Noney: The People's Currency

Noney is a new type of currency that has been going into circulation here in Rhode Island. It's a project of local artist Obadiah Eelcut (a pseudonym if I've ever heard one!)


Currency is basically an abstract concept. Money - in your pocket or your bank account - only has value because everybody believes it does. There is no longer any standard by which money is traded. (Although there have been multiple standards over time and societies)


Instead of metal, tobacco, rum, or clam shells, Noney uses a standard that is the aesthetic value of the note itself. It's an economic system backed by art and the idea of art--art that also serves as the system's currency.


The illustrations on Noney are hand drawn, then hand screenprinted onto sheets of polyethylene fiber, a material that's lighter and tougher than paper. After printing, each note is hand editioned in red ink with a number indicating its print order. Each note is also hand signed in black ink. Noney's total print run is 10,000 notes: 1,000 of each face.



Each Noney note has the same denomination: zero. This doesn't mean each note has no value... just relative value. There's no fixed exchange rate or area of operation. Noney's worth as both art and currency is something to negotiate through each individual transaction - anywhere.


To find out about Noney, check out the Noney website There are stories about how people are spending their Noney (and you can add your own if you like!) You can also make a transaction proposal to get some of your own noney.