Cash and How We Use It

Cash stirs the imagination. It’s a driving plot element and character in thousands of books, movies, television shows, and songs. We think about it, dream about it, talk about it, work for it, save it, and spend it. At its most basic level, cash—currency and coin—is essentially a store of value for obtaining the goods and services you need for your daily life. You have confidence in it.

Before cash, people would barter or trade with one another for what they needed. This was a time consuming and cumbersome process. However, with the introduction of coins and early forms of paper currency, the concept of purchasing what you needed with cash had a tremendous impact around the world.

In our modern world, new payment choices are available, but cash continues to play an important role in the marketplace.

Join us as we explore the history of modern currency in the United States and look at how changes in payment options over the last several decades have impacted cash usage.