It Could Happen Here How To Print Your Own Money: The Case for Local Currencies
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Oct 6, 2026 
Zaron Burnett, a journalist and narrative storyteller, explores whether communities can print their own money with Peter LaRochelle, who administers Massachusetts’ BerkShares program. They trace America’s local-currency history, why Davis Dollars struggled, and how BerkShares circulate. The conversation contrasts community currencies with crypto and company scrip, while examining local economic power, small-business resilience, digital barriers, banking partnerships, and the stories embedded in Berkshares’ notes.
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Why America Abandoned Local Banknotes
- Local currencies once filled gaps when national coinage was scarce, but counterfeiting and fragmented redemption eventually drove centralization.
- The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 made the Treasury the sole legal dollar issuer and ended local banknotes.
How Deli Dollars Made Local Money Practical
- Great Barrington’s Deli exchanged $8 for 10 deli dollars redeemable for food, while Ithaca’s Hours represented the town’s average hourly wage.
- Both examples tied community-issued notes to familiar dollar values, making them usable for ordinary purchases and debts.
Why Davis Dollars Failed To Catch On
- Davis Dollars aimed to keep money circulating in the college town, but launched during the post-2008 downturn when residents prioritized saving.
- Limited acceptance and thin business margins made a currency spendable only downtown difficult to sustain.
