CURRENCY BUILDER

Global Barter / Europe / G029

Europe · Russian Federation · G029

Factory Swap

Cash-short factories paid one another in goods and offsets.

Front of Factory Swap: 50 Wagons, inspired by Russian enterprise barter of the 1990s, with actual Noun #78
Front · 150 × 75 mm
Back of Factory Swap: the Russian enterprise barter of the 1990s tradition, how a note would work, and the traits of Noun #78
Back · the tradition

Security Edition v2

The same note set like a banknote: full engraved portrait of Noun #78, guilloche, watermark, thread, foil stripe and microtext, all printed art. What's on it

Security Edition front of Factory Swap: a line-engraved portrait of the full actual Noun #78 in a guilloche oval beside a watermark window, thread and holographic-look stripe
Security Edition · front
Security Edition back of Factory Swap: a color medallion of Noun #78 in a guilloche rosette, with the note's story
Security Edition · back
v2 front SVG ↓ v2 back SVG ↓

The tradition · 1992–c. 2000

Russian enterprise barter of the 1990s

In 1990s Russia, cash-short enterprises paid each other in kind; barter and other non-cash deals rose from under 10% of industrial sales in 1992 to over half by August 1998, then fell.

Source: Barter in Russia: Liquidity Shortage versus Lack of Restructuring (University of Michigan Deep Blue) ↗

How a note would work

Makerspace members earn Wagons by sharing offcuts, tools or materials with other members and spend them on what they need, with a public ledger keeping chains clear. Wagons 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
  • PlaceRussian Federation
  • Era1992–c. 2000
  • RegionEurope
  • UnitWagon · Wagons
  • Face value50 Wagons
  • SerialGB-G029-N0078
  • NounActual Noun #78 ↗
  • Why this NounEnergy and raw materials were among the goods swapped, so the pipe stands in for the pipelines.
  • Headpipe
  • Glassessquare black rgb
  • Bodymagenta
  • Accessorytxt foo black
  • Seedbg 0 · body 17 · acc 111 · head 158 · glasses 2