If you haven't at least heard of BitCoins, you're living under the proverbial rock. The Internet's digital currency of anonymity based on encryption algorithms has had interesting ride over the past year. Approximately a year ago, they were valued at just over $4 each after a particularly scathing cyber theft. This lull was followed by a spectacular rise starting in early 2013 to over $260 each. Despite the rises and falls, it would seem BitCoins are going to stick around for awhile and their continued acceptance (Amazon, PayPal, etc.) has led economists to start paying legitimate attention to them.

While it would appear the heyday of mining BitCoins on a solo basis are over, they can still be bought, traded and exchanged just like any other currency. What would it take for you to utilize them or invest in them?