In roughly 1976 or '77 by the time the Briarpatch had grown to a large number of businesses, 600+, the strange thought occurred to me that we could have our own currency. Most briars would have been happy to use a currency that promoted interaction among their fellow businesses that had common values (openness, honesty and cooperation.)
I actually commissioned a graphic arts studio to design a currency. I decided to call the currency ‘Briarpatch Dreams’. I picked this name on the assumption that any federal agency that decided to persecute us would be embarrassed to be persecuting ‘dreams’.
I also went so far as to figure out how to avoid forgery. As was consistent with the values of that era, I settled on handmade exotic paper.
I went to a remote village between Kyoto and the North Sea to have specially designed mulberry paper made. I ordered 500 sheets with gold thread through it at regular intervals. On the right is a photo of the roll of 500 sheets that I still have (the gold threads are sticking out).
My plan was to have a location where anyone could buy the Dreams in denominations from one to 50. The location would also redeem the Dreams in dollars. We would also provide a list of the Briar businesses.
I have no doubt the system would have worked and been very pleasing to the Briarpatch members.
I also have no doubt that the idea would have attracted a great deal of attention.
As I thought about actually beginning the operation, I realized I would have to be the banker and manage the banking function. The profit of the operation would come from all the currency that is never redeemed. It could have been a large sum.
I realized, I had already been a banker and had no interest in doing it again.