When I read the title of the book I’m going to review in this column, it occurred to me that I almost never spend cash (coins and paper money) anymore. In fact, I rarely carry coins in the U.S.
However, in countries like England and continental nations of the EU, I almost always have a pocketful of cash. One reason for this is that the countries have no bills denominated less than 5 pounds or 5 euros. So, if you want to buy a few postcards, a small snack, or anything else that costs less than about $5, you’ll find it convenient to have some change.
Looking at the situation today in the U.S., I can envision a world bereft of hard money, a world in which monetary transactions will…
