The Origin of Paper Money

Centuries ago in China, carrying money was a heavy workout. Merchants had to

haul huge strings of iron coins just to buy basic goods. By the Tang

Dynasty, they invented Flying Cash, which were paper receipts for metal

deposits. But in the 11th century, the Song Dynasty issued Jiaozi,

the first official paper currency. It was light, foldable, and backed by

the empire’s vast reserves of gold and silk. Years later, Marco Polo returned

to Europe, stunned that people traded worthless paper for gems. Today,

we swipe cards and tap screens, but it all started with a simple slip of