Fascinating facts, laws and lore about currency and the money supply, past and present. Printing, storage, circulation, reclamation, counterfeiting, losers’ and finders’ rights, much more—with entertaining anecdotes.

The late Carl H. Moore wrote several books about economic history. He lived in San Antonio, Texas.
Alvin E. Russell is deceased.

Carl H. Moore and Alvin E. Russell
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 176
Bibliographic Info: 18 photos, 3 maps, appendices, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2011 [1987]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6736-5
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8762-2
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vi
Preface      vii

1. Money’s Precursors
Barter Systems      1
Commodity Money      2
Wampum      5
Metallic Money      8
Paper Money      9

2. Coins as Money
Early Coins      10
Coins in Colonial America      12
United States Coinage      13
The First Mint Established      15
Gold Coinage      17
Silver Coinage      18
Present Coinage      19
Commemorative Coins      24
“In God We Trust”      24
How Coins Are Made and Stored      25

3. Currency
Its Origins      31
Continental Currency      32
Pre- Federal Reserve System Currencies      35
Federal Reserve Bank Notes      37
The Saga of the $2 Bill      40
Design Characteristics and Symbolism      43
Printing and Circulation      48

4. Checkbook Money
What Is a Check?      58
The Development of Checks      61
Check Processing      63
Advantages and Disadvantages of Check Writing      65
The Cost of Writing Checks      67
Electronic Money      70

5. Credit Cards
Their Origins      74
Bank Cards      75
Use and Attitude Toward Credit Cards      77

6. Credit
Early Use      82
Allocation of Credit      83
Credit Regulations      84
Advantages of Credit      86
How to Obtain Credit      88

7. Creation and Control of Money
Money Creation and Supply      90
Control of Money      91
The Use of Gold and Silver      93
Momentum Toward a Central Bank      96
The Creation of the Federal Reserve System      98

8. The Federal Reserve System
Implementing the System      101
The Federal Reserve Board      102
How the Fed Controls Money      104
Financing Deficit Spending      106
Its Modern Influence      107
The Decision-Making Process      109

9. Money and the Law
Legal Tender Laws      113
Counterfeiting      115
Found Money      119

10. You and Your Money
Record-Keeping      122
Budgeting Your Money      124
Planning for the Future      127
Planning an Investment Portfolio      129

11. Conclusion
What Is Money?      131
Some Definitions of Money      131
Selected Expressions and Slang      133
Comments About Money      135

Appendices Significant Dates in the History of U.S. Coinage      139
Significant Dates in the History of U.S. Currency      140
Interesting Items Used as Money      141
Money in Circulation      142
World Population and Currencies      142
The Federal Reserve System      144
1986 Domestic Coinage      147
Loans and Securities for All Commercial Banks      148
Consumer Installment Credit      150
Money Stock, Liquid Assets, Debt Measures      152
Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Specifications      155

Bibliography      157
Index      159

“unique…a positive addition to any public library…interesting…wonderful”—Booklist; “a fascinating account…highly recommended…interesting”—Voice of Youth Advocates.