
What is the gold standard?
From Million Bazillion by Marketplace
May 19, 2026 · 31 min · Season 10 · Episode 5
About this episode
Bridget and Ryan explore the history of money and the concept of the gold standard in front of a live audience of kids and families.
In this episode, Bridget and Ryan travel through the history of money in front of a live audience of kids and families (for real!) to answer Sofia’s big question: What is the gold standard? Together, they explore this old money rule, how paper money became a thing, and why no countries in the world – not a single one – use gold to back their money anymore. This episode was performed as part of WBUR’s Podcast Playdate festival for kids in Boston. It was one of the most fun experiences we’ve ever had on the show. We loved seeing so many of you in the audience, hearing your reactions in real time and getting to meet you in person. Thank you to everyone who came out. We can’t wait to go back next year! If your family is interested in learning even more about today’s question, check out our website. We’ve got conversation starters and a tip sheet! Love the show? You can help make it happen. Donate what you can at marketplace.org/givemillion
People in this episode
Hosts: Bridget, Ryan
Topics covered
- gold standard
- history of money
- paper money
- live audience
- kids education
Keywords
- gold standard
- money history
- paper money
- kids podcast
- family education
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: WBUR
Places: Boston
More episodes of Million Bazillion
- Introducing "The Midnight Rebellion": which climate path would you take? · June 10, 2026 · 19 min
- What’s the difference between capitalism, socialism, and communism? · June 9, 2026 · 33 min
- How do athletes get paid? · June 2, 2026 · 32 min
- What if there was only one currency in the whole world? · May 28, 2026 · 10 min
- How does a company buy another company? · May 26, 2026 · 34 min
- Why is there so much gold at Fort Knox? · May 12, 2026 · 27 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Million Bazillion podcast page.