> If you follow the history of currency from a piece of gold of unknown purity, to gold coins produced by governments, to the establishment of central banks, to

> If you follow the history of currency from a piece of gold of unknown purity, to gold coins produced by governments, to the establishment of central banks, to outlawing privately issued banknotes, to fiat currencies... You trust governments way to much. Especially here "... from a piece of gold of unknown purity, to gold coins produced by governments". If nothing else, because governments in general were (and still are) famous for debasing the currency, not for keeping it honest. The story of taler coin is telling in this regard. It was just a coin issued by a specific mint, which win international recognition through competition with currencies produced by other mints. So.. not even close.