Commemorating a milestone in primate numismatics

Abstract

Cash currency is a deeply symbolic instrument of commerce. It holds value, of course, but the face value of a given coin or banknote far exceeds its intrinsic (commodity) value. Money today is a representation––the value is determined by fiat by an issuing authority, usually a central bank or government. It is also a medium for spreading nationalist imagery, a platform for producing, affirming, and communicating the values that shape national identities. Cash creates as much as it reflects icons of social and cultural importance. This dual function of cash produces a curious ontological tension––the embodiment of different value systems, each symbolic–– that can be used in the service of primate conservation. Exemplifying this potential is the Brazilian 20-real bank- note issued in 2002 by the Central Bank of Brazil (Banco Central do Brasil, BCB). Twenty years later, it is a milestone that invites commemoration and reflection.