The Tally Stick: A non-precious-metal form of money

Did you ever wonder where the phrase "short end of the stick" came from ?

Read PDF HERE to find the origin and more .

" Internal control was implemented by splitting the tally stick lengthwise through the notches, leaving one half of the notches on each piece. Each party to a transaction kept one half of each tally stick, and the accounts were audited by fitting the two pieces together to determine if they would “tally.”

...Since tally sticks could be used to pay the taxes imposed by the king, he created a demand for tally sticks."
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Understanding the tally stick helps bring the idea of money into focus by presenting a primitive model easy for anyone to understand. No electricity is required. No fancy accounting methods or advanced degrees in accounting. No calculator. Just match up the ends of the stick.

Tally sticks demonstrate that precious metals are not necessary for a money system, although the intrinsic value of certain metals, like gold or silver, make them inherently useful for the purpose of providing a means of exchange. I've heard people say that gold isn't worth this or gold isn't worth that. My only answer is that King Tut's mask was worth a fortune when they buried it in the vault - and it is worth a fortune now. And I'm just talking about scrap value. This is also true for any gold coin - it is still worth metal value - regardless of the denomination stamped on the coin itself.

The tally stick system serves as a reminder that reliable and honest monetary systems independent of precious metals can and have worked. The question really is: For whom is the monetary system of our country designed to benefit? A system can be designed to benefit We the People or a system can be designed to rob We the People. Both are possible. Which do we have now?

It seems that we are accelerating toward the day when we will face our financial mess - whether we like it or not. The more the public understands the money and banking issue - and that there are selfish people manipulating our money system for personal gain rather than the public good- the easier will be the transition to a new model that will benefit We the People.

Forget auditing the Federal Reserve - it needs to be exposed and abolished. A new system must be set up that provides a means of exchange that will elevate us above the need for pure barter, provide a means to store wealth, that is transparent, understandable to all, and capable of audit by means understandable everyone.

Until our banking system is fixed we will wallow in misery. We will stay on our treadmill of debt sending the fruits of our labor to faceless bankers - all the while enabling the mass murderers that depend on this fraudulent system to continue their bloody adventures confiscating the natural resources of those unable to defend themselves against military powers that rely on our fractional reserve banking system.
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Bonus Video: G. Edward Griffin on the origins of the Federal Reserve Bank. If you haven't taken the time to watch this well-delivered presentation - please do. His presentation is a gift: an easy way to understand in detail a very complicated subject.

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*pic from http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/images/museum/enlarge/6.jpg