# What do I use for money when I travel back in time?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 6, 2011, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327 "2011-02-06T00:13:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/21 "2011-02-06T16:08:17Z")
> [@Frisco](#):
>
> I’m planning a trip back in time. I’d like to go back more than a few years but not sure what to take with me that would give me money to spend on room and board, etc., until I can get settled in or decide to come back.
>
> It would be great if it was something (a commodity?) that would be worth more in the distant past than it is now and could be liquidated easily without raising suspicion. I don’t want to take knowledge that could be sold; that would fowl up history more than I’m willing to (although my iPod is fully charged and loaded with Beatles songs, but I would feel awkward about selling those songs and taking credit for writing them). And I need to be able to carry it in a suitcase so I can’t do something like take back a barge full of grain.
>
> Suggestions?
Why not books? You can get copies of books from many eras free from the Gutenburg project, further if the printing press hasn’t been invented yet you could use a handwriting font to print them out. It’d be dirt cheap, and if the book was era appropriate, wouldn’t mess with the time line. Further it’d be trivial to make a program to distort the fonts a bit to simulate hand writing irregularities. A modern could catch that, but how could someone who has no idea of a printing press?
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### Author:  [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/22 "2011-02-06T16:10:25Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#):
>
> Remember what most impressed Ishi when he walked out of the wilderness, glue and matches.
The Ancient Egyptians had glue.
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### Author:  [@JWT\_Kottekoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JWT_Kottekoe)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/23 "2011-02-06T17:07:25Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#):
>
> The Ancient Egyptians had glue.
The OP didn’t state when and where he was going. I was imagining what he might bring if he happened to land in a hunter-gatherer group.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/24 "2011-02-06T17:14:49Z")
Quoth **Bosda** :
> [@](#):
>
> Prior to the 18th Century, amethysts were worth vast sums, but are quite cheap today!
“Quite cheap” is an understatement: I once bought a chunk of amethyst the size of my fist for five bucks. I figure that regardless of how rare or common it is, it was pretty enough to be worth it. I hadn’t realized that it was ever anything more than just decorative.
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### Author:  [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/25 "2011-02-06T17:16:26Z")
> [@Kobal2](#):
>
> Take a pig. No matter where and when you end up, a pig will always be in high demand and readily convertible to the local coinage. Plus, you can eat it in a pinch.
Are pigs valuable in countries that are primarily Muslim?
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/26 "2011-02-06T17:36:50Z")
I should think that counterfeit money would be easy to pass in the nineteenth century and before.
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### Author:  [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/27 "2011-02-06T17:51:55Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#):
>
> Are pigs valuable in countries that are primarily Muslim?
Good point. A horse, then.
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### Author:  [@QRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QRK)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/28 "2011-02-06T18:19:29Z")
Pencils. They are useful, easily transportable items that are low tech and reasonably unremarkable. The relative cost of a modern mass produced pencil is going to be far cheaper then an old bespoke pencil. Hopefully they will all be consumed in use to avoid any time pollution.
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### Author:  [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/29 "2011-02-06T18:28:10Z")
Anywhere outside China, before 550 AD, you might make a lot of money with a handful of [silk worms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombyx_mori).
More recently, some now common fossils might be extremely valuable.
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### Author:  [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/30 "2011-02-06T18:51:28Z")
> [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#):
>
> Anywhere outside China, before 550 AD, you might make a lot of money with a handful of [silk worms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombyx_mori).
Further in this direction of thinking, something natural, so as not to introduce even the idea of an unknown technology, but difficult to come by in the locality & era where you’ll be traveling. Maybe a [refined natural dyestuff](http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/7208299-AA.shtml?lnav=dyes.html) like [indigo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigo_dye#History_of_natural_indigo) or [cochineal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal#History)? Some handmade [cashmere](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cashmere_wool#History) scarves? Also study up on your practical chemistry, and you can be like [Kirk vs. the Gorn](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxQqJbW-ohw&feature=channel).
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### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/31 "2011-02-06T18:55:59Z")
> [@Susanann](#):
>
> **Gold!**
>
> **Gold** always was, always will be, everywhere and anywhere, valuable .
