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Space Money Invented For Space Tourists

An anonymous reader writes "The foreign exchange company Travelex has invented a unit of currency designed to be used in space commerce, the Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination (QUID). The QUID is made of a space-qualified plastic, with round edges to prevent injuries in zero gravity. One QUID is equivalent to about 6.25 pounds, 12.50 dollars or 8.68 Euros. Of course, space currencies are already a staple of science fiction, with 'credits' being the most popular."

20 of 296 comments (clear)

  1. Problem? by le0p · · Score: 5, Funny

    Solution: Problem, where are you?

    --
    "I think that God in creating Man somewhat overestimated his ability."-Oscar Wilde
    1. Re:Problem? by Chris+Burke · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yeah, no kidding. And besides, I had to read the title like 5 times before I stopped parsing it as "Space MONKEY invented for Space Tourists", and while I didn't know how one "invents" a monkey, I did think this would be a great thing that space tourists would greatly appreciate.

      But just some money? Sounds more like gift shop tokens. If you can't use QUIDs to buy a Space Monkey, then I predict they will fail.

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
  2. local slang by User+956 · · Score: 5, Funny

    One QUID is equivalent to about 6.25 pounds

    So it's 6 quid per QUID? That sounds confusing.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  3. Bah. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Everyone knows the only true space money is the Interstellar Kredit. Go go ISK!

  4. Re:Round edges.... by icebrain · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Paper's flammable (or at least, easier to light than plastic).

    My question is: how do you fight counterfeiters with plastic money? Seems like it would be relatively easy to fake, compared to metal or newer paper currencies?

    --
    The meek may inherit the earth, but the strong shall take the stars.
  5. Re:Money is a sign of poverty. by User+956 · · Score: 5, Funny

    The presence of currency means the scarcity problem hasn't been solved by the civilisation, which means they are poor primitives not worth the bother of Contacting.

    And they probably don't have cool matching jumpsuits, either.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  6. Re:Round edges.... by jimstapleton · · Score: 4, Informative

    That's one of his many errors, to my knowledge, I've yet to see a coin with a sharp edge. At least, not in the US.

    What kind of crack is the guy who said coins have sharp edges smoking? Or is their some country where they do have sharp-edged coins.

    Another? Oh, as for credit. There are these things called "bar codes" - believe it or not, they are not magnetic!

    --
    34486853790
    Connection too slow for X forwarding? Try "ssh -CX user@host"
  7. Re:Round edges.... by Anonymous+Crowhead · · Score: 5, Funny

    My question is: how do you fight counterfeiters with plastic money? Seems like it would be relatively easy to fake, compared to metal or newer paper currencies?

    Just wait. In a few months, there will be an article about how there are RFIDs in each QUID and the Slashbots will go apeshit.

  8. Credits by east+coast · · Score: 4, Funny

    I sold some slaves to the Lesti system not too long ago for 98.2 credits per tonne. I'm now rated as a fugative and your QUIDs are worthless to me since they're only good in the Sol system.

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
  9. Re:Money is a sign of poverty. by Applekid · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, in other words...

    1) Solve scarcity
    2) ???
    3) Not profit?

    I'm unsettled by this. Excuse me while go have my lobes stroked.

    --
    More Twoson than Cupertino
  10. Monetary Units: None by hitchhacker · · Score: 5, Funny

    In fact there are three freely convertible currencies in the Galaxy, but none of them count. The Altarian Dollar has recently collapsed, the Flainian Pobble Bead is only exchangeable for other Flainian Pobble Beads, and the Triganic Pu has its own very special problems. It exchange rate of eight Ningis to one Pu is simple enough, but since Ningi is a triangular rubber coin six thousand eight hundred miles along each side, no one has ever collected enough to own one Pu. Nigis are not negotiable currency, because Galactibanks refuse to deal in fiddling small change. From this basic premise it is very simple to prove that the Galactibanks are also the product of a deranged imagination.

    -metric

  11. Re:Round edges.... by rubycodez · · Score: 4, Funny

    the main problem with the space wire transfers is that every three to four days the wires get all wound up around the equator and if someone forgets to unwind and untangle them and fling the slack back out sometimes they'll even yank out the other end at the space stations. But there's another invention in the pipe called "space wireless" that'll help alot, traffic congestion can be avoided as long as everyone remembers to not just leave the defaults at "space lynksys" and "galactic channel 6".

  12. Stupid Tags by pembo13 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can we remove the tagging system? Or moderate the people who put the idiotic tags?

    --
    "Thanks for all the money you paid to us. We've used it to buy off ISO among other things" -Microsoft
    1. Re:Stupid Tags by chuck · · Score: 4, Informative

      User prefs. I haven't seen a tag since two days after they were introduced.

  13. Re:Goddamnit by BobGregg · · Score: 5, Funny

    >>Why not "credit"?!?

    Because it isn't a cool acronym. Cool acronyms always make things cooler. Just look at what "AJAX" did for - uh, AJAX.

    Easily remedied though:

    CALCULATED
    RATE of
    EXCHANGE
    DENOMINATION for
    INTERPLANETARY
    TRAVELERS

    There - CREDIT. That oughtta just about do it. Lot better than QUID, to be sure...

  14. The Future Is Still Money?! by kitsunewarlock · · Score: 5, Funny

    Psh. I was hoping we could exchange goods and services with things like youtube external links, myspace mass friend invites and wikipedia article additions...

    While I'm at it:

    Spacesuits: $1,200 each.
    Oxygen recharge: $3.22 per gallon.
    Farting in your space suit while you and your cheap-ass buddy share an airtank; priceless.

    There's somethings your national currency can't buy. For everything else, there's QUIDS.

    --
    Ginga no Rekshiya Mata Each page.
  15. Re:Goddamnit by Krupuk · · Score: 5, Funny

    A science fiction term needs the word "space" somewhere in there.

    What about "Space Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination"?

  16. Re:Round edges.... by CastrTroy · · Score: 4, Informative

    Many countries actually use plastic money. I'm pretty sure it's harder to counterfeit than traditional paper money.

    --

    Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  17. Urgent Space Request by neapolitan · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dear Sir:

    Greetings from the Highest General of the Counsel of Intergalactic Planetary Commerce Exchange. I am Sir Zaphod Centauri, esteemed chairman of the Counsel of Planets. I have a business proposal for you that may be of most benefit to both of us. Forgive me for contacting you over subspace, but Colonel Zimrohn expressed you will be reliable, and I ask you to hold this in utmost confidence.

    On Stardate 92714.3, the King of the United Saturnalia perished unexpectedly in a teleportation tragedy. He left in our accounts sum of NINETY-TWO TRILLION SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHT BILLION Quasi Universal Intergalactic Demoniations (QUID) which can not be accessed except by a native of the Milky Way. As of now this money sits unclaimed in our starbank.

    I would like you to act as Earth fiduciary for this money. Please send your STARBANK number via encrypted link to me so that I may transfer this QUID to you. As agent for this transaction you will receive 10% of QUID in your account.

    Please contact me at your most urgent communication, only over encrypted subspace link.

    Yours sincerely,

    Zaphod Centauri

    --
    Slashdotter, ID #101. UIDs are in binary, right?
    1. Re:Urgent Space Request by Mr.+Underbridge · · Score: 4, Funny

      Don't have an account myself, but I know an Englishman who might find your offer interesting. Name's Arthur - good chap but a little daft. Haven't seen him for ages myself; living in a cave last I saw. Not sure what his liquidity situation is.

      Regards,
      Ford