Who Invented the paper Money after Gold are proved too heavy to carry around?
The Chinese invented paper money at the end of the eighth or beginning of the ninth century AD. Its original name was ‘flying money’ because it was so light and could blow out of one’s hand. The first paper money was, strictly speaking, a draft rather than real money. A merchant could deposit his cash in the capital, receiving a paper certificate which he could then exchange for cash in the provinces. This private merchant enterprise was quickly taken over by the government in 812. The technique was then used for the forwarding of local taxes and revenues to the capital. Paper ‘exchange certificates’ were also in use. These were issued by government officials in the capital and were redeemable elsewhere in commodities such as salt and tea.