From simple exchange systems in earliest times to the increasingly cashless society of today, this book presents an introduction to the history of money. With over 500 illustrations, it examines the origins, spread and the cultural diversity of monetary exchange throughout the world, viewed against a social and economic background. The book begins by tracing the growth and development of monetary systems, from the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt to the establishment of coinage in the Greek and Roman worlds. The next chapters develop a broader view, exploring the monetary systems of Europe during the Middle Ages, the Islamic world, India and China. The final part of the book focuses on the processes by which money has become a global phenomemon, with chapters looking at the expanding role of early modern Europe and the Americas and the introduction of paper money and banking, the effect of European contacts on the local payment systems of Africa and Oceania, and concludes with an examination of the increasing impact of economic thought on monetary affairs.