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The big problem of small change

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  • Thomas J. Sargent
  • Francois R. Velde

Abstract

Western Europe was plagued with currency shortages from the 14th century, at which a 'standard formula' had been devised to cure the problem. We use a cash-in-advance model of commodity money to define a currency shortage, show that they could develop and persist under commodity money regime, and analyze the role played by each ingredient in the standard formula. A companion paper documents the evolution of monetary theory, monetary experiments and minting technology over the course of six hundred years.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas J. Sargent & Francois R. Velde, 1997. "The big problem of small change," Working Paper Series, Macroeconomic Issues WP-97-08, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedhma:wp-97-08
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bruce D. Smith & Thomas J. Sargent, 1997. "Coinage, debasements, and Gresham's laws," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 10(2), pages 197-226.
    2. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1982. "Interest rates and currency prices in a two-country world," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(3), pages 335-359.
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    4. John Kareken & Neil Wallace, 1981. "On the Indeterminacy of Equilibrium Exchange Rates," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 96(2), pages 207-222.
    5. Glassman, Debra & Redish, Angela, 1988. "Currency depreciation in early modern England and France," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 75-97, January.
    6. Christopher A. Sims, 1989. "Solving nonlinear stochastic optimization and equilibrium problems backwards," Discussion Paper / Institute for Empirical Macroeconomics 15, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    7. Helpman, Elhanan, 1981. "An Exploration in the Theory of Exchange-Rate Regimes," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(5), pages 865-890, October.
    8. Redish, Angela, 1990. "The Evolution of the Gold Standard in England," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 50(4), pages 789-805, December.
    9. Thomas J. Sargent & Francois R. Velde, 1997. "The evolution of small change," Working Paper Series, Macroeconomic Issues WP-97-13, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    10. Sims, Christopher A, 1990. "Solving the Stochastic Growth Model by Backsolving with a Particular Nonlinear Form for the Decision Rule," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 8(1), pages 45-47, January.
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