Isseks: the Federation Currancy

[The Yosemite Bear]

Like many other I am getting tired of everyone going on and on about how the Federation has no Money. Well from the wonders of the TOS and DS9 we do have evidence of using money.

It's the Orion's Money, It's called Isseks, or Orion Credits. It's officially used by the Federation for trade with other nation states (Source DS9), Isseks were also mentioned during the animated series, the TOS era books, and the now retconned manuals.

Being the currancy of the outlaws of the Federation, it is also useful for expiditing things within any beuracracy, and for getting Contriband items (Romulon Ale, or real meat anyone)

[Ryoga]

Gee, you don't think the fact that it's mostly used by outlaws would have anything to do with it, wouldja?

[The Yosemite Bear]

Well, since it is also still used for foriegn trade (The Romulon, Klingon, & Cardassian Governments accpet Isseks), I guess this would be like the Russian Mafia having their own currancy, and the Soviet Government usinging it.

[Uraniun235]

It's the Orion's Money, It's called Isseks, or Orion Credits. It's officially used by the Federation for trade with other nation states (Source DS9), Isseks were also mentioned during the animated series, the TOS era books, and the now retconned manuals.

Then why weren't they mentioned during trade negotiations with the people that owned the "first stable" wormhole in TNG?

[The Yosemite Bear]

Because they were forgotten (Except for the Federation's Guide to Planets) during the Next Generation Era, until they reappeared during the first or second season of DS9.

[Enola Straight]

I thought "isseks" were Bajoran money.

[Vympel]

Money is irrelevant to any Federation-is-communist-debate. People trying to refute this invariably come up with some ridiculous strawman version of communism where there's no money or something.

[beyond hope]

Uh, the Federation uses the currency of the Orion crime syndicate for money and this is a good thing?!

This would be roughly analogous to the US using cocaine as a barter item in foreign deals <insert CIA joke here>

[Exonerate]

I remember there was a ST movie where Kirk traveled back to Modern Era San Francisco. He specifically stated that the Federation had no currency.

[TheDarkling]

Main Entry: cur·ren·cy
Pronunciation: 'k&r-&n(t)-sE, 'k&-r&n(t)-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -cies
Date: 1699
1 a : circulation as a medium of exchange b : general use, acceptance, or prevalence c : the quality or state of being current : CURRENTNESS
2 a : something (as coins, treasury notes, and banknotes) that is in circulation as a medium of exchange b : paper money in circulation c : a common article for bartering d : a medium of verbal or intellectual expression

Extracts from VGR "The Gift"

Janeway: Ah! Tuvok's meditation lamp! I was with him when he got it, six years ago, from a Vulcan master - who doubled the price when he saw our Starfleet insignias.

They do have a currency because obviously goods are exchanged they probably don't use money in physical form and instead use some sort of credits.

However what was actually said was

From ST4
KIRK
Damn, they're still using money.
We're going to need some.
...
GILLIAN
Don't' tell me: they don't have
money in the 23rd Century.

KIRK
Well, we don't.


beyond hope: I was reading that last line and the CIA poped into my head, then I finished it spoiled my fun.

[beyond hope]

Heh... I call them the Cocaine Importation Agency

My theory on the Feddies and money is this: they've been using electronic money for so long that it's ceased to have any reality to them as "money." You can see the same syndrome at work in the US with credit cards. I figure the system was still somewhat new during TOS, new enough that people still thought in terms of money. By TNG, they've been using credits for so long that the connection to "money" has been lost entirely.