In our time, it is difficult to imagine that once the world did not use these paper or iron little things, without which we cannot do even a minute. For us, money is an indicator of success, one of the most significant factors in economic development. In this article we will cover such an important topic as the history of money.

Origin of money

What do you know about the money you hold in your hands? What can you say about the origin of money? How the historical emergence of money took place, and for what reasons, how the history of the formation of money is explained and what properties they possess, you can learn from this article.

Nothing arises "just like that", every phenomenon is conditioned by social necessity. This is evidenced by the history of the origin of money and the function of money. This statement also applies to bank currencies.

Money has been and is being used like:

• method of determining the cost of the offered products and services;
• the most acceptable method of payments for necessary goods (this is where the history of the emergence and development of money began);
• savings funds.

The history of the origin of money and their types:

1. Commodity (were of great relevance in the initial period of the emergence of money).
2. Gold and foreign exchange.
3. Coinage.
4. Credit (appear with the development of banks).
5. Cash and non-cash.
6. Electronic.

The history of the development and formation of money

A chronologically correct description of the origin of money is a chain of cause-and-effect factors that appear in economic and social relations. The history of the development and formation of money tells that after people organized a sedentary lifestyle and acquired their own land, some families had surpluses of some products and a lack of others. The way out of this situation was exchange.

This was the beginning of the history of the birth of money in the 7-8 millennium BC. People exchanged mutually beneficial goods, thus satisfying their needs.

The exchange criteria were set "randomly", that is, right at the place of trade, and did not have any stable characteristics. Over time, as the range of products on offer increased, natural exchange became cumbersome and inconvenient. The complexity of the transportation of their "money" and their quick spoilage complicated the development of trade and economic relations.

Although the time of the emergence of money is different for all peoples, each of them had interesting features. So, for example, among the tribes of China, India, Indochina, located near the coasts, the process of the emergence of money began with sea shells.

They sat on threads and dressed like beads. During the payment, the "buyer" gave the required number of shells to the seller. Also, the skulls and bones of real people could be used everywhere.

The history of the emergence of money in the economy plays an important role, because in fact, the very development of the economy and its emergence is closely related to the invention of natural money. The primitive forms of the economy and its beginnings began to appear when people got their own economy, but with the advent of trade, an intensive stratification of people into the poor and the rich began. The first form of “capital” - hand cattle - also became relevant. The number of "heads" directly affected the status of its owner.

The historical process of the evolution of money did not stop there, and the next period of the emergence of money dates back to the 15-10th centuries BC, when precious metals appeared. Initially, they did not have a generally accepted form. Any "pieces", necklaces, rings and other items made of precious metals became relevant in trade relations.

Gold and silver have long become the main criterion for evaluating goods. The history of foreign money, for example, parted with them only by the beginning of modern times, when the gold coin turnover was depleted.

The story of the emergence of money for children can be a very interesting and developing topic. A brief history of the development of money will very easily and quickly "be deposited" in children's memory, if the oral history of the origin of money for children is accompanied by the demonstration of visual objects.

It has been proven that up to 60% of the information received is remembered with a visual effect, so even the history of the emergence of money in pictures or in the form of a presentation will help to assimilate the main points of this topic.

New time, new money

In modern times (starting from the 17th and 18th centuries) precious metals were replaced by "ordinary" ones. Aluminum and iron have become the main and most popular substitutes throughout Europe. Despite the fact that already in the previous stages of the emergence of money, partial minting of coins took place, only from the 18th century a "full-scale" history of the development of metallic money began.

The coins acquired the familiar round and flat appearance, however, they could still be quite large (for example, in Russia, some coins were half a human palm!).

The periods of development of money in monetary and paper forms practically coincide and have a close connection. The history of the creation of this type of money is determined by the search for a universal type of currency, which would not only be able to “evaluate” the goods, but also have a cheap cost price. Paper and common metals have become ideal options that find their way into today's world.

