My question is: Is the Euro currency backed by the gold standard? 2nd question: Why did the US remove its currency from the gold standard in the 70's, and does the US government have any plans to restore it to the gold standard, as a means of reinforceing its value and confidence in the world market?

I realised theres no point buying US Dollars.. so will investing in Euros be a safe bet before Australian $$ goes down the drain?

I am in the USA and i am looking for a financial institution to maintain an EURO currency bank account. Can someone tell me which institution offers such a facility?

I have 300 Francs in pre-Euro currency. How would I get this excahnged for real money? Found I can cash in the notes from a branch of the banque de france for their pre-euro exchange value. I cannot cash in the coins though.