Oklahoma Goldback Release: A New Way to Hold Real Gold

When it comes to "alternative money" in Oklahoma, people think all sorts of things.

My oldest nephew, who has become quite the redneck, trades in a currency of wheels and tires he finds on Facebook Marketplace. My youngest converts school lunchroom cookies into cash - it's quite brilliant if a little seedy... He'll buy all the cookies he can with his school lunch account, then sell the cookies for cash to his classmates.

I've been known to use precious metals like lead and gunpowder as legal currency. Paid my plumber in a few boxes of 9mm last time he was here. Damn good deal all around.

I think most people are at least somewhat familiar with cryptocurrency, even if the most common belief about it in the Sooner State is not favorable at all. And then there's bullion. The most classic of alternative money consists of gold, silver, copper, or any number of valuable metals. I think a vast amount of Oklahomans have at least some sort of bullion kept safe somewhere.

It can be as simple as a little jewelry, a few gold or silver bars in a safe, or stripped copper wires and palladium catalytic converters in the trunk of a meth car, but everyone generally has something.

All that’s great if you don’t mind safes and storage units. But what if you could just carry your bullion in your back pocket??

Enter Goldbacks.

They’re not legal tender like the dollar, but plenty of places trade in Goldbacks.

Think of it as a dollar bill made out of ultra-thin sheets of real gold bullion. Each Goldback contains a precise fraction of a gram of gold, fused into a flexible note that is more easily traded than actual nuggets, rounds, and bars.

They may seem like Monopoly money, but if anything, they're a neat collectible that is now quietly growing in popularity across a handful of states.

Goldbacks have already rolled out in Utah, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Wyoming, each featuring localized artwork, and that’s the big appeal. They don’t just look like gold; they’re drawn up to reflect each state’s identity. They’re equal parts bullion, barter token, and collectible art.

And now, Oklahoma is next in line. Later this month, the Oklahoma Goldback will officially launch, but pre-orders are already live. The Oklahoma edition features artwork themed around the state’s heritage and landscape, and just like the others, they're made with actual 24-karat gold.

Will Oklahomans start buying groceries with these things? Probably not. Goldbacks are more of a hedge and conversation piece than a replacement for your debit card. Think of it like a modern $2 bill, but they do give everyday folks a way to hold small, fractional amounts of gold without breaking the bank.

A single Goldback note can contain as little as 1/1000th of an ounce of gold. It’s gold ownership that fits in your wallet, instead of a safe deposit box.

For Oklahoma, the release is more than just a novelty. It’s the Sooner State joining a few other independent-thinking, dare I say anti-government states, to buck the system with our own idea of personal wealth, art, and dip into precious metals for the everyday Okie.

Also, is someone getting filthy rich off of this?

Absolutely. It takes a considerable investment of cash to establish a Goldback in a state, so the investors do reap initial rewards, but as gold continues to grow in value, the idea is that you make it back by holding onto your own investment. Besides, it's sort of neat to give someone gold for Christmas at just $3 and some change.

So if you’ve ever wanted to tip with or simply gift literal gold, you have your chance. Oklahoma Goldbacks are available for pre-order now, but should be shipping by the end of the month.