Conclusion

Nevertheless, the history of the appearance of the first money often appears even today, in the age of high technologies. Remember how often in childhood you exchanged different toys or other things, this is a manifestation of natural exchange!

The history of the first money does not end with "paper and iron"; with the development of computer technology, "electronic money" appeared, which is widely used in many economic transactions.

The historical process of the emergence of money has its beginning, but so far has no end, because the emergence of money and the history of its development have become the subject of research of many not only economic, but also philosophical studies (K. Marx and D. Hume, A. Smith, etc. ), even theories arose that in the end humanity will come to a stage when money will cease to exist and perform its functions.

In the meantime, museums and other historical organizations carefully preserve the reliable history of the emergence of money from different nations, along with monetary "monuments".

Money appeared much later than the formation of the national economy: at first, the ancient tribes used means of exchange (cattle, fish, ornaments were exchanged for bread, meat, fabrics), and different peoples used different means for exchange. For example, in Mexico, cocoa beans were used as "money", on the islands of Oceania - pearls and shells, in Alaska and Canada - the skins of valuable animals.

Such commodity-exchange relations were not very convenient and it became necessary to create a universal exchange equivalent. This is how money appeared. At first, they were metal (in the manufacture in different countries, materials such as copper, silver, bronze were used). Paper money appeared only in 1910 and since then has firmly entered our life.

The emergence of money

The first metallic money, minted coins, appeared in the 7th century BC. They quickly spread around the world, as they had a high cost with low weight and volume. In addition, they could be conveniently transported, stored, combined, and crushed.

With the expansion of commodity-production relations, a need arose to increase the value of the exchange equivalent, and silver and gold became the main money. 910 was a turning point in the history of money development - it was at this time that paper money appeared in China. But if earlier their essence was simply the obligation to issue natural money (of the corresponding value), today the paper banknotes themselves are money.

History of Russian money

Before the appearance of money in Russia, cowrie shells and necklaces made of precious metal were accepted as payment for goods and services. Around the eighth century, dirhams, silver kopecks, which were called kuns, appeared in Russia. In the 10th century, the kuns were replaced by Western European money, denarii - coins of thin silver, on the surface of which primitive images of kings flaunted. By the end of the 10th century in Kievan Rus, its own minting of gold and silver coins was launched.

As for the first paper money in Russia, they appeared under Catherine II in 1769: issued paper notes from 25 to 100 rubles could be freely exchanged for copper money. At about the same time, two banks were opened in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Money development

The very word "banknote" in translation from English means "bank record" - this name was not chosen by chance, this is clearly evidenced by the history of paper money.

So, the monetary system (both in Russia and in the world) began to actively improve with the emergence of banks. Banks initially performed exclusively the function of custodians of valuables and money. When depositing money, a person received a certificate, which indicated the amount that was in the bank's custody. This made it possible to pay not with heavy coins, but with light and convenient certificates. Over time, the certificates themselves began to be equated with money.

MONEY (money) - a special kind of goods, used in exchange as the equivalent of all other goods.

All economists are unanimous that money is one of the fundamental elements of a market economy; for a long time there have been heated discussions between them about what money is. In modern economic theory, the definition proposed by the English economist J. Hicks, according to which "money is determined by its functions", is taken as a basis. This means that everything that performs monetary functions is recognized as money. Behind this tautology, there is a statement of the fact that a variety of objects and even non-material objects can act as money. As K. Marx wrote, "money is not a thing, but a social relation."

The main stages in the history of the development of money

The history of money dates back to those ancient times when people had to change one thing for another in order to get what they needed. If they needed an ax, they would find someone who had one and exchange it for anything necessary for its owner. The same thing happens today, with the only difference that today we give the seller money in exchange for what we want, although the exchange of goods for goods has survived to this day.

The living conditions of our ancestors were such that food, clothing and shelter were obtained through hard work. Rarely was something superfluous produced that could be traded.

