Why is currency mostly paper?

Hmm, maybe paper money can be easily shredded? And they can re - print them all over again? I don't know how money go around, or how much it might last. But for modern world, paper money no longer the only currency. What about those electronic transaction, as long as we regard the digital form of money is valuable to us, it is a currency too. Don't you agree?

Actually you are incorrect in how long they last A $1 bill lasts 18 months; $5 bill, two years; $10 bill, three years; $20 bill, four years; and $50 and $100 bills, nine years http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0774850.html The reason we use paper money is from a time when we actually used nothing but coins that where either Copper or Gold. People would store these with banks and the bank would give the depositor notes for the Gold or Copper that was deposited with them. Well the Banks noticed that people weren't coming to them to take the gold or copper out. The banks realized that they could give out more of the paper than they actually had gold for. As long as not all of the depositors came to get the gold and find out that none of it was there the banker would be fine. So the Bankers made tone of money for it wasn't backed 100% by the gold in their vaults so the percentage went to 30% and then a run happened in which the Government regulated them to a ratio of 100 to 1 so a 100 paper money for each gold bar. Right now it is a lot higher than that. The Federal Reserve System in the United States has been printing more money to flood the market with money that causes inflation. Coins do last longer but because they are also easily lost people don't like having change on them.

It costs more to make a coin than what it is worth as well. However, using loadable cards for everything, I do not like the idea that every little purchase can be tracked.

They reuse the old paper and coins are to heavey to carry around. I mean really think about it. $2,000 dollars in coins. You would fall over if you even got to stand up.So yeah the reuse the money and really most money does last longer then 30 day'sI have a bill that was printed in 1996 and the other one was printed in 2003. So that is a long time.So yeah I do like the Discussion how ever very good. Talk to you later. Have a great weekend

honestly I dont know, it is an outdated system and I think it would be far easier and "greener" to just move away from traditional paper money and replace it with a non physical currency such as a debit card that is directly linked to your social security number.