Well, for certain values of “always” and certain values of “everywhere.”
Try taking a gold nugget to the native peoples of the New Guinea highlands in the late nineteenth century and see how much good it does you. Also, historical evidence suggests that some California Indian tribes were aware of the shiny metal in the alluvial sands of their creeks and rivers well before the California gold rush, but never had any use for it.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/32 "2011-02-06T20:18:06Z")
Forget about arguing with **Susanann** on this topic. She’s unshakably convinced that gold both never changes in value and is perpetually increasing in value.
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### Author:  [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/33 "2011-02-06T23:01:56Z")
Forget about listening to people who have little or no **GOLD** , because they dont know the value of **Gold**.
If you are stupid enough to show up somewhere/sometime with just a handful of pencils, glue, pigs, matches, counterfeit money, tulips, salt, sugar, etc. , instead of… a big bag full of pure **GOLD** , then you deserve!!! to be destitute and starving.
Nothing is better than **Gold**.
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### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/34 "2011-02-06T23:43:25Z")
> [@Susanann](#):
>
> Forget about listening to people who have little or no **GOLD** , because they dont know the value of **Gold**.
>
> If you are stupid enough to show up somewhere/sometime with just a handful of pencils, glue, pigs, matches, counterfeit money, tulips, salt, sugar, etc. , instead of… a big bag full of pure **GOLD** , then you deserve!!! to be destitute and starving.
>
> Nothing is better than **Gold**.
Would you mind linking to whatever it is that you are parodying here?
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### Author:  [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2011, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/35 "2011-02-07T00:17:22Z")
I suspect that before the 20th century a bolt of high quality nylon fabric would be worth more that it’s weight in gold. Even after silkworms were introduced in the west, high quality silk fabrics commanded high prices.
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### Author:  [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/36 "2011-02-07T01:15:07Z")
> [@mhendo](#):
>
> Would you mind linking to whatever it is that you are parodying here?
I’m flashing on the old guy from _Treasure of the Sierra Madre_ dancing around, with a little bit of Scrooge McDuck and the prospector from that Rankin & Bass Christmas special.
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### Author:  [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/37 "2011-02-07T01:29:10Z")
It’s been more than 24 hours. It’d be nice if the OP came back and specified where/when he’s going.
If it’s in the last 100 years in the USA the problem is easily taken care of. Go to an antique coin dealer and buy about $2 worth of currency for the time you’re going back to. Then, before you go, look up results for a horse track. After a few days you can win hundreds of thousands of dollars. Problem solved.
If you’re going way, wayyy back, simply take a 21st century semi-auto rifle and pistol and ammo. Who needs money?
(best to get a rifle/pistol that takes the same ammo/mags, like a Kel-Tec sub2000 and a Glock).
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### Author:  [@Frisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frisco)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/38 "2011-02-07T02:29:29Z")
Some helpful ideas here as my itinerary hasn’t been finalized. But for now, let’s assume my first three locations are:
- Egypt around 50 BC. Like to chat up Cleopatra and peak at the library at Alexandria.
- American midwest around 1200 AD to see what those Cahokia kids were all about.
- Prague in 1787 to down some beverages with - and check out the latest Opera by - Mozart.
I do intend to take firearms and ammo, bit I would hope to only use these for self defense and a bit of food – no crimes.
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### Author:  [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/39 "2011-02-07T02:32:18Z")
Remember all those Confederate banknotes Great-Grandpappy saved in the attic? How everybody laughed at him for holding onto obsolete currency? Well now he gets the last laugh!
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### Author:  [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-use-for-money-when-i-travel-back-in-time/570327/40 "2011-02-07T02:45:28Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#):
>
> [Here’s](http://www.glabarre.com/item/Baltimore ___Ohio_Railroad__ 4_353_000_Bond/3823/c84) a 4.35 million dollar railroad bond on the B&O Railroad from 1942. You could pick it up for $150. That’s not a bad return on your investment.
And if you could also pick up Short Line, Reading Railroad, and Pennsylvania Railroad…
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