The problem with money is that its in these inconvenient discrete units (the penny, for example)
If money were a liquid, there would be no such thing as getting change. A wallet would look approximately like a fancy fountain pen, with a clear glass cylinder, filled with some liquid, perferably really cool looking, like mercury.
When a purchase or cash for cash exchange was made, one would place their "wallet" into a machine designed to extract the exact amount of liquid cash. Two "wallets" could be plugged together for person to person exchanges. Gradations on the glass chamber (think titration tube, or simiar) would let the two parties be sure that the correct amount of currency has changed hands.
This allows for many novel concepts. One of which is the truly "irrational" price. How about paying PI for a slice of pie? Or maybe sqrt(2.0) for a cookie.
If not a liquid, one could use a sand-like substance. Something where the grains are large enough to micro-print serial numbers and other anti-theft markings is probably prudent. Each "grain" would be a fraction (1/100 or smaller) of a cent.-- slacy, Feb 08 2002 Various Sized Sugar Cubes http://www.halfbake...zed_20Sugar_20Cubes [lubbit, Feb 08 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004] New American Currency http://www.halfbake...American_20Currency [phoenix, Feb 08 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004] How about money as a ribbon, or semi-precious wire? You could just carry a spool of it and cut of the exact amount as needed. It could a have the amount etched, as increments, into the surface. A vending machine could have a slot that would receive the wire or ribbon and draw in as much as was needed for the purchase and shear it off precisely to the milli-cent.
Or maybe as a gas . . .-- bristolz, Feb 08 2002 Honestly, if you think a penny is too large a denomination, perhaps you should reconsider your current career.-- sera, Feb 08 2002 sera: Pennies are inconvenient because they're small denominations, not because they're big. Every try buying a CD or a car with pennies? Quite time-consuming. In contrast, liquid money can dispense a any precise sum to the exact penny, and yet hopefully not make big purchases a nightmare. Of course you could just carry a selection of change, but you'd have to replenish it regularly.-- pottedstu, Feb 08 2002 //PI for a slice of pie//
Like it! How about paying 1 for 1/PI of a pie instead, that's pie/PI or pie by PI in English money.
No - liquid pie, that's the solution.
We faced a similar situation a while back with regard to sugar cubes (link).-- lubbit, Feb 08 2002 Isn't this, effectively, what Credit/Debit cards do?-- DrBob, Feb 08 2002 Let's hope UnaBubbas uncle doesn't liquidate his assets.-- thumbwax, Feb 08 2002 I'd hate to be in the shop when he places a deposit on something...-- mcscotland, Feb 08 2002 It would become fashionable to have money stains on your clothing.-- waugsqueke, Feb 08 2002 ...devil with the...-- phoenix, Feb 08 2002 oh no! too late to make corny 'liquidise assets' jokes!!!-- technobadger, Feb 08 2002 time is money, money is a liquid...! this brings much more meaning to that painting with the clocks melting (sorry i dont know it name/artist, im not big on art)-- i-Mer, Feb 09 2002 Too bad mercury is so toxic. Otherwise it would be perfect: it's essentially uncounterfeitable, has a reasonable value, and most important is, well, liquid.-- supercat, Feb 09 2002 (sorry i dont know it name/artist, im not big on art) - Salvador Dali-- g4zz, Feb 09 2002 I really like this idea. At first glance I thought it actually sounded pretty lame, but our monetary world is becoming so abstract lately. I get paid a salary at my work which is then electronically transferred to my bank account (I never SEE the money). Then it is either automatically deducted by my various monthly bill (i.e. the Gas Co, the electric co.) or I spend it using my Visa Check card (still never seeing the actual money).
My concept of money, and how much things cost, is getting blurry. I just swipe my card and walk away with my new camera. I have never liked the current state of our currency (all those pennies and other coins jingling in my pocket and creating unsightly bulges). This idea of having a mercury-like-substance-filled fountain pen is just the sort of refreshing jolt I need.
Today is payday at my work!! I would love to take out my mercury-filled fountain pen (nearly empty at this time) and refill it in our time-clock here at work! It would be very satisfying to see all that silver liquid filling up the cylinder. Of course, everybody would not have the same size of pen. The CEO of my company would probably need to have something about 15-20 times larger than my pen to hold all of his “money”.-- namuh, Sep 12 2003 Maybe a subtle change to this idea then - rather than have the liquid *be* the money, have it represent the money - ie. a liquid filled "pen", magically linked to your bank account, showing a relative amount of money in the account... this isn't really an idea though, it's just a portable balance check with a bar graph.-- Detly, Sep 16 2003 Oh no, I spilled my paycheck. (WTAGIPBAN)-- krelnik, Sep 26 2003 Dag, Don't forget that most liquids contract when they freeze. Fortunately for us, H20 is special!-- pob27, Sep 27 2003 I have, in my career as a meat wholesaler in the U.S., sold containerloads of liver at 35 1/2 cents/lb. The extra 1/2 cent really adds up when you sell 35,000 lbs. of the stuff (to $1750). But there's no need for a physical representation. I would gladly round off the final half cent.-- Temporary Sanity, Oct 31 2003 Firstly, brilliant idea, bun.
Secondly, everyone would become richer on hot days.
Thirdly, to allow people to hold large amounts of money, have two liquids: mercury-style silvery liquid for normal money, and rubidium-style golden liquid for much higher denominations (ie one pen of mercury is £200, one pen of rubidium is £2000).
Rubidium would also neatly take care of people who try and steal by breaking the pen.-- dbmag9, Apr 18 2006 Re: Using mercury as the liquid... Too much money in the wrong hands can be a dangerous thing... You could hold up a shop/bank using a small amount of money as a weapon.
It would also force people to become more careful with their money.-- neutrinos_shadow, Apr 19 2006 My assets have been frozen - it's cold outside.-- hippo, Apr 19 2006 Isn't it easier just to use your debit card?-- shapu, Apr 19 2006 yea but using a pen with liquid money is just so much cooler. just dont let anyone borrow you pen-- The Guy On The Couch, Apr 20 2006 //yea but using a pen with liquid money is just so much cooler//
Good point. [+]-- shapu, Apr 20 2006 Money is already a liquid. Mine keeps going down the drain.-- YoDaveG, Apr 20 2006 This is lovely!-- calum, Jul 04 2011 I think that this is a brilliant idea.
You could go to the bank and say "Fill 'er up."-- Loris, Jul 04 2011 I've got an idea: instead of liquid, how about we use electrons? They work just like liquid (for this purpose) and are easier to clean up when spilled.
Oh, wait, we do use electrons as currency. Never mind.-- Alterother, Jul 04 2011 [+] evaporation could be inflation.-- FlyingToaster, Jul 04 2011 random, halfbakery