The most important thing a time traveller can carry is knowledge .An item to overcome the communication barrier would be invaluable. I wish I could think of one.

I agree a bic would impress a lot of ancient people . They lose gas even in storage and are pretty fragile . I wouldn't take anything disposable .

A well made knife would be an excellent trade item and tool in the past or an artifact to future historians .

Start with a survival kit .

I thought there was a gadget about the size of a pocket calculator that handled at least simple common statements and questions. (If there isn't, then oh God, I'm dreaming things before they're being invented again. Watch for novelties.)

I have at least one big problem with the Bic lighters. In the past, the lighters might be more trouble than they're worth. The lighters could get you burned at a stake for being a witch...and watch them throw the lighters in the fire, too. Or use them to start the fire.

Then again, maybe you could start the Industrial Revolution earlier.

Oddly enough, you really can't be sure that gold would be that precious. That's not an original idea. I'm borrowing it from Rod Serling. I recently watched an old "Twilight Zone" where in the year 2061 (100 years from when the episode was written) gold was mass produced and no longer precious.

I think I'm nervous about the future. It could be worse than things are now.

I agree that knowledge is the most important thing to take back into the past. That is why I would never consider traveling to future - we have no idea what it will be like.

As far as physical items, I would take money from the era I am visiting, gold or jewels to sell for money, and the items needed to set myself up in some sort of job or craft to provide income.

I agree that knowledge is the most important thing to take back into the past. That is why I would never consider traveling to future - we have no idea what it will be like.

As far as physical items, I would take money from the era I am visiting, gold or jewels to sell for money, and the items needed to set myself up in some sort of job or craft to provide income.

The peolple I love.

Future:

I would invest 5 dollars in every economy I could, via the banking system, and anyform or known odd currency around. except where I found it too morally dispicable(sp).

there are groups collecting ten dollars per individual to do this at present in this economy, with a note to be time traveled just before a given point of death. The calculations on the interest are impressive. That is if it take thousands of years for time travel to come about. and the money is being allowed to be allocated toward research for the same time travel. So there is a big fund waiting in our future from now for future researchers.

Past:

A solar calculator. In fact a trunk load that I would keep to my self.

An electronic book of known cures for things. and how tos much like the calculator... again a trunk full. That I could hide everywhere.

All pasword protected.

I would leave one for myself inside any local prison, incase I end up jailed for what ever reason.

The calculator would be both a scientific, and financial amortization calculator.