Too Long; Didn't Read
Since man first began trading goods, currency has been used to represent physical things. Whether it was tokens in ancient Mesopotamia that could be redeemed for food or the US dollar that is backed by the goods and services it can buy, the value of the coin was backed by something else. Cryptocurrencies like <a href="https://hackernoon.com/tagged/bitcoin" target="_blank">Bitcoin</a> are also designed to act as stores of value, and some tout them as even being capable of replacing existing monetary systems.