How Amsterdam got fiat money

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Monetary Economics
Year: 2014
Volume: 66
Issue: C
Pages: 1-12

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

A fiat money system was introduced in the seventeenth century by a prominent public bank of the time, the Bank of Amsterdam. Employing data from the bank׳s archives, we show that bank money became a more attractive transactions medium following a 1683 policy change, which unbundled the bank׳s account balances from a right to redeem these balances in coin. Balances not matched by a redemption right became fiat. This change also stabilized the value of bank money as a unit of account, freed the bank from defensive open market operations, and promoted seigniorage collection.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:moneco:v:66:y:2014:i:c:p:1-12
Journal Field
Macro
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-29