Frequently Asked Questions
What are Gaians?
Gaians are a private voluntary barter currency. They are represented by a one ounce .999 fine silver piece that has a community barter value of "fifty". This means a merchant is willing to exchange fifty dollars of goods or services for a Gaian.
How are Gaians placed in circulation?
Gaians are placed in circulation when citizens exchange federal dollars for a Gaian. Currently, you can contact our Community Exchange Coordinators and purchase Gaians. (link to CEC page)
How much does a Gaian cost?
A Gaian costs $45 but they provide you with $50 of purchasing power within the local economy that accepts Gaians. Purchases of over 10 Gaians, can get an additional discount.
Can I trade a Gaian in for a federal reserve dollar?
Many people will buy the Gaians from you for their silver content, but we prefer to keep our coins in circulation to support local trade and production. The value of the Gaians is presently much higher as a barter currency than just as a precious metal. Our organization will purchase Gaians from primary producers (locally owned businesses who are selling locally sourced products) in our area to provide stability and longevity to the currency.
How do I get my businees to accept Gaians?
Any business can voluntarily chose to accept Gaians. We encourage you to sign up in our network of barters so that we can bring you additional business and so that our community knows that you accept the Gaian. Unlike the majority of barter networks, there is no start-up or ongoing fees to join our network. In turn, you can save your cash for rent and spend your new silver on advertising and raw materials. We can also come and provide a presentation to employees and stakeholders to see if they would be interested in receiving Gaians as payment for wages and accounts payable.
How do I account for Gaians in my bookkeeping and taxes?
Most accountants will know how to create a seperate current asset (like a petty cash account) in your Quickbooks program or other accounting programs. You would account for Gaians like any other barter that you account for in your accounting and taxes.
Are Gaians legal?
As a private voluntary barter currency, Gaians are trading value for value within a community of merchants and citizens. Numerous other legal trading mechanisms exists of similar scope to the Gaians such as casino tokens, airline miles, gift certificates, etc. As long as the currency is not attempting to counterfeit U.S. Dollars or is making a claim as legal tender, there is no direct precedent against barter currencies.
How can I support my community and get involved with local currency?
Contact a Community Exchange Coordinator and obtain some Gaians at a discount to spend at a profit! Silver spent in our community is wealth that stays in our community and builds a resilient localy economy. We will offer trainings for Community Exchange Coordinators in the future. We forsee needing trained people to go into other communities to build local currencies where there are citizens who value a strong local-based economy.
How do I give change?
You can give change in US dollars, as store credit or elect not to give change. It is up to each individual barter member to decide how they wish to accept Gaians and when.
