Making money IN the past.
February 14, 2006 11:49 AM Subscribe
So, I've built this time machine...
and I want to go back into the past, and make as much money as I can. I was thinking maybe 19th century real estate. Anyway, my question is this: is it easy to counterfeit 19th century American (or foreign) cash? Would it be easier to buy it currently, and take it back and spend it? What about Confederate currency -- I've heard that it's practically worthless now, but would I be better off buying it or counterfeiting it? Can a quality laser printer from today make passable bills from earlier eras?
Hypothetically, of course. Please ignore any time paradoxes caused by transporting money backwards in time.
and I want to go back into the past, and make as much money as I can. I was thinking maybe 19th century real estate. Anyway, my question is this: is it easy to counterfeit 19th century American (or foreign) cash? Would it be easier to buy it currently, and take it back and spend it? What about Confederate currency -- I've heard that it's practically worthless now, but would I be better off buying it or counterfeiting it? Can a quality laser printer from today make passable bills from earlier eras?
Hypothetically, of course. Please ignore any time paradoxes caused by transporting money backwards in time.
This post was deleted for the following reason: ask me is not for hypothetical time machine problems
paradoxes caused by transporting money backwards in time
At *last* we now know the true cause of inflation.
posted by meehawl at 11:55 AM on February 14, 2006
At *last* we now know the true cause of inflation.
posted by meehawl at 11:55 AM on February 14, 2006
Your biggest problem is going to be finding paper that seems realistic. With a good laser printer and a decent scanner / digital camera with copy stand / etc. you should be able to print fairly realistic bills, but the paper is going to be hard to come by.
Does this time machine allow you to transport gold? Because that'd probably be the best way to transport money. That, or maybe valuable, modern cut gems.
Another thing to do would be to become an inventor. You'll have to bootstrap yourself up to electrical generators and whatnot, but you could easily become a pre-Edison. Make sure to get patents.
See, next week, when you get a chance to post another question, you should post pretty much the same question, but say that it's for your neice who would like ideas for this paper that she's trying to write for history, or something. As it is, this question is going to end up getting deleted because it'll be seen as "chatty."
posted by bshort at 11:59 AM on February 14, 2006
Does this time machine allow you to transport gold? Because that'd probably be the best way to transport money. That, or maybe valuable, modern cut gems.
Another thing to do would be to become an inventor. You'll have to bootstrap yourself up to electrical generators and whatnot, but you could easily become a pre-Edison. Make sure to get patents.
See, next week, when you get a chance to post another question, you should post pretty much the same question, but say that it's for your neice who would like ideas for this paper that she's trying to write for history, or something. As it is, this question is going to end up getting deleted because it'll be seen as "chatty."
posted by bshort at 11:59 AM on February 14, 2006
There was a sitcom in the UK which covered this called Goodnight Sweetheart where the main character discovered a portal to and from the East End in World War II. He got his friend, a print and repro guy, to create fake £5 notes (known as 'white fivers').
I'd suggest, however, that counterfeiting would be significantly easier (and cheaper) than buying it, if only for the quantity.
posted by wackybrit at 11:59 AM on February 14, 2006
I'd suggest, however, that counterfeiting would be significantly easier (and cheaper) than buying it, if only for the quantity.
posted by wackybrit at 11:59 AM on February 14, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
Then you wouldn't have to worry about 19th-Century medicine, or strangers shooting you because of your weird attitudes about darkies and bum-boys and such.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:54 AM on February 14, 2006