Currency: The made-up money exchange

Will Dean
Thursday 20 September 2012 21:48 BST
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This week saw the launch of Britain's latest community currency. But how does its value compare to other imaginative monetary adventures?

Bristol Pound = £1 sterling.

Bristol's new currency is available for use in selected independent stores in Bristol and aims to boost the city's economy. Stroud, Totnes and others have similar schemes.

Bitcoin = £7.70

Bitcoin is an electronic money system designed so that web users can transact without having to use traditional banking methods. Despite being made of binary, £158,000-worth of it was stolen last week from the Bitfloor currency exchange. Don't ask.

One Whuffie = several high fives

Term from a sci-fi book by Cory Doctorow in which currency is replaced by social credit. Since adopted in real life by people who really ought to know better.

One Euro = 80p

Fanciful invented on the idea that European nations could share a monetary union without a complete fiscal union. Whatever next, eh?

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