John Law: The Father of Paper Money by Robert Minton

John Law: The Father of Paper Money
by Robert Minton

ISBN: 0809619040

Book Description: Association Press, New York, 1975. Hardcover. B8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. Hardcover, Yellow boards with black title to spine, Assumed First Edition, 1975.

Book Condition: Very Good, spine extremes gently bumped, corners square, light shelfwear, top dust-dulled, no marks to interior, endpapers and pages clean and bright, binding tight, spine straight.

Dust Jacket Condition: Good, covers significantly rubbed, light soil and tanning to covers and flaps, price clipped. moderate wear to edges but no rips or tears.

Contents: Introduction, THE PROMISE: 1. Gold Out of Paper, 2. A Bankrupt Kingdom, 3. With a Certain Sword, 4. The Regent, THE BANK: 5. The First French Bank, 6. Billets de Monnaie, 7. No Life on the Mississippi, 8. Refuge in the Palais Royal, THE SYSTEM: 9. Diversifying the Western Company, 10. No Innocent Pleasures, 11. And Now the Indies, 12. Rue Quincampoix, 13. O More Than Man!, 14. Manon Lescaut, 15. A Portfolio Is Worth a Mass, THE CRASH: 16. Winter of Discontent, 17. Crime in the Streets, 18. Inflating the Bubble, 19. Fatal Edict, 20. La Peste, THE END: 21. A Splintered Carriage, 22. Liquidating the System, 23. In Exile Once More, 24. The Beau's Return, 25. Death in Venice, Epilogue, Appendix: John Law's Legacies, Selected Bibliography, Index.

Summary: Well written and researched book about the infamous life and near-accomplishments of John Law who was the first to put fiat money to use on a large scale in France during the early 1700's. Although the concept was sound, the implementation was flawed and muddied as he entangled the French Government's debt and the Mississippi Company (Mississippi Bubble) into the mix which lead to wild speculation and a bubble burst which resulted in the collapse of the French economy. The time line of John Law's Mississippi Scheme coincides closely to that of the South Sea Bubble which was playing out in Britain at the same time. 288 pages. Scarce, Collectible.

Status: SOLD, 25 April 2012 to Private Collector in Australia.