The BerkShares

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The BerkShares

Written by Michelle Haimoff

I love currency.

I think currency is one of those things, like wristwatches, that will get phased out in time, but for now serve as a reminder that attention to detail is an end in itself. It is with empathy, then, that I read about the town in western Massachusetts that adopted its own currency, "BerkShares," to promote local businesses.

There are roughly 844,000 BerkShares in circulation, in denominations of one, five, 10, 20 and 50. The bills are worth $759,600 at the fixed exchange rate of 1 BerkShare to 90 U.S. cents, providing locals with a 10% discount. The 280 business owners are the ones that take the hit, but it still beats losing customers to chain stores.

Of course, the BerkShare is not as practical as the American dollar and everything cannot be bought with it, but the currency alternative (which looks a little like updated Canadian cash) is a creative lifeline for businesses that might not otherwise survive.

Disclosure: Commemorative state quarters are the best thing that ever happened to me. I have the cardboard map with slots for all the quarters (a gift from Lauren) and I hope to hang it prominently on my wall someday.

PS - Legally, states are not allowed to print their own currency, but private groups may print paper scrip only (no coins), as long as the paper bears no resemblance to the U.S. dollar.