What are the main features or characteristics of money?
Characteristics of money
- Acceptable across board
One of the characteristics of money is that it must be accepted by most people in exchange for goods and services. This can only happen when people are confident that it is what it is being called, money. In other words, if one takes money of any kind to pay for goods and service, the person who is being paid must have the confidence in the money that is being used to pay him.
- It must be portable
Another feature of money is that it must be portable. Portability only refers to the ability to easily carry the money from one location to another. Normally, money is expected to be light weight. Imagine the weight of a money bill. Carrying that money should not burden the carrier.
- It must be divisible
Another feature is that money must be easy to divide. In other words, it must be divisible into smaller amounts or units. For example, one, two, five, ten, twenty and fifty cedis in Ghana, in addition to the coins which are in five, ten, twenty and fifty pesewas. We also have different denominations of the Naira or dollar. This way, it should be easy to buy things in whatever quantum or number one decides to.
- Money must be durable
Another feature of money is that it must be durable. Durability refers to the fact that the money must last for as long as is necessary. In fact, it must outlast by far, the amount of money that was spent in printing or minting it. The modern paper money is made with such special materials as to make it not only very light but also to last very long.
- It must look the same
Another feature is that money must be the same, not similar. It must be the exact replica of any money of the same denomination, in terms of size, weight and look. In fact, symmetrically similar so that one particular denomination of money must be the same as the other.
- It must be easy to identify
Another feature of money is that it must be easy to identify by everybody. Everybody who looks at a 1000 Naira bill must be certain that this is a genuine 1000 Naira bill.
