Local Currency - Modern Local Currencies

Modern Local Currencies

There has been a tremendous surge in the use of local currencies over the past two decades. Today there are over 2,500 different local currency systems operating in countries throughout the world.

Since 2002 there has been an upsurge in local currency experiments particularly payment voucher-based systems that are exchangeable with the national currency. Such currencies aim to raise the resilience of local economies by encouraging re-localisation of buying and food production. The drive for this change has arisen from a range of community-based initiatives and social movements. The Transition Towns movement originating in the UK has utilised local currencies for re-localisation in the face of energy descent from peak oil and climate change. Other drives include movements against Clone town and Big-box trends.

Previously, one of the most prominent systems was LETS, local exchange trading system, a trading network supported by its own internal currency. Originally started in Vancouver, Canada, there are presently more than 30 LETS systems operating in Canada and over 400 in the United Kingdom. Australia, France, New Zealand, and Switzerland have similar systems. Time Dollars, Ithaca Hours, and PEN exchange are among the most successful systems in the USA.

  • Worldwide Database of Complementary Currency Systems
  • Gallery of Images and Samples of Notes from Complementary Currency Systems
  • short description of historical and current Local Currencies
  • Africa
    • Kenya
      • Eco-Pesa
    • South Africa
      • Community Exchange System (CES)
      • Ora
  • Australasia
    • Australia
      • The Maleny "Bunya"
      • Baroon Dollar
      • The Maia Maia Project
      • The Fremantle "Share"
      • South East Metro (Perth) Doodad
      • Swan Hills LETsystem
      • Armadale-Thornlie LETSystem
  • South America
    • Argentina
      • Argentino
      • Crédito
      • LECOP
      • Patacón
    • Brazil
      • Banco Palmas
      • Curitiba Bonus
      • Sabre
      • Yscambau (Ymaginários da Confederação Ystilingue - Belo Horizonte, MG)
    • Venezuela
      • Lionza (indigenous currency in the Urachiche Municipality of the Yaracuy state)
  • North America
    • Canada
    • United States
    • México
      • Túmin (indigenous barter currency in the state of Veracruz)
  • Asia
    • Japan
      • Fureai kippu
      • Eco-Money
      • WAT System
    • Hong Kong
      • COME
    • Indonesia
    • Yogyakarta System, Indonesia
    • Malaysia
      • Kedahan dinar
      • Kelantanese dinar
  • Europe
    • Belgium
      • Lietaer
      • RES
    • Denmark
      • Løn
      • Artmoney
    • France
      • Abeille
      • Occitan
      • Heol
      • RES
      • SEL - Système d’Echange Local
      • SOL Project
      • Troc de Services
    • Germany
      • Berliner
      • Chiemgauer
      • Joytopia
      • Tauschring
      • Urstromtaler
      • Zschopautaler
      • Palzer
      • Nahgold
      • Hallertauler
      • Kirschblute
      • Landmark
      • KannWas
      • Sterntaler
    • Greece
      • TEM
      • Fasouli
      • Ilios
      • Mpoutsouni
      • Ovolos
      • Kaereti
      • EMRO
    • Netherlands
      • STRO
      • Qoin
      • Caire.nu
      • Noppes
      • NU-spaarpas
      • Duif
      • Gelre
      • RAAM
    • Portugal
      • Créditos de Permuta
    • Spain
      • Axarco (in Axarquía, Málaga)
      • RES
    • Switzerland
      • WIR
      • Sel du Lac
    • Ukraine
      • Regional Exchange System «Time Banking» (ROCSystem)
    • United Kingdom
      • Approximately 400 local exchange trading systems (LETS)
      • Approximately 75 time banks
      • Calderdale Green Currency
      • Totnes pound
      • Lewes pound
      • Bristol Pound
      • Brixton pound
      • Stroud Pound
    • Italy
      • Banca del Tempo
      • EcoAspromonte
      • Ecoroma
      • REL Rete di Economia Locale
      • SCEC: scecservice.org
      • Simec
      • Sistema di Reciprocità Indiretta
    • Latvia
      • Pilsetas Nauda
      • Venti
    • Russia
      • Billex (credit system based on gold bills, Tomsk)
  • International
    • Community Exchange System (CES)
  • Unclassified
    • Ven by Hub Culture
    • Flash Cash
    • Green dollar
    • Interdependent Occupational Unit
    • Interser
    • Ndajem-Wecco
    • RGT - Red Global del Trueque
    • ROCS - Robust Complementary Community Currency System
    • RERS - Réseaux d'Echange Réciproque de Savoirs
    • Rumihuaico
    • Salta Creditos
    • Systèmes d’Echanges Communitares
    • Thay Gerh
    • Tianguis Tlaloc
    • Toctiuco
    • Tontines
    • Eco-money

Read more about this topic:  Local Currency

Famous quotes containing the words modern and/or local:

    “The near explains the far. The drop is a small ocean. A man is related to all nature. This perception of the worth of the vulgar is fruitful in discoveries. Goethe, in this very thing the most modern of the moderns, has shown us, as none ever did, the genius of the ancients.”
    —Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    “America is the world’s living myth. There’s no sense of wrong when you kill an American or blame America for some local disaster. This is our function, to be character types, to embody recurring themes that people can use to comfort themselves, justify themselves and so on. We’re here to accommodate. Whatever people need, we provide. A myth is a useful thing.”
    —Don Delillo (b. 1926)