The Great Debasement
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Search complete. 1 mention across 1 episode found for "The Great Debasement".
Oct 15, 2026
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She smiles at you and says, gently, Let us talk about money, because in 1546, money itself is falling apart.
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In 1544, to pay for his wars in France and Scotland, Henry VIII began one of the most notorious episodes in English financial history, the Great Debasement.
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The royal mints began striking coins with less and less silver and gold in them, mixing in larger quantities of base metal, chiefly copper.
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The crown kept the difference as profit.