But over time, the main occupations of people - hunting and gathering, were replaced by more efficient ones - cultivating plants and raising livestock: from time to time surplus of one or another commodity began to appear. A tribe with surplus animal skins, but lacking grain, could exchange with another tribe that had surplus. So barter was born

The development of trade forced buyers and sellers to agree on a system that sets prices - money was the ideal solution to the problem of exchange. Over time, the term currency has appeared. It was not always money in our usual sense - coins and banknotes, history knows examples when one of the forms of currency was a cow.

Forms of currency in antiquity in various countries:

stone money (Iceland)

salt (Africa)

elephant wool (Africa)

ivory (Fiji)

tobacco (Solomon Islands)

tea briquettes (Siberia)

The first money was not at all like those to which we are accustomed. We would never have guessed that these are they: in some places, as already mentioned, live cattle: sheep, cows, bulls. In the Old Russian language, the word "cattle" meant not only domestic animals, but also money, and the treasury was called that way - a cowgirl ... In other places, bird feathers, grain, salt, and dried fish served as money. And in Mexico, for example, cocoa beans, in Siberia and Canada, "fur" money was used - animal skins.

It is interesting that all this money, or, as they are called, commodity money, on occasion could be exchanged for other goods and used in their household for their intended purpose.

It is the universal acceptability that distinguishes money from all other commodities, and the use of money as a medium of circulation, a measure of value and a means of maintaining purchasing power (preserving value) naturally grows out of their general acceptability.

Initially, the property of such acceptability was determined by the special qualities of the product, the most important of which was its internal exchange value, or internal commodity value. Other qualities include strength, divisibility and the likelihood that the value of the product will not experience significant fluctuations under the influence of changes in the ratio of supply and demand.

At the present stage, the following types of money are distinguished:

Metal money. Only gold and silver were able to become universal money, since they did not deteriorate over time and were easily divided into parts. These metals were both highly costly and relatively widespread (they are found in almost all regions of the planet, but in low concentrations). Since a large amount of labor was required to extract a small amount of money metal, this metal was very portable - a small piece of gold had a high value, which made it easier to use it in commodity circulation. In exchange, bars of involuntary sizes were used, requiring constant weighing, and of a standardized shape and quality. Around the end of the 7th century. BC NS. in Lydia (Asia Minor) coins were invented.

Coins- round bars of precious metals, whose standards were guaranteed by the state minting. Coins quickly became a universal medium of exchange for most of the civilizations of the Old World. The origin of the word "coin" is associated with the name of the temple of the goddess Juno-Coin (from Lat. Moneo - I advise), on the territory of which from 275 BC. the minting of banknotes of Ancient Rome began. Since gold and silver coins had their own value, they could be used in all countries where metal money was in use. However, each state sought to mint its own coin, thus demonstrating its sovereignty. In 1944, the US dollar was announced as the only reserve currency to support the value of gold. The collapse of the gold-dollar system in the 1960s and 1970s led to the almost complete cessation of the use of precious metal money. Metal money has survived only as small coins.

Paper money. Paper money has a number of disadvantages in comparison with metal: money metals retain their value even after millennia in any country, while paper money has no value of its own, its rate is guaranteed by the government or the bank that issued it, and therefore political and economic cataclysms can be very quickly devalue them. However, this high dependence of the stability of money on the conjuncture is offset by the advantages of paper money circulation. Although paper money in the role of a means of accumulation is worse than full-fledged metal money, they perform the function of a measure of value just as successfully, and paper money is much more convenient in the role of a means of circulation and payment. The need for money depends on the economic development of the economy as a whole. Therefore, when accelerated economic growth began after the industrial revolution, the replacement of metallic money circulation by paper money became not only possible, but also inevitable. During the 18th century. paper money became widespread in all European countries (in Russia - from 1769), by the end of the 19th century. they began to dominate the whole world.

