Collector series · 7 eras
The Evolution of Money
From barter to Bitcoin in seven holographic cards. Earn them as you move through the 21-day course, trade them at workshops, or order a printed set for your classroom or community.
ERA 2/7common
Commodity Money
- Goods everyone wants become money
- Easy to trade, hard to divide or carry
- Breaks when outsiders can make more cheaply
- Shells, salt, cattle, beads
Evolution of Money · #BitcoinWellCovered
ERA 3/7uncommon
Precious Metals & Coins
- Gold and silver: scarce and durable
- Coins stamp weight and purity
- Rulers learn to clip and debase
- ~600 BC onward
Evolution of Money · #BitcoinWellCovered
ERA 4/7rare
Paper Money & the Gold Standard
- Paper notes redeemable for gold
- Portable, but you must trust the issuer
- Redemption suspended in crises
- 1700s–1971
Evolution of Money · #BitcoinWellCovered
ERA 5/7rare
Fiat Money
- Money by decree, backed by nothing
- Central banks set the supply
- Inflation quietly taxes savers
- 1971 — the Nixon shock
Evolution of Money · #BitcoinWellCovered
ERA 6/7epic
Digital Dollars
- Money becomes database entries
- Fast, but permissioned and surveilled
- Accounts can be frozen
- Cards, apps & CBDCs
Evolution of Money · #BitcoinWellCovered
ERA 7/7legendary
Bitcoin
- 21 million — fixed forever
- No issuer, no CEO, verifiable by anyone
- Hold it yourself, send it anywhere
- January 3, 2009
Evolution of Money · #BitcoinWellCovered
Cards shown without artwork are previews of upcoming eras.
Printed sets
Order a set
Printed sets are in production. Tell us how many you'd like — classroom, workshop or collector — and we'll confirm pricing and shipping before anything is charged.