Philomena starts by examining the origins of money, including the early use of items like shells and beads as currency. She also delves into the development of banking and the invention of paper money, as well as the modern-day phenomenon of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

Along the way, Philomena poses a series of thought-provoking questions, such as why we place so much value on pieces of paper and what money really means to us as a society. She also explores the concept of wealth and its relationship to happiness, interviewing a range of people with varying levels of income and discussing their attitudes towards money.