Why did we start making money out of metal?

Metal Money

Where did money come from? How did people trade before inventing money? Was it a masterstroke or madness (or both) to let banks create money?  
Today money is generally accepted as payment for goods and services or repayment of debt. But governments still fret about whether there's too much (or too little) in circulation, economists can't agree on what it is, and the enduring popularity of alternative or crypto-currencies shows rumbling discontent with the official version. These 10 short animations chart the evolution of money from stones and whale teeth to modern monetary policy and banking, and takes a hard look at money's role in economic crises.

The material in this collection relates to The Open University course DD103 Investigating the social world.

Education

Where did money come from? How did people trade before inventing money? Was it a masterstroke or madness (or both) to let banks create money? Today money is generally accepted as payment for goods and services or repayment of debt. But governments still fret about whether there's too much (or too little) in circulation, economists can't agree on what it is, and the enduring popularity of alternative or crypto-currencies shows rumbling discontent with the official version. These 10 short animations chart the evolution of money from stones and whale teeth to modern monetary policy and banking, and takes a hard look at money's role in economic crises. The material in this collection relates to The Open University course DD103 Investigating the social world.

Share Metal Money

Sign up to save your podcasts

Metal Money

Metal Money

More shows like The History of Money - for iPod/iPhone

Bon départ: beginners' French - Audio

Art history: modern and contemporary - for iPod/iPhone

Croeso: beginners' Welsh - Audio

Writing Poetry - Audio

Philosophy and the Human Situation - Audio

Reading Political Philosophy: From Machiavelli to Mill - Audio

Start writing essays - Audio

Beginners’ Chinese - Audio

Andante: beginners' Italian - Audio

Bon départ: beginners’ French second edition - for iPod/iPhone