Today we give you eight downright shocking currencies that span thousands of years. So don’t worry about bringing money because it’s no good here.
The island of Yap in Micronesia once used these stones as currency. They’re known as Rai stones, the holes in the center are so that they can be transported more easily. The stones are made from limestone which is a rare and precious commodity in the area.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries these copper crosses were considered currency in what is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The crosses, called Katanga Crosses, are such an important part of their culture there are three that adorn the flag of the Province of Katanga.
In 2007 the town of Totnes in Devon, England introduced their own currency, the Totnes pound. The town adopted the alternate money to help locals keep their money within the community. An idea that has sprung up in several communities across the globe.
In 1958 Canadian Tire introduced their Canadian Tire Money, this could be used throughout Canada at Canadian Tire locations and for gas for your car. The currency is so popular that in the 90’s a German man was caught with 11 million in counterfeit Canadian Tire money, he was planning on travelling to Canada to redeem the bills.
In Traverse City, Michigan they like to use the Bay Bucks. Residents of the area use the Bucks for local goods and services, this is another area’s attempt at keeping local money within the community.
2006 saw the launch of the BerkShares, this local currency comes from the Berkshires region of Massachusetts. You can purchase one BerkShare for 95 American cents, you can then use that BerkShare for one dollar at participating locations.
What currency would you use in space? Would you use the dollar? If so which version of the dollar? How about the Euro? But what about the majority of the world that isn’t in Europe? Well the National Space Centre thought that you could use the QUID, or Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination. This futuristic money alternative may be the way we end up buying all of those fancy things that Commander Shepard keeps promoting.
This bit of cryptocurrency was created in 2013, it features a Shiba Inu known as Doge. The Dogecoin has risen to such ranks that there is currently a Dogecoin Nascar car racing around all of those oval tracks promoting the fancy new internet currency. Wow, such value.
