Shetland was pawned in 1469 for 8000 Rheingulden, or florins of the rhein. The Forvik Gulde (FKG) is the modern equivalent. At 0.13 ounces of gold, it is the same value as the original Rheingulde. Unlike today's fiat currencies, which have no intrinsic value and depend on confidence to maintain their value, the Forvik Gulde is backed by the oldest and most trusted precious metal - gold.

Gold has always been the refuge in troubled times and as we see the economies of the world collapse around us, the price of gold continues to rise. Since its launch in July 2008, FKG has appreciated by over 50%, making it one of the strongest currencies in the world. Meanwhile all the major currencies have collapsed.

Maintaining a physical real currency is an expensive business because everything has to be backed by the same amount of physical metal in storage. There is still the cost of manufacturing coins and notes, so it is impractical for Forvik for the time being.

However, a virtual currency is a different matter. The Forvik ATM card backed by physical gold is now available. You can transfer your normal currency to it and be safe in the knowledge that your money now has real value. It's a very convenient way to safeguard your money without having to buy and store gold bars or coins.