Song setup for “THE COIN-FLIP BLUES”:
In order to create this song, I need to have some facts established first, and that’s what I’m doing now. Keep in mind that this is only speculation, and that I’m considering these facts with the sole purpose of writing a funny song.
Don’t take it too seriously — I sure don’t — when I write a funny song about current events, I always sort out the events and choose which facts I decide to include within the song format — for instance, it’s quite clear that I left out today’s headline news, the latest on the fires in Southern California.
It’s not just a question of good taste. I haven’t a hope to make any difference in the wildfires, but I might help someone who would otherwise be overwhelmed by currency exchange, which has been promised. We’re going to finance the national debt with cryptocurrency, and not just any crypto — Trump’s crypto which he’s going to force you to buy at his price, whatever that is.
So where are they going to keep all those electrons? At Fort Knox in the ai Department? Well, for better or for worse, I’ll share with you my thinking on the subject — which I didn’t invent out of whole cloth. I saw it on TV, there are videos about this, lots of them — I didn’t make this stuff up, and frankly, it’s none of my concern — just a subject for a funny song.
Currency Changes in U.S. History:
- 1929 Currency Redesign: The most notable instance of Americans having to exchange old currency for new came in 1929. The government issued smaller-sized bills (what we use today) to reduce printing costs and standardize designs. Before that, bills were larger and bulkier, often called “horse blanket notes.” While people were encouraged to use the new bills, older ones remained legal tender for some time.
- Gold Recall of 1933: During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration recalled gold coins, certificates, and bullion as part of a strategy to stabilize the economy. Citizens had to exchange gold for paper money, effectively ending gold-backed currency for public use.
- Confederate Money (Civil War Era): After the Civil War, Confederate currency became worthless, and Southern states had to transition back to U.S. dollars. However, this wasn’t a federal currency swap but rather a socio-political shift.
- Other Coinage Changes: Coins themselves have undergone redesigns many times, but outright exchanges were rare. Silver certificates, for instance, were gradually phased out in the 1960s.
Speculation on “Trump Currency”:
The idea of someone putting their own name or face on U.S. currency is unprecedented for living figures, but we haven’t been here before, not like this, where the President is all ego, and willing to break all norms for the sake of his personal pride.
Does he even have the slightest idea of how ugly he is?
Typically, only deceased, historically significant figures are featured on coins and bills, like Washington, Franklin, Kennedy, or Lincoln. However, the shift toward personalized or politicized currency could happen, given the degree of narcissism that Trump exhibits daily.
If Trump sees himself as a sort of modern Roman emperor, he’d likely revel in the symbolism of having his face on currency. It’s an ancient power move that’s steeped in the history of empires, starting with the Romans who stamped their emperors’ likenesses on coins as a sign of dominion and legacy.
Historically, this act signaled authority and control over a nation’s economic system, and in Trump’s case, it would fit with his penchant for branding everything with his name and image. Coins and bills with his likeness could be his ultimate declaration of self-perceived imperial status.
“How many Trumps for that sweater?” a customer might inquire. That would mean millions of people uttering his name pretty much around the clock, which is his whole aim in life.
Well, that and having his picture plastered all over the planet, including Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal.
Can’t say you weren’t warned.
Whether or not it’s plausible that he’ll have his face put on all the money depends on how far his influence extends and whether others are willing to enable such a move, but if you think about it, that’s the ultimate way he can be worshipped every day by everyone who handles currency transactions, even at the grocery store.
Oh, I just invented the word “grocery”.
Trump dollars would shatter longstanding norms about U.S. currency being non-partisan and a reflection of national history, not personal politics. But as you know, norms and precedents don’t seem to deter him much.
If this became a reality, the cultural backlash would be enormous—half the country would see it as grotesque self-aggrandizement, while his supporters would likely hail it as a fitting tribute. Either way, it’s an emperor’s play, and we can easily see that parallel. It’s the kind of bold, polarizing act that defines both his brand and the power dynamics around him.
It’s a sharp, dystopian but horribly plausible future scenario, with how these dynamics could play out, when the promised currency manipulation happens, and it will somehow happen — we can be sure of that.
When governments mandate currency exchanges, people with means or foresight often hedge against losing value in unconventional ways, and history offers clues about what might happen.
I thought I’d share those thoughts with you:
What to do in a Forced Currency Swap:
- Commodities & Durable Goods:
- Historically, people turn to tangible, usable items when fiat currencies lose stability. Think wartime Europe, where chocolate, cigarettes, and nylons became informal currencies because they had intrinsic, immediate value.
