Mar 20, 2024

Saifedean Ammous on the appreciation of the Iraqi dinar in 2003

Should a currency credibly demonstrate its supply cannot be expanded, it would immediately gain value significantly.  In 2003, when the United States invaded Iraq, aerial bombardment destroyed the Iraqi central bank and with it the capability of the Iraqi government to print new Iraqi dinars.  This led to the dinar drastically appreciating overnight as Iraqis became more confident in the currency given that no central bank could print it anymore.  A similar story happened to Somali shillings after their central bank was destroyed.  Money is more desirable when demonstrably scarce than when liable to being debased.

~ Saifedean Ammous, The Bitcoin Standard, p. 68





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