There were many reasons for the invention of standardized money. First, no one wanted to haul 30 pounds of barley to the trading town that might have been 100 miles away. Secondly, it was difficult to determine the real cost of different goods. For example, if someone wanted to buy milk for their family, it would be almost impossible to find a fair exchange for wheat. Finally, the barter system limited the number of people who traded with each other. Not everyone would like to buy milk or cereal. In summary, there were too many complications and inefficiencies in a barter-based economy. The ancients developed the concept of money around 2500 BC. Some historians argue that it may have been even earlier. The first form of