@IndyHavoc @DrChris @mrmcmayhem Currency in the US was not truly centralized for good until 1913. All state guaranteed currencies stand on the backs of money that came out of voluntary exchanges between people. No gov't necessary.
Mediums of exchange become currency when a critical mass of people use them for that purpose. There's no hard rule on when that happens. Therefore the question "Is crypto-currency money?" has a funny answer: Yes when it is and No when it isn't. IMO