Glossary / Finance

Seigniorage - Currency Glossary Definition

What is Seigniorage? Detailed financial and typographic definition, background, and practical usage examples.

Definition

Seigniorage

The financial profit made by a sovereign government from the issuance of currency, calculated as the difference between the face value of base money and its physical production cost.

Detailed Overview & Context

If a $100 bill costs $0.15 to print, the issuing authority achieves $99.85 in seigniorage value.

Example Currencies Operating Under This Term

Authoritative Regulatory & Standards References