Money was historically an emergent market phenomenon that possessed intrinsic value as a commodity; nearly all contemporary money systems are based on unbacked fiat money without use value. Its value is consequently derived by social convention, having been declared by a government or regulatory entity to be legal tender; that is, it must be accepted as a form of payment within the boundaries of the country, for "all debts, public and private", in the case of the United States dollar.
The Dutch name gulden was a Middle Dutchadjective meaning "golden", and reflects the fact that, when first introduced in 1434, its value was about equal to (i.e., it was on par with) the Italian gold florin. The Dutch guilder was a de factoreserve currency in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. (Full article...)
... that Russian indie artist polnalyubvi bought her first guitar with money earned from busking with her violin?
... that Bull Island was farmed by the Money family for over 100 years before being turned into a wildlife preserve?
... that according to legend, the Jain temple of Pisanhari Ki Marhia was built by a poor old woman who saved up money by milling flour?
... that medievalist Edward Rand rang the doorbell of Harvard president Charles William Eliot and asked him: "I would like to go to Harvard; do you have any money?"
... that Colin Stubs spent the prize money from his first international tennis title on an old Volkswagen to travel around Europe?
... that in the span of three days, a Florida man was approved by bankruptcy courts to buy TV stations in Roanoke and Lynchburg, Virginia, and then arrested on charges of laundering millions in drug money?
Image 17Song Dynasty Jiaozi, the world's earliest paper money (from Money)
Image 18A 640 BC one-third staterelectrum coin from Lydia. According to Herodotus, the Lydians were the first people to introduce the use of gold and silver coins. It is thought by modern scholars that these first stamped coins were minted around 650 to 600 BC. (from Money)
Image 25Tibetan undated silver tangka (2nd half of 18th century) with eight times the syllable "dza" in vartula script,reverse (from Tibetan tangka)
Image 26Printing paper money at a printing press in Perm (from Money)
Image 27Athens coin (c. 500/490-485 BC) discovered in Pushkalavati. This coin is the earliest known example of its type to be found so far east. (from Punch-marked coins)