are thrown in each year by wishful travelers, and (in a nice twist) all that money is collected for charity. 

Meanwhile in the UK, you might stumble upon an even quirkier wishing tradition deep in the woods: old tree trunks are peppered with coins. These so-called “money trees” or wish trees are found in places like Scotland and Northern England, where passersby hammer coins into the wood grain and make a wish or prayer. Over centuries, some logs have accumulated hundreds of coins, their surfaces encrusted in metal like a dragon’s scales. 

Coins for Wedding Luck 

In Poland, wedding guests have a charming custom: instead of tossing rice at the newlyweds as they exit the ceremony, they shower the bride and groom with coins. Amid laughter, the couple must then work together to gather up all the scattered coins. This playful scramble isn’t about being frugal; it’s a symbolic first task as a married team and is said to ensure financial good fortune in their marriage.  

Similar coin traditions pop up elsewhere too. In Lithuania, guests throw coins on the dance floor, and one special coin is marked with the couple’s initials, whoever finds it gets a dance with the bride or groom. And in many Latin American weddings, there’s the arras ritual, where 13 gold coins are presented to the bride as a pledge of prosperity.  

Around the world, coins often stand for luck, wealth, and unity when couples tie the knot. 

Money Trees and Temple Donations in Thailand 

In Thailand and other Buddhist countries, donating money to temples can be a colorful affair. During the annual Kathin ceremony, for example, villagers create money trees by attaching banknotes to a tree-like frame and parade them to the local temple. The trees, bristling with cash leaves, are offering to monks as a form of making merit (earning good karma through generosity). It’s common to see these festive money trees at temple fairs, with donors gleefully adding bills. 

Burning “Spirit Money” for Ancestors in China 

In parts of East Asia, people burn joss paper (also known as spirit money) as an offering to their ancestors. The paper looks like currency, but it’s not legal tender. The belief is that by burning faux cash in rituals, deceased relatives receive the “gifts” in the afterlife. During festivals like the Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day), families light piles of joss paper, so their loved ones have prosperity on the other side. It’s a touching and smoky tradition that shows how even imaginary money can have real cultural value in maintaining familial bonds. 

Turning Money into Art in Switzerland 

In a country known for precision and craftsmanship, even money becomes a canvas. Swiss artists have been known to transform banknotes into intricate paper sculptures and collages, celebrating the nation’s design and heritage. And it’s fitting, the Swiss Franc is considered one of the world’s most beautifully designed currencies, featuring striking portraits and bold color palettes. 

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