NEW COLLECTIBLE FOR NUMISMATISTS

Some communities are printing their own "money" to encourage shopping. The special money is sold at a discount but can be spent for full value. Cities in Michigan, New York, North Carolina, and Massachusetts are trying this to encourage folks to buy from local stores. It's an idea first tried in the Great Depression. Although the bills cannot look like federal money or claim to be "legal tender," they interest collectors who specialize in alternative types of money--like wooden nickels or even trade beads.