- Non-perishable food items, liquor, toilet paper and fuel also rank high as “barter-ready” goods.
- Hard Assets Like Real Estate:
- Even if currency fluctuates, owning property tends to preserve wealth because land and buildings have inherent use and value, unless you’re kicked off your land by someone with the power to do just that.
- Crypto assets would likely have little sway in this sector—real estate is always much more valuable, unless the government seizes it outright under Eminent Domain, which is a real possibility.
- Precious Metals:
- Gold and silver have been traditional safe havens, but governments can tamper with their value through taxation, regulation, or outright manipulation, like Roosevelt’s gold confiscation in 1933.
- If metals are undermined, alternative assets like platinum, rhodium, or even rare collectible items might emerge as storehouses of value — it worked before and it will definitely work again, when the time comes.
- No point in hoarding silver and gold — their value won’t be recognized, and a gold or silver piece can easily be faked, even more so these days.
- Cryptocurrency:
- Crypto could spike in a forced-currency scenario, but it’s vulnerable to centralized control. If Trump were to push his own crypto, it might benefit his allies, but face skepticism from a wider base. Decentralized, well-established cryptos like Bitcoin might see a parallel rise as a counterweight to authoritarian currency, or it may be outlawed to prevent competition.
- Art, Antiques, and Collectibles:
- Historically, items like fine art, ancient coins, and rare collectibles hold value in times of upheaval because they’re outside standard markets. These could become an elite’s version of barter currency, but the items need to be really important, historical pieces — not your typical art gallery where they give away stuff and sell the frame and framing.
- Essential Skills & Tools:
- Beyond objects are skills — like carpentry, farming, roofing, plumbing, or repair work have high value in barter economies. Tools, seeds, and repair materials could gain similar traction.
- Small, Portable Trade Goods:
- Jewelry, precious stones, and even things like a rare U.S. penny that looks like just any old penny but is extremely valuable, can serve as a compact store of value that can be moved or traded easily, particularly if it doesn’t glint of gold.
“The Trump Effect” on Currency & Economy:
If Trump pushes his own branded crypto while sabotaging other assets, the regular public — the infamous “hoi polloi” — might be forced into barter economies, trading household goods for day-to-day survival. That would push people to hoard essential goods now, much like during wartime rationing, with dried meats, chocolate and coffee having a high value.
Hedging Against This Future:
- Stockpile Tangibles: Items like food, water, and basic necessities are the backbone of barter systems.
- Diversify Holdings: Split between real estate, metals, and decentralized cryptocurrencies to minimize exposure to governmental monetary tampering.
- Network Locally: Barter economies thrive on trust. Building local community connections now could pay off in a pinch.
- Keep Small Bills: If larger denominations are invalidated, small value cash such as singles, fives, tens and twenties often survive as usable, black-market tender, but don’t count on silver coins — to most folks, all silver-colored coins are silver. Leave your heavy silver coins behind. You might as well have an ordinary roll of quarters — believe me, nobody will know the difference between silver-colored zinc and solid high-grade silver.
The idea that there will be a change in our currency has fascinating layers of truth and historical precedent. If Trump truly pushes a Roman emperor’s agenda, he’s likely to also disrupt all traditional wealth structures to favor his own branding.
Time to prep, just in case!
Now we’re peeling back the layers of the real game—control, surveillance, and power disguised as “monetary reform.” If a government enforces a currency exchange with strict deadlines, it’s a perfect opportunity to flush out hidden wealth, including that proverbial “mattress money.” Here’s how and why that could play out:
The Hidden Motive: Unearthing Private Stashes
- Force Everyone Into the System:
- A mandatory currency exchange eliminates off-grid cash hoards, compelling people to trade their old bills at banks, where the government can monitor transactions.
- Any large, unexplained deposits trigger red flags for audits, taxes, or investigations. It’s a way to track hidden wealth without overtly saying, “We’re hunting your stash.”
- Crackdown on Illicit Economies:
- Governments often justify these moves by claiming they’re fighting money laundering, tax evasion, or criminal networks.
- In reality, it’s a massive data-gathering operation, snaring even law-abiding citizens who just didn’t trust the banks or the government.
- Expanding Digital Control:
- The ultimate aim might not just be flushing out physical cash but pushing people toward traceable digital currencies. If everyone’s money exists in digital form, it’s far easier to monitor, tax, or even confiscate.
Why This Timing?
- Discover Political Opponents’ Wealth: Knowing who has hidden resources could undermine opposition forces.
- Consolidate Wealth: Forcing cash into the banking system could favor financial institutions tied to loyalists or cronies.
