The late nineteenth century saw a movement among nation states which led to the widespread adoption of an international gold standard. So far, research has failed to demonstrate any specific qualities of gold that would explain its selection in preference to systems based upon silver or...

Trust offices (administratiekantoren) that repackage securities have been a central institution in Dutch finance since the late eighteenth century. Their basic form and functioning have remained largely the same, but over time, the repackaging has come to serve a variety of very different...