Monetary value is the abbreviation of "unit monetary value". Under the condition of metal currency circulation, it refers to the value quantity contained in unit currency. When full-value currency and nominal currency circulate in parallel, monetary value can be divided into nominal value and actual value. The former refers to the face value of money, while the latter refers to the metal value actually contained in money.

The two values of full-value currency are equal, but the two values of nominal currency are different. Under the condition of paper money circulation, paper money itself has no value, so the value of paper money refers to the purchasing power of paper money or the value represented by unit paper money. Because paper money is circulating instead of metal money, the value of paper money on the one hand reflects the amount of metal money needed for circulation, and on the other hand depends on the circulation of paper money itself.