Non-cash money. In the second half of the 20th century. a new stage in the evolution of money began - the transition to non-cash monetary circulation. First appeared check deposits, after - credit cards... There was "Electronic money" (as they call credit cards) for retail customers first appeared in France in the 1970s, now they are widely used in all developed countries of the world. Their use is most widespread in the United States. The overwhelming majority of modern money has no material form at all - neither metal nor paper.

Modern money of the scientific and technological revolution era is "electronic money" that exists exclusively in the form of entries on customer accounts recorded in the memory of bank computers. In wholesale trade, a certain amount is transferred from the account of one firm to the account of another. In retail trade, customers most often show a credit card, which again transfers from the customer's account to the account of the merchant. Since “electronic money” cannot be handled, it does not need to be transported, it is almost impossible to take it away during a regular theft or robbery (if a bandit takes a credit card, its owner can quickly block his account). However, banks are forced to constantly protect their computers from hackers. As a result, on the one hand, the turnover is accelerated many times over (a few minutes are enough to transfer money from one account to another, and these accounts can be located in banks of different continents). On the other hand, if the memory of bank computers is erased (for example, as a result of the activity of a hacker), then it will be almost impossible to recover the monetary losses.

Modern monetary system

Monetary system- This is a historically established form of organization of monetary circulation, enshrined in law. It contains the following elements: currency; scale of prices; types of state banknotes; the procedure for the issue (emission) of money; regulation of cashless circulation; state bodies for the regulation of money turnover. For example, in modern Russia the official monetary unit is the ruble, the issuance of other monetary units is prohibited, the official relationship between the ruble and gold (or other precious metals) has not been established, and the Central bank of Russia.

Currency unit Is a statutory currency (dollar, euro, ruble, etc.), which serves to measure and express the prices of all goods. Sometimes it has a gold content, but it should be noted that in a modern economy, the gold content of a currency is most often nominal, since in almost no country in the world money is directly exchanged for gold.

The monetary unit is usually divided into small multiples. In most countries, the decimal division system is 1: 10: 100 (1 US dollar equals 100 cents, 1 ruble equals 100 kopecks, etc.).

Price scale means that the prices of all goods and services are measured by a certain number of monetary units. For example, they say: "in our store a loaf of bread costs 6 rubles."

Monetary circulation consists of the movement of cash (on average in economically developed countries, they make up less than 15% of circulation) and non-cash circulation. Almost all money in the modern economy is credit money... Change coins and treasury bills have a small share in circulation. A significant (perhaps even overwhelming) share of cash does not rotate in the legal, but in the shadow economy.

Loan money includes:

1. Banknotes(bank notes) are the main element of the cash money supply.

2. Checks and Credit Cards- these are the main means of non-cash payments.

Table 2. DYNAMICS OF MONEY SUPPLY AND ITS UNITS IN THE USA (billions of dollars)
Monetary aggregates
including cash

Money is the universal equivalent of the value of goods and services, which is part of the financial system of each country. They underwent centuries of evolution before adopting their modern form. In this review, you will learn about the history of the first money, through what stages it went and how it changed over time.

How did the money come about?

Market relations began to form in the VII-VIII millennium BC. At that time, primitive people exchanged surplus products with each other, and the proportions were established depending on the circumstances. With the advent of the social division of labor, barter gradually became inconvenient, and our ancestors began to use various objects as money.

In Russia, the furs of fur-bearing animals were used as a means of payment, in Ancient Greece - large and small livestock: rams, horses, bulls. In ancient India, China, on the east coast of Africa and the Philippine Islands - shells collected on a string. During the time of Julius Caesar, slaves were used for this purpose. The villagers had flamingo feathers. In Melanesia, pork tails were used, and in Spara, stone cobblestones. In some countries, human skulls were the means of payment.

First money conversion

Gradually, some types of currencies were supplanted by others, regardless of the will of the people. During the period of wars and revolutions, there was a massive regression. In Belarus, the Germans gave a kilogram of salt for the partisan's head, considering this product very expensive. Later, different types of metals were used as money: copper, tin, lead, iron. In ancient Greece, iron bars were considered the best medium of exchange. Now the question arises as to how the money changed further.

