The trime

You might not have heard of the trime, the tiny 3-cent silver coin minted in the United States from 1851 to 1873, but it may have played a big role in shaping the kind of money you carry around in your wallet today.Coinage ; Money

Is it more expensive, or does it just cost more money?

Most of us, from the general public to professional economists, use the term inflation pretty loosely. It’s increasingly applied to any rise in prices, and even economists use it interchangeably with a rise in the cost of living. This Commentary explains what inflation is, why it should be kept distinct from a rise in the cost of living, and how some statistical measures attempt to distinguish between the two.Inflation (Finance) ; Cost and standard of living

Bad standards

An argument that what is essential in any arbitrary measure--including measures of value--is that they can be counted on to convey accurate and consistent information. When a central bank tolerates inflation, it reduces an economy's ability to make decisions based on value.Money ; Dollar, American

Inflation and growth: working more vs. working better

An examination of how inflation reduces economic welfare by causing people to work harder.Inflation (Finance) ; Productivity

On the origin and evolution of the word inflation

A historical look at the origin and uses of the word inflation, arguing that although the term has become nearly synonymous with "price increase," its original meaning--a rise in the general price level caused by an imbalance between the quantity of money and trade needs--is the definition driving many of those who advocate an anti-inflation policy for the Federal Reserve.Inflation (Finance)

Island money

On a small group of islands in the South Pacific, the people use a money so astonishing it often gets mentioned in classroom discussions on the subject. This Commentary takes a closer look at the stone money of Yap and asks what such an odd form of money can teach us about our own.Money

Beauty and the bulls: the investment characteristics of paintings

An examination of the investment and consumption characteristics of the paintings market between 1971 and 1984, using the capital asset pricing model.Investments ; Capital assets pricing model

The demographics of inflation opinion surveys

In this Commentary, we document that people report very different perceptions and predictions of inflation depending upon their income, education, age, race, and gender — a strange finding that may provide an important clue to understanding how to interpret survey data of inflation expectations.Inflation (Finance) ; Forecasting

Can conventional theory explain the unconventional recovery?

An argument that the sluggishness of the current economic recovery reflects a permanent, structural change in the economy that may not be easily addressed using the standard monetary/fiscal incentives called for in the conventional view of business cycles, and that structural adjustment is a critical component of all economic fluctuations.Business cycles ; Economic conditions - United States

Fear and loathing of central banks in America

The Federal Reserve System is America’s uneasy compromise between our dislike of concentrated financial power and our desire to promote efficiency in our national payments system. In fact, the Federal Reserve is the nation’s third attempt to establish a large national bank—what we now call a central bank—that is in a unique position to influence a nation’s money and credit. This Commentary retells the story of the rise and fall of the two earlier national banks, the Banks of the United States.Banks and banking, Central ; Banks and banking - History