Almost every country today has a legal tender, which is fiat money. While you can buy and sell gold and gold coins, they are rarely used in exchange or for everyday purchases and tend to be more of a collectible or speculative asset. Besides, cryptocurrencies like bitcoin have emerged over the past decade as a challenge to the inflationary nature of fiat currencies. However, despite increased interest and acceptance, these virtual assets don't seem close to "money" in the traditional sense.