How much money is there in the world?
How much money is there in the world?
Author
Discussion

AJI

Original Poster:

5,180 posts

247 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
Just a ‘basic’ question really…....but when you think about it, it quickly becomes quite complex.
Money in terms of paper, coins and electronic funds in bank accounts (and the like) is what I’m talking about.
Assuming this value is a finite value at the moment what would the likely figure be?


Not talking about the money tied up in shares, goods, minerals etc. as this is determined by market value. Impossible to easily arrive at any ball park figure for all of this I'm guessing.



V88Dicky

7,373 posts

213 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all


One........Million.............Dollars!!!!?????????

OdramaSwimLaden

1,971 posts

199 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
Including forged notes?

AJI

Original Poster:

5,180 posts

247 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
OdramaSwimLaden said:
Including forged notes?
no, to keep it simpler, 'official' stuff only.

madbadger

11,753 posts

274 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
We could add it up.

In my desk I've got 5Euros 40. 711Won. 30p and a coin with a hole in it that I can't remember where it came from.

TonyHetherington

32,091 posts

280 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
This fact was actually released in the press at the beginning of the year. I want to say it was something like 30 trillion, but will go off and check!

Huge amount of info here;
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world...

Edited by TonyHetherington on Tuesday 10th May 14:13

madbadger

11,753 posts

274 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
Guam said:
madbadger said:
We could add it up.

In my desk I've got 5Euros 40. 711Won. 30p and a coin with a hole in it that I can't remember where it came from.
Square or round hole?
Round.


tigerkoi

2,927 posts

228 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
http://economicobjectorvism.wordpress.com/2007/09/...

A bit out of date and completely warped by Central Banks QE I & II, but indicative of the breakdown.

AJI

Original Poster:

5,180 posts

247 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
ok, so there is a lot of money in the world.

Correct me if I'm wrong.
The money that is 'current' in the world can only be transfered back and forth via transactions etc.
ie. people in business will do transactions and exchange products for money.

And for person 'A' to become rich it means some other people have to become a bit more poorer in order to fund said person 'A'.
ie. they pay for products being sold by person 'A' for example.

As the population gorws in the world does this mean the money per head of individual has to become less?


And final question for now..... is it only the mining companies that are able to increase the global amount of money in existence?
ie. an insurance company for example can only exchange money for a 'product', where as a mining company can 'dig money' from the earth in effect?

Is the above the only explaination of why the global amount of money increases with population? Or is this way off the mark?



maser_spyder

6,356 posts

212 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
I love these sorts of questions.

No idea on the answer, sorry, but I would love for somebody else to try and explain. smile

Shuvi Tupya

24,460 posts

277 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
Surely it is a question that can not be answered as the actual amount is constantly increasing!

Stevenj214

4,941 posts

258 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
AJI said:
And final question for now..... is it only the mining companies that are able to increase the global amount of money in existence?
ie. an insurance company for example can only exchange money for a 'product', where as a mining company can 'dig money' from the earth in effect?
Money is not a commodity. Mining can increase the availability of precious metals but that does not increase the amount of money in circulation.

Quantitative Easing was creating 'new money' by typing +£Xmillion into the Government's bank account. Easy as that.

StevieBee

15,416 posts

285 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
AJI said:
The money that is 'current' in the world can only be transfered back and forth via transactions etc.
ie. people in business will do transactions and exchange products for money.

And for person 'A' to become rich it means some other people have to become a bit more poorer in order to fund said person 'A'.
ie. they pay for products being sold by person 'A' for example.
In the simplest terms, a business is simply a vessel through which money flows but one that is designed to keep as much of the money flowing into it from flowing out.

There is no business or organisation in the world where the money flows into and stops - it is simply a constantly flowing thing.

Jasandjules

72,633 posts

259 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
AJI said:
Assuming this value is a finite value at the moment what would the likely figure be?
A lot.

HTH


madbadger

11,753 posts

274 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
Guam said:
madbadger said:
Round.

I Reckon the Centre one is probably Japanese (chinese coins more typically have Square holes). Not sure on the other one will see what I can turn up smile
Sorry - should have made it clearer. There is 1 coin. The 5 cents is for size comparison and the right image is a stitched on pic of the underside.

madbadger

11,753 posts

274 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
Guam said:
madbadger said:
Sorry - should have made it clearer. There is 1 coin. The 5 cents is for size comparison and the right image is a stitched on pic of the underside.
OK never saw the flip side before smile

From memory Japanese I would reckon (cant tell you the demonination will see if I can find out) smile
Cool. Wonder how I got that then? I always assumed it was Korean seeing as it was 'work' change.

I wonder if it's pitiful value is included in the worldwide total? wink

evenflow

8,883 posts

312 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
madbadger said:
Sorry - should have made it clearer. There is 1 coin. The 5 cents is for size comparison and the right image is a stitched on pic of the underside.
Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't sure whether there would be a hole on both sides thumbup

xr287

875 posts

210 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
Money supply is always growing isn't it? As banks can effectively "create" 80% or whatever the figure is of every loan/mortgage etc that they give.

So other people don't have to get poorer to make other people richer but capitalism only works as long as everything keeps moving and expanding?

Can an economist tell me I'm kind of slightly right please?

WhoseGeneration

4,090 posts

237 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
AJI said:
Just a ‘basic’ question really…....but when you think about it, it quickly becomes quite complex.
Money in terms of paper, coins and electronic funds in bank accounts (and the like) is what I’m talking about.
Assuming this value is a finite value at the moment what would the likely figure be?


Not talking about the money tied up in shares, goods, minerals etc. as this is determined by market value. Impossible to easily arrive at any ball park figure for all of this I'm guessing.
It depends upon what you mean by "money".
So, what do you mean?

ringram

14,702 posts

278 months

Tuesday 10th May 2011
quotequote all
There is no practical limit to the amount of sovereign paper bills that can exist.

There is only ever a set amount of productive output in the world. That output relates to paper money, gold, or whatever to varying degrees based on the amount of the reference paper or metal etc and its perceived value to those wanting to obtain some of that output.

In effect the paper is a demand for a set amount of output. So more paper money, less demand on output per paper sheet. Less paper, more demand per piece of paper.

Gold et al generally maintains its value and claim on output remains pretty static over time.

You have to increase paper money as population and output increases otherwise you get deflation. Then there is the money supply M1, M2 etc.. do a google on that for some more fun.