America Had No Paper Money Until 1862 — What Did People Actually Use?
Before the Dollar: The Strange and Chaotic History of American Money How America Built a Currency System from Tobacco, Shells, Foreign Coins, and Financial Chaos Think about the last time you pulled a dollar bill from your wallet. You probably didn’t think twice about it. You handed it over for coffee, groceries, or a purchase online and went on with your day. The modern dollar feels permanent, ordinary, and almost invisible. But here is something most Americans never stop to consider: For the first 86...

