Banking On Local Currency

During the Great Depression, the U.S. dollar plummeted in value. As a result, a number of local currencies sprang up throughout the country. Well, the national economy once again finds itself in a shabby state, and cities and counties are taking some of the same countermeasures that they did eighty years ago.

In an effort to become more self-sustainable, some local municipalities have begun producing their own currency. It’s perfectly legal under U.S. law, and it allows people to keep their money in their communities, and not hand it over to corporations.

Local artists have also benefited – cities often look to them for their currency’s design.

Fast Company: The Brooklyn Dollar: What Would Neighborhood Currency Look Like?