CURRENCY BUILDER

Global Barter / Europe / G034

Europe · Zurich and Basel, Switzerland · G034

Basel Ring

Firms kept trading on book-entry credit through the 1930s slump.

Front of Basel Ring: 34 Rings, inspired by WIR Economic Circle Cooperative, with actual Noun #18
Front · 150 × 75 mm
Back of Basel Ring: the WIR Economic Circle Cooperative tradition, how a note would work, and the traits of Noun #18
Back · the tradition

Security Edition v2

The same note set like a banknote: full engraved portrait of Noun #18, guilloche, watermark, thread, foil stripe and microtext, all printed art. What's on it

Security Edition front of Basel Ring: a line-engraved portrait of the full actual Noun #18 in a guilloche oval beside a watermark window, thread and holographic-look stripe
Security Edition · front
Security Edition back of Basel Ring: a color medallion of Noun #18 in a guilloche rosette, with the note's story
Security Edition · back
v2 front SVG ↓ v2 back SVG ↓

The tradition · since 1934

WIR Economic Circle Cooperative

Founded in Zurich in 1934 by businessmen including Werner Zimmermann and Paul Enz, the WIR cooperative let firms short of francs trade in book-entry units; it runs today as WIR Bank in Basel.

Source: Cash substitute greases business wheels (swissinfo.ch) ↗

How a note would work

Members earn Rings by offering goods or skills to others in the circle and spend them inside it, so the ledger always nets to zero. Rings are never bought or cashed out.

Design concept inspired by this tradition, not issued by or for the people who keep it. Not legal tender, not for sale, no cash value, no redemption and no investment rights.

Front SVG ↓ Back SVG ↓ Machine edition
  • PlaceZurich and Basel, Switzerland
  • Erasince 1934
  • RegionEurope
  • UnitRing · Rings
  • Face value34 Rings
  • SerialGB-G034-N0018
  • NounActual Noun #18 ↗
  • Why this NounMutual credit is ledger arithmetic, so the circle that started it all gets a calculator.
  • Headcalculator
  • Glassessquare watermelon
  • Bodycomputerblue
  • Accessorytxt dope text
  • Seedbg 0 · body 5 · acc 110 · head 29 · glasses 18