99% Invisible

Real Fake Bridges

Sep 14, 2021

Join Jacob Goldstein, author of "Money: The True Story of a Made-Up Thing," as he delves into the fascinating world of paper currency. He shares the intriguing story of the Euro's design, aimed at fostering unity without national bias. Discover how bridges and gateways symbolically shape the Euro banknotes, reflecting European identity. Goldstein also explores China's early paper currency innovations and their lasting impact on global trade. Spoiler: it's a tale of creativity, identity, and economic transformation!

20:42

Creator website

Episode guests

Jacob Goldstein

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

The Creation of the Euro: Designing Unity Amidst Diversity

2min

Bridging Identities: The Design of Euro Banknotes

11min

Navigating the Illusion of Fake Bridges

3min

The Roots of Paper Money

9min

The great Jacob Goldstein, author of Money: The True Story of a Made Up Thing, stops by to tell us two stories about the design of paper currency around the world. First, the story of the making of the Euro banknotes, the design of which was supposed to unify Europe and not rely on any one country's national heroes or monuments. Then we learn about China's early pioneering experiments in paper currency, hundreds of years before it caught on in the rest of the world.

Real Fake Bridges

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