Evolution of banknotes in Russia

The first paper notes appeared under the rule of the Russian Empress Catherine II in 1769. They were very similar to bank receipts and were used to pay salaries to officials. Although the bills were numbered and textual, the print quality was poor, so counterfeiters could easily counterfeit them. It was required to replace all issued banknotes with more reliable ones, which is why after the war with Napoleon, the history of money changed again.

The new type of money appeared in 1818. Empire style ornaments and engravings became their adornment. The year 1897 was characterized by the stability of the financial system, because paper money was easily exchanged for gold coins.

New technologies for the production of banknotes in Russia

Since the middle of the 19th century, intaglio printing from engraving has been used, which has become the basis of modern banking printing. At the end of the period under review, the first device "Orlovskaya press" was designed, producing bright banknotes. This technology is still used today because it does not allow money to be counterfeited.

The history of the origin of money informs us that the first banknotes of 500 rubles with the image of Peter the Great and notes of 100 rubles with a photograph of Catherine II appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. After the revolution and during the war years, there was a breakdown in the financial system. During these periods, many people were able to create unlimited amounts of counterfeit money. So hyperinflation progressed and the economy of our country deteriorated. Vladimir Lenin carried out not only the NEP and monetary reform, but also issued gold coins, then treasury bills. Later, new banknotes were issued with additional security mechanisms.

Historical data on money in Ukraine

Earlier in the Ukrainian lands, our ancestors used Greek coins. Later, the money of the Roman Empire appeared, which was used to accumulate wealth and produce jewelry. Thanks to trade relations with foreign merchants, the currency spread to Podillia, the Carpathian region, Transnistria and other regions. In connection with the economic and political crisis in the Roman state, which arose in the III century, relations were terminated. In the 5th-7th centuries, Byzantine and Arabic currencies came into circulation.

During the rule of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich (918-1015), the history of Ukrainian money was supplemented by a new event: they began to produce the most ancient coins - silver coins (weight up to 4.68 g) and gold coins (weight 4.4 g). They were painted with the image of a prince on a throne with a trident, which is the patrimonial mark of the Rurikovichs. At the end of the 11th century, the first "grivnas" made of silver appeared.

In the middle of the 18th century, Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire, as a result of which its monetary system changed completely. The modification of the currency complicated the relations of the inhabitants of the former state with other countries. After the proclamation of the Ukrainian People's Republic (1917), it was decided to introduce paper hryvnias into circulation, which became the legal national currency in 1996.

Financial policy of Great Britain and France

Pound sterling - used long before the formation of the state itself. In the 9th-10th centuries, 240 pence was made from it, which were called "sterling". After 400 years, gold pounds appeared in circulation. Thus, the bimetallic monetary system functioned until the end of the 18th century. The conflict with France, the First and Second World Wars greatly weakened the financial system, but over time it recovered. This is how the history of money was formed in this country.

The money in circulation in France today is the euro. However, this was not always the case. The first paper notes appeared in 1716. During the revolution (1790), the provisional government issued assignments and mandates. Over time, they depreciated, and in 1800 Napoleon created the Bank to issue francs. This currency proved to be the most stable until the outbreak of the First World War. After the restoration of the financial system, the francs were again in circulation. In 1997, they ceased to be convertible, and France switched to the euro.

Formation of credit money

Credit money appeared simultaneously with the progress in commodity production. The recipient is provided with a certain amount with the condition of accepting obligations to repay it within the period specified in the contract. The considered type of funds was created not from circulation, but from the circulation of capital. It is determined not by the gold and foreign exchange reserves of the state, but by the number of loans provided. But when and how did credit money appear?

The history of the origin of credit funds began with promissory notes, first created in Italy in the Middle Ages. Then banknotes appeared. In the XIX-XX centuries, checks began to be popular. After that, electronic money was introduced, as well as plastic cards.

