Secret Life of Money

Money is everywhere. We use it, we love it and we all want more of it. But what is cash? And what if it suddenly disappeared?

"SECRET LIFE OF MONEY", premiering at 9 PM E/P on Saturday, March 30 on Discovery Channel, will look at the systems that design, produce, protect, distribute and manage America's money. The one-hour special features insight from NPR's Planet Money team, author David Wolman and artist J.S.G. Boggs who each explore the mysteries of money - something we use nearly every day but rarely stop to think about.

"We are all wired to love this stuff from a very young age," said David Wolman, author of the book The End of Money. "That first gift from granny, or the tooth fairy, all of it. You know cash has its hooks in us. It's cast a spell over us. Who doesn't want a big pile of Benjamins?"

Behind each note is a complex world of process and design -- from minting and printing to distribution to protecting its value in the world market to meeting the demands of our nation's banks. Discovery Channel goes behind the scenes to places few ever see such as the Bureau of Engraving and Printing where bills are born; the US Mint, which turns giant coils of metal into the coins we use every day; the Secret Service, where the nation's top counterfeit experts try to put an end to bogus bills; the Federal Reserve, the heart of the American monetary system; and Dunbar armored cars, whose rolling fortresses help make sure that flow of currency never stops despite the dangers involved. (Source: The Discovery Channel)