Medieval and Early Modern Coinage and its Problems

This paper describes the chaotic monetary environment of medieval and early modern Europe. The poor quality of the coinage was a result both of problems with the supply of bullion and with deficiencies of monetary policy. The paper examines the supply and demand of bullion and the determinants of bullion flows. It then discusses the economics and politics of debasement. It concludes with a description of how commerce adapted to this inhospitable monetary environment