Gold has replaced every fiat currency for the past 3000 years.
A fiat currency is something that has value "because a market says it has".
That's why I say it is a fiat currency.
It is all too simple, and fiat currencies always fail.
A constitutional amendment prohibited further government issues of fiat currency after 1909.
There is a very good reason why fiat currencies have historically never lasted longer than 50 years.
Gold i think will go to at least $2000 this year as the fiat currencies begin to die and inflation takes hold.
However, open market operations could be used to keep the value of a fiat currency constant relative to gold.
In its place, the Japanese issued several series of fiat currency.
Asian people however do have better understanding, due to a more cultural suspicion against government and (their management of) fiat currency.