The global recession only nicked Australia and, in a show of strength, Oz led the world in raising interest rates last year.

FORBES: Cruising Musings

In the world of Oz memorabilia, Shaw is best known for having owned one of the four existing pairs of Dorothy's ruby slippers.

FORBES: Swept Up

For the truly worried then, the optimum solution for owning gold is 10th oz Maples because, hey, you could actually do your shopping with a 10th oz Maple on the day before the world ends, something which would prove tricky with a single ounce coin.

FORBES: King Of Commodities: Will Gold Reach $2,000?

Baum himself wrote 14 Oz books, and his successors kept the series going with a new book annually through World War II.

WSJ: The Road Well-Traveled: Oz the Great and Powerful