- Push a Controlled Digital Economy: Introducing a Trump crypto or branded digital dollar could cement control over every financial transaction, forcing reliance on his system.
The Real Risks for Citizens
- Privacy Loss:
- The move essentially exposes private savings and forces people into a monitored financial framework.
- Once cash is turned in, it’s nearly impossible to reclaim anonymity in transactions.
- Taxation Trap:
- Any deposits beyond a modest threshold could be flagged for back taxes, penalties, or fines.
- People with generational savings (in cash form) could be wiped out if they can’t justify their holdings.
- Unfair Currency Exchange Rates:
- If the exchange devalues old money, those who couldn’t deposit it in time might lose purchasing power.
How to Prepare Yourself
- Diversify Storage: Don’t keep all wealth in physical cash. Consider spreading it among:
- Commodities (metals, food, goods).
- Small, portable valuables (jewelry, art).
- Cryptocurrencies (decentralized ones like Bitcoin).
- Anticipate Reporting Thresholds: Governments often set a limit — I think it’s $10,000 — where deposits trigger scrutiny. For safety’s sake, you want that limit in there!
- Pre-Position Wealth:
- Move cash into trusted investments ahead of time, such as precious metals, real estate, high-end jewelry, or Roman Marble statues. By the way, expensive jewelry won’t necessarily hold value, but a car that was provably owned and driven by Elvis Presley will.
- Hold small denominations of cash for emergencies, and definitely avoid large stockpiles. Cash will not buy you anything, when it comes down on us, and it will.
- Build Community Trust:
- In barter economies, relationships are currency. Strong local networks make trading easier if official money becomes unusable or overly controlled.
Why This Might Be the Point
A move like this isn’t just about the money—it’s about consolidating power:
- Economic Surveillance: The government wants to know exactly who has what and who votes what way and who donates money to the right candidates.
- Behavioral Control: Once all money is traceable, dissenters can be silenced by freezing accounts or manipulating financial access or both.
- Power Redistribution: Wealth often shifts upwards during currency resets, with the elite gaining even more control than they already had.
If my hunch is right and the upcoming currency manipulation and crypto reliance is a financial Trojan horse for financial control, then the best defense is preparation. Hoard nothing, but keep handy those items that matter to people, stay flexible, and keep an eye on where the winds are blowing.
History’s greatest empires have all tried this play before, right out of the Roman Empire Playbook, and it looks as if they’re bound and determined to have your money AND your life, and that’s why I decided to write this song, so we can at least save your money.
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The Coin-Flip Blues
[Verse 1]
They printed his face on the bills,
It gave us the bloody chills.
But the bankers play a loaded game,
The house always wins and the rules don’t change.
From gold to green, now digital streams,
They tell me it’s progress, but it’s just an old scheme.
[Chorus]
It’s the flip of a coin, a digital trick,
From cash to code, the clock ticks quick.
Manipulation’s the name of the game,
They hold the dice, we take the blame.
[Verse 2]
They said, “Crypto’s the future, trust the chain,”
But behind the screen, it’s just the same.
A Trojan horse with a golden crest,
Sells us dreams while they raid the chest.
Your mattress stash? Better spend it fast,
Tomorrow’s currency might not last.
[Bridge]
The blockchain’s buzzing, the algorithms hum,
Big Brother’s laughing, their empire’s just begun.
Every wallet is traceable, every move tracked,
What’s the price of freedom, if we can’t turn our backs?
[Chorus]
It’s the flip of a coin, a digital trick,
From cash to code, the clock ticks quick.
Manipulation’s the name of the game,
They hold the dice, we take the blame.
[Verse 3]
From the empire’s playbook, they wrote the plan,
A new crypto Caesar with bright golden brand.
They’ll tax all your thoughts, they’ll track all your dreams,
The new economy’s waiting to burst at the seams.
So trade your chocolate, your whiskey, your socks,
When the banks fall silent, the barter clock talks.
[Outro]
It’s all currency, in a world of lies,
A system built to hypnotize.
But the people all know that this is a scam,
We’ll trade in the truth for a half pound of ham.
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Anyhow, I wanted you to see the routine and break down the songwriting mechanics on a song like this, which is supposed to be a funny song for a Broadway show.
You’ll find this song in the “EJGoldGuru’s Broadway” show tunes album, and I’ll be playing that very song this morning, at our zoom meeting.
Meanwhile, enjoy this tour:
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Here’s something I didn’t know, and maybe you didn’t either. Interesting, eh???
See You At The Top!!!
gorby