SCARCE: The general condition indicating that a good or resource is limited relative to the what people want. In terms of ALL resources and goods throughout society, the related term scarcity is used. Being scarce is what makes it possible to exchange goods and resources through markets, and most importantly, charge a price. If a good is not scarce, which means that the economy has more than enough to satisfy all available uses, then there is no way to sell it. Who would buy such an item, pay a price for it, give up something of value in exchange for it, when it is so abundant? Likewise, if a item is so abundant, using it to satisfy one use does not impose an opportunity cost on other uses.

     See also | scarcity | goods | services | resources | market | exchange | price | opportunity cost | shortage | equilibrium price | quantity demanded | quantity supplied | surplus | economic good | scarce good | scarce resource | free good | free resource |

SCARCE, AmosWEB GLOSS*arama, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2021. [Accessed: March 4, 2021].

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A medium of exchange (money) that has both value in use and value in exchange. Commodity money is first and foremost a commodity that provides users with satisfaction of their wants and needs. However, it also has the secondary function of acting as a medium of exchange for the economy. In the march toward economic complexity, commodity money emerged from barter exchanges, but then ultimately gave way to modern fiat money.

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Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time at the confiscated property police auction trying to buy either storage boxes for your family photos or a large, stuffed giraffe. Be on the lookout for strangers with large satchels of used undergarments.
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