"We exchange it, we accept it, it doesn't matter, the quality is high or low, it is always silver. If the people recognize it, it will be a good thing that benefits the country and the people. If the people don't recognize it, we can't be blamed."
Gao Ji said.
"But this quality..."
"The fineness is easy to say, but our silver is not pure silver. As for the common people's silver, it is never of good quality. But the money that cannot be put into the crucible needs to be considered." Gao Li said, patting the wooden box beside his hand.
The extremely exquisite wood grain joinery box, which is flat and flat, was handed down by Australians to store "money samples".
Of course everyone understands what Mr. Gao is talking about, which is "Australian Treasure Banknotes".
Things like treasure banknotes, money bills, and money stickers are no stranger to Chinese businessmen. The Song, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties are of the same strain, and they all have a fairly mature banknote issuance system. Especially the issuance and circulation of banknotes in the Southern Song Dynasty are a miracle in the history of Chinese finance.
——The Southern Song Dynasty used half of the world to support tribute and war expenses for more than a hundred years, and was extremely proficient in the use of fiscal and taxation methods. By the Yuan Dynasty, paper money was simply used as the basic currency.
At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the banknote law collapsed, and banknotes were extremely devalued and ruined. However, the influence and credibility of banknotes among the people still existed. After Zhu Yuanzhang came to power, he banned the circulation of copper coins and fully resumed the use of banknotes. In the end, he did not encounter much resistance.
The people are no strangers to paper money. Zhu Yuanzhang's decision to use paper money is naturally related to his own experience as a commoner in the Yuan Dynasty. In his opinion, this is a normal thing.
There is no reserve for Ming Dynasty banknotes - this is not a big problem. Paper currency is guaranteed by the authority of the government. As long as it can ensure that the banknotes are accepted and circulated by the market. At the same time, it is also possible to keep the speed and extent of depreciation within a certain level.
It’s not unacceptable. You must know that throughout the Republic of China, hundreds of different kinds of banknotes were circulated in China. Most of them had no reserves and the currency value was not very stable. They still circulated for many years.
However, in the era when the Ming Dynasty Baochao was born, the Ming government did not have effective grassroots administrative capabilities, and the rural areas were not fully penetrated by the market economy like the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. Zhu Yuanzhang's misunderstanding of Baochao made the government regard paper money as "made out of nothing."
"As a means of amassing money, Zhu Yuanzhang gave Zhu Di a one-time reward of 300,000 guan of super-large denomination banknotes, which showed his ignorance of the banknote policy. Not only did the excessive printing of banknotes in large quantities caused extreme inflation, the government adopted discriminatory measures against the "legal currency" issued by itself.
policy. Except for a limited number of banknotes across the country, it cannot be used to pay taxes. This weird policy is equivalent to the issuer itself declaring that it does not trust the value of the banknotes issued - which is probably not the case in currency issuance.
It's quite unique.
Self-discrimination and the uncontrolled issuance of banknotes caused the Ming Dynasty banknotes to continue to depreciate and shrink in the market, and finally had to withdraw from the circulation market. In addition to leaving a bad reputation for "creating clever names to compete with the people for profit", there is no positive
Nothing was left. Although some literati's notes claimed that the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes were knocked down in a short period of time by merchants who did not trust banknotes during a "strike". In fact, it was still reluctantly circulating until the Zhengde period. Although by this time it was
Its value and circulation scope have become insignificant.
Although most of the merchants gathered in this shop have never seen treasure banknotes in circulation, they have heard it from their ancestors. Now that they heard that Gao Ju mentioned "Australian currency notes", everyone's hearts couldn't help but mention it -
They are more concerned about this banknote than the Australian silver dollar.
After Baochao was withdrawn from the market, people have more or less seen similar money posts, banknotes, money orders used by foreign merchants, and even money transfers in the Jiangnan area, but most of these things are checks and bills of exchange.
They have already seen the new circulation coupons. Compared with the old circulation coupons they have seen in the past, the bills are slightly larger, but they are much smaller than money slips, banknotes and the like on the market.
The old circulation coupons are already very beautiful, but now they are even more beautiful when new. The paper is crisp and thick, and it feels indescribable to touch it between your fingers.
Compared with the silver dollar, which has only three denominations, there are many types of banknotes. Not only are there three types of silver dollar exchange coupons of equal amounts, but there are also several small-denomination auxiliary currency coupons. Each has its own pattern, which is very beautiful.
How to convert has been explained at the meeting, and there are detailed graphic instructions in the coin box. As long as you are literate, you will not be confused. And the Australian currency conversion is very simple, just add ten to one.
conversion method.
"This banknote is very solid. I don't know what kind of paper it is."
"It's about mulberry paper," someone said.
“How can mulberry paper be made so smooth and flat?”
…
"Stop arguing, only Australians can make this paper. This is their secret skill." Old Huo, the leader of the paper shop, said in a low voice. The paper shop was the first to be hit by Australian goods, and then the most tightly controlled.
