http://www.humboldtexchange.org/index.htm In California, there are 14 cities that use local currencies like this. I posted the link for one of them. In all, there are over 100 local currencies used by people in the united states and the number keeps growing. I remember one guy though that made a currency and backed it by gold & silver and he was quickly arrested for doing that. I remember him making 1oz silver coins and putting dollar values on it, but he was arrested when he started printing paper and saying it was backed by gold and silver. I believe he called them liberty dollars. Heres a list of community currencies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_community_currencies_in_the_United_States#California Kind of makes me want to issue currencies in my own area. I could be my own central bank. Issue bonds in community currency and make loans in community currency.