Gold and silver are naturally not money, but what is the understanding that money is naturally gold and silver?

"Gold and silver are naturally not money, and money is naturally gold and silver." When it comes to precious metal currency, it refers not only to gold and silver, but also to palladium and platinum. Because they are rare and easy to be preserved separately, humans have regarded them as universal equivalents since the end of primitive society and have continued to this day.

Although precious metals have many advantages as currency, human society is constantly developing, and all tools created by human beings are designed to bring more convenience and help to human life. After the feudal society in China, due to the progress and perfection of the country's politics, economy and culture, people found it cumbersome, difficult to carry and inconvenient to circulate as a currency.

In 1930s, precious metal currency gradually withdrew from the field of commodity circulation and entered the field of currency storage and collection. Gold and silver are not money in essence. At first, gold and silver were just ordinary commodities, with use value and value. They act as equivalents and universal equivalents in barter exchange, and finally obtain the exclusive right to act as universal equivalents by virtue of their own characteristics. ?

Money is a commodity with certain value, which is small in size, large in value, uniform in texture, easy to divide, not perishable, easy to preserve, easy to collect and carry, and easy to perform the functions of money.

Characteristics of money

1. Value scale: Value scale refers to money as a measure of the value of goods and services. Money is a measure, and the value of all goods and services in a unit can be expressed in money, which is the price;

2. Means of circulation: when money acts as a medium in commodity trading, it is a means of circulation, that is, money acts as a medium of exchange;

3. Value storage means: temporarily withdraw the currency in a static state from circulation and play the role of storage means. People are willing to save money, because money is the representative of general wealth, and money is wealth. The question is whether paper money without any real value can perform the function of storage means. It should be said that it is possible under the condition of stable currency value;

4. When money is unilaterally transferred as an independent value form, the means of payment can be realized. At this time, there is no opposite movement of goods in the same place at the same time (if there is, it is a means of circulation), and payment means can be implemented outside the commodity field, such as bank credit, taxation, wages, etc.