An island near Vancouver, B.C. has designed its own form of currency. Salt Spring Island’s paper dollars and coins look and feel beautiful. For the Island’s tourists, they’re genuine souvenirs. Michael Contardi, President of the Salt Spring Island Monetary Foundation, explains that they’re widely accepted by local businesses and banks, and easily redeemed. They’re purchased using national (Canadian) dollars and are spent at many businesses which accept them, including grocery and hardware stores.
Michael shows us the intricately-designed multi-color bills featuring local artists’ work on the back, and historical figures and wise quotations on the front. He explains different models of local currency, as well as Bitcoin, an emerging revolutionary decentralized, non-politicized approach to money available via the internet. [saltspringdollars.com]
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Michael Contardi shows the beautiful Salt Spring Island currency