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The E-Sylum: Volume 11, Number 23, June 8, 2008, Article 23

ENGLISH TOWN PLANS PRIVATE CURRENCY: THE LEWES POUND

Arthur Shippee forwarded this article from National Public Radio's Marketplace show. It's a transcript of a piece they did recently on an English town's plans for creating a private currency. -Editor

Lewes' latest example of independent thinking is a plan to print its own money: the Lewes pound. It can only be spent in Lewes and that's the idea to boost local businesses.

Bill Collison: It's a quirky little town with lots of unusual stores with interesting things going on and obviously, the currency is another quirky idea that makes people relate to a town they live in and obviously a new currency is fun, isn't it?

A coffee shop, a clothing store and a brewery are among the local businesses eager to take part. The thinking is that locals will spend their Lewes pounds. The shopkeepers will then use the currency to buy supplies and so the money will circulate, keeping the wealth within Lewes. Plans for this curious idea are quite advanced.

The organizing committee meets to mull over the design of the new pound note, which will be worth 1 British pound.

She and her fellow residents dream of a world in which local communities do a lot more things locally. The Lewes pound, designed and produced by local volunteers, could be the first step.

To read the complete story, see: Don't leave home with it

Wayne Homren, Editor

The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.

To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com

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