Three pence Colonial currency from the Province of Pennsylvania. Signed by Thomas Wharton. Printed by Benjamin Franklin and David Hall, 1764

Building an Economy on Paper Money

A shortage of coined currency led Pennsylvania to begin using paper money in the 1720s. The British didn't like it, but the colonists did.
1 Dollar, Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank of Rahway, New Jersey, 1850

Banks’ Own Private Currencies in 19th-Century America

Before the Civil War local banks issued their own money. It was totally legit, too.
Wampum illustration

Wampum was Massachusetts’ First Legal Currency

First Nations' seashell-derived wampum was Massachusetts' first legal currency, used as currency throughout northeastern America into the 19th century.
currency

How Political Events Change Currency Value

What causes shifts in currency after a political event is, essentially, human expectations.
The English lion dismember'd or the voice of the public for an enquiry into the public expenditure.

Paper Money Rebellion

The Currency Act of 1764 returned the restrictions of 1751: banning colonists from printing their own legal tender bills.
Gold Coins

The Gold Standard is Bad Economics

Why, in the face of international economic ruin, did so many countries persist in maintaining the gold standard leading up to the Great Depression?
Euro coins

The Divisive Euro

In 1997, an economist looked at divided opinions about the Euro years before the currency was introduced.