Features of granting a loan

The borrower is granted a loan if he has the ability to make a stable payment. All information about cash receipts is entered into the credit history. If a person does not fulfill his obligations, this will negatively affect his ability to take out a loan in the future.

Are you facing a similar situation? Do not be upset, because there are banks that lend money without Contact new commercial financial institutions seeking to gain a position in the market by any means. Although their interest rate will be much higher, but a client caught in late repayment of the loan has the opportunity to get a loan. Pay attention to the following organizations: Avangard, Zapsibkombank, Tinkoff Credit Systems, Baltinvestbank.

History of "Yandex.Money"

Currently, this electronic payment system is popular. It provides financial settlements between persons who have opened accounts on it. The currency is the Russian ruble. All operations take place in a special web interface in real time. This is how the Yandex.Money system works.

The history of the emergence of the system is associated with the idea of ​​the implementation of electronic money. The program started functioning on 24.07.2002. Russians immediately appreciated its advantages, and the popularity of the innovation began to grow rapidly. Gradually, it developed, and after three years new opportunities for working through the interface became available to users. In 2007, Yandex became the full owner of the program. Three years later, it already worked with 3,500 partners, and after a while it spread to different CIS countries. In 2012, the number of e-wallets increased.

The most important achievement today is the ability to transfer electronic money to bank accounts and vice versa. The company is constantly working to improve the service, so users can rely on the improved Yandex.Money system.

The history of money is constantly changing due to the circumstances of a particular state. As some countries continue to clash with each other, there is a possibility that their monetary systems will weaken. It is difficult to predict what changes will take place in the future.

Money is the most liquid asset to be exchanged for various commodities. They can buy almost any material value in this world. The history of money originates from ancient times and passes through many epochs known to mankind. Let's take a closer look at their evolution and becoming as the main item for trade.

With the formation of a person, the development and discovery of countries, an active trade in various goods began between the peoples of the world. The ancient tribes acquired the necessary products not for money, but for other means of exchange. Depending on the territory, people bought and sold:

• animal skins - in Siberia, Canada and Alaska;
• cocoa beans - in Mexico;
• pearls and expensive shells - in South America and Oceania;
• cattle meat - in pastoralist tribes;
• fish and seafood in coastal areas.

One of the popular units of exchange was grain, but this “currency” was very unstable: the amount of the harvest depended on the season and climatic features of the year. Over time, it became very inconvenient to use such means of payment, so it became necessary to create another unit.

Gradually, various metals began to play the role of money: copper, iron, silver and others. At first, they were transferred in the form of utensils, then they began to be produced in the form of ingots. However, the ingots had to be constantly weighed, their fineness determined, they were too large and heavy for constant circulation. Over time, people began to label them to prevent counterfeiting and fraud. Thus, the first mints appeared, where they began to mint coins.

The first coins in Europe appeared in the 7th century BC. NS. in 687. They were minted in Libya from a special alloy of gold and silver called "electron". For fifty years, this kind of money has become firmly established in circulation in many countries of the world. In China, coins were minted from copper and had a hole in the center. Due to the convenience of transportation, they were minted and were in circulation almost until the 20th century.

The appearance of the first paper money

In the 8th century, a problem emerged in China: the reserves of raw materials for the manufacture of coins were depleted. Then the country's authorities found another solution - instead of copper, they used small pieces of paper with hieroglyphs written on them. At first, these were receipts for various values ​​that were laid in the shops of the usurers. The appearance of the very first paper money dates back to 910.

In the XIII century, paper money began to be exchanged for gold, which is why they began to actively and in large quantities forge. Despite the fact that this was a great crime, the case brought in substantial income. In 1500, the Chinese government decided to withdraw paper money from circulation due to their excess production and, as a result, increased inflation.

In 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invented the first typewriter, which was soon used to make money in Europe. The first own coins in Russia appeared only in the 10th century and were minted from silver from gold. Paper money began to be printed here only in the time of Catherine II in 1769. You can read about the history of money in Russia in the next article.