Written in the late 19th century, Honest Money is a clear, argumentative primer on what money is, how it gets its value, and what happens when a society's currency system becomes unstable or politically manipulated. Arthur Isaac Fonda walks the reader from first principles-value, standards of value, and the basic functions of money-into the practical disputes of his era: coin versus paper, the effects of changing supply, and the real-world consequences for wages, prices, savings, and trust. Fonda's central idea is simple and demanding: a monetary system should be honest-meaning understandable, consistent, and resistant to schemes that quietly transfer wealth through inflation, distortion, or confusion. Part economics lesson, part reform-minded critique, the book reads like a debate meant for citizens, not just specialists-urging readers to see money not as magic, but as a social tool whose design shapes everyday life.