motion so that they could switch the good money with bad, debased coins. Frequently, coins would be melted and mixed with less rare and less precious metals such as copper. Origin of debased coins In Europe, there were many sources of debased money. Though there is not one specific place where the debasement of coins can be traced back to, there were early traces in Italy and Switzerland. It was said that debased coins were put into circulation and were created as early as 1580. Debasement During Kipper und Wipper, there were two forms of debasement. To finance the Thirty Years' War, which was occurring simultaneously, coins were either shaved down or melted. By clipping or shaving coins, the amount of silver or precious metal in the coin decreased. Additionally, by melting coins, mixing them with lesser metals, making new coins, and circulating them, the nominal value, face value, greater deferred from the melt value or value of the metal in the coin. Cause A major decision made between cities that resulted in the creation of more mints and eventually more debased coin was when six cities decided to allow the establishment of more mints, a place to manufacture coins and money. By doing so, mints were able to mint more debased coins. Effect Many states in Europe tried to finance their war efforts through debased coins. Charles P. Kindleberger wrote, "Bad money was taken by debasing states to their neighbors and exchanged for good." Referring to good money, he said that states would mint debased coins, exchange it in a neighboring state, and bring good coins back. This brought in coins that had a higher content of silver. However, the neighboring states also debased their coins to prevent a loss of money. This resulted in hyperinflation, the rapid increase of prices in a short period of time, which eventually became a crisis throughout many states in Europe as debased coins spread rapidly from state to state. Attempt at prevention During the period of crisis, many methods were thought of to prevent the debasement of coins and to prevent Gresham's Law, which states that coins with a lower melt value or intrinsic value circulate faster and better than coins that have a higher melt value. In Europe, the import of bad coins and the export of good coins were enforced by punishments such as banishment, burning, or the confiscation of