I considered deleting the post, but this seems more cowardly than just admitting I was wrong. But TIL something!

  • MirthfulAlembic@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    6 months ago

    An infinite stack of either would devalue the currency so as to be completely worthless. Well, perhaps worth whatever you can recycle those bills into.

    • ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      6 months ago

      Yes and no. If you spend that infinite money, then yes. The currency would be massively devalued as you would be adding money into the economy.

      If you sat on it, nothing would happen. I imagine that the Federal Bank doesn’t know about your infinite stash and therefore isn’t taking into account any equation.

    • olafurp@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      6 months ago

      The money only devalues based on how much is in circulation. You’ll only devalue the currency as you spend it and you’d have to spend a trillion to have a non-minor effect.

      • MirthfulAlembic@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        6 months ago

        If you manage to keep an infinitely large stack of bills a secret, sure. Once somebody notices and word gets out, I’m doubtful it doesn’t get devalued in a hurry. Since these are bills that we are assuming are valid, it’s going to seem like the central bank is printing money with abandon. Famously not great for public confidence in a currency. Why would I keep my wealth in a currency that somebody has an infinite amount of? They may not be spending it today, but who knows when that changes? I’d certainly be scrambling to convert mine to something else.