Business. In the early years, Lingao's Australian paper was dumped into Guangzhou in large quantities. From high-end to high-end, it forced all the paper workshops in Guangzhou to close down, leaving only the circulation channel for selling paper. Because Australians needed distribution,
It has survived to a crawl. In addition to selling some special papers from other places, most of the products in the paper shop are purchased from cooperative branches in Hong Kong.
Except for the paper, the patterns on it are a hundred times more complex than the old circulation coupons of the past. All the businessmen here know the key: even the best engraving masters in the Guangdong market can't make such a plate - even the capital.
The yamen from the Ministry of Works who was responsible for engraving and printing various official documents for the six ministries was found, but he didn't have the ability either.
"So, this circulation note cannot be forged." Someone said.
"That's exactly it." Liang Chenlong, the leader of the Qianye Guild, said slowly. The Qianye Guild was the first to bear the brunt of the currency reform and was related to them. Before coming to Jufenghao, thirteen of the Qianye's peers had already opened one.
A closed-door meeting was held to discuss countermeasures. There was a lot of discussion at the meeting, but the countermeasures were never discussed, so we had to "see the limelight first". In fact, the benefits of Australians issuing new money can be seen by their peers at a glance.
"Everyone is a businessman, and they deal with silver and copper coins all day long. When receiving money every day, they must look at the quality of the silver and identify good and bad money. Even so, we often receive bad silver and bad money.
"
Everyone nodded. The storekeeper spent a lot of energy on identifying the silver coins. The silver must be checked for color and weighed, and the copper coins must be checked for the quality of the copper color and whether the portion is sufficient. A conversation with the customer is indispensable. If you encounter
If you don't get along well with the customers, there will be a famine to fight. There are also ordinary scoundrels who specialize in using rotten silver and bad money to buy goods from various shops. If they accidentally take it, that's it.
, if you are picky, you will immediately cause trouble in front of the store, and the store will have to spend money to ward off the disaster.
Even if you are so careful, you will always find some lead lumps, rotten tide silver, and small coins with crab eyes and sand shells. When the broken silver is sent to the dumping shop to be cast into ingots, you have to argue with the dumping shop about the quality.
All in all, it is unspeakably difficult.
"Now when Australians take out their silver dollars, no matter what their fineness is, one dollar is one dollar, and half dollar is half dollar. As long as there is no shortage, everyone will recognize it. This is a benefit. If it can be implemented, it will be good for the people and us.
Merchants are of great benefit." Liang Chenlong said, "However, the Australians still have precious money, so there is nothing to worry about."
"Let's not talk about small-amount auxiliary currency notes." Liang Chenlong said, "Today there is a shortage of copper coins, and most of the money in circulation is bad money made by private mints and official mints. It is not much better than this paper note. It is easier to use paper notes.
It’s just this silver dollar circulation certificate…”
As he spoke, a look of worry appeared on his face. His hesitant attitude aroused everyone's worries.
It is not uncommon for merchants in the Ming Dynasty that banknotes and silver coins circulate in equal amounts. Ever since banknotes were circulated in China, theoretically, banknotes circulated in equal amounts as copper coins. Whether it was the Jiaozi of the Song Dynasty or the treasure banknotes of the Ming Dynasty, the face value
They are both "wen" and "guan". However, in actual use, the "wen" and "guan" of banknotes are never the same as those of copper coins. Dozens or hundreds of guan denominations of treasure banknotes can be used to buy several bowls of muddy wine. In the Ming Dynasty,
It's a common thing.
But now the currency notes do not correspond to copper coins, but real silver. They must be circulated and exchanged at equal value. Businessmen are naturally worried. First of all, do Australians have so many silver dollars that can be exchanged at equal value? As long as they have a little understanding of finance
People in the Ming Dynasty will definitely consider this issue. Although the businessmen of the Ming Dynasty did not understand finance, they still knew the concept of super-issued products. Let's talk about the various "shop tickets" issued by various stores-that is, modern shopping coupons-
There are often over-issues, and if someone collects all of them to redeem them, many stores will be run out of business immediately.
This is secondly. What businessmen are more worried about is that the Australians have no intention of guaranteeing the value of their currency: will they buy up all the silver on the market by selling a large number of circulation certificates, leaving a pile of banknotes to depreciate?
―Although they have never experienced this trick personally, they have heard about it according to old legends. This was how Dayuan collected all the gold and silver in the Central Plains.
After all, no matter how well-printed the circulation coupon is, it is just a piece of paper. Where can I find real money and silver? Even good yellow and green copper coins are more secure than this beautiful flower paper in the hand.
"If only silver dollars were used and no silver dollar certificates were used, this would be a great good governance. All our colleagues, large and small, must work together to handle the errands." Liang Chenlong twisted his beard and said, "As for these auxiliary currency certificates, there is a shortage of small coins in the market, so it is best to use them together with copper coins.
No problem."
Everyone understood what he meant, and Qian Ye Guild's words set the tone for the meeting. Everyone's eyes were on Gao Ji. (To be continued.)