Fiat facts & stats

Question 1

In what year did Sweden's Bank of Stockholm issue the first regular paper money in the Western world?

Accepted Answer

1661. Sweden pioneered Western paper currency in 1661, though the experiment later collapsed.

Question 2

By what year did Sweden abandon its paper money experiment and return to a silver standard?

Accepted Answer

1776. Sweden's early paper currency depreciated so badly that the country reverted to silver-backed money.

Question 3

Under Kublai Khan, the Yuan dynasty's 'jiaochao' paper currency was dominant in which century?

Accepted Answer

13th century. The Yuan dynasty ran one of history's earliest large-scale paper-money economies.

Question 4

In colonial New France, in what year did officials first create 'playing card money' from cut-up playing cards?

Accepted Answer

1685. Short on coins, a French colonial official improvised currency out of playing cards in 1685.

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