seigniorage

noun

sei·gnior·age | \ˈsān-yə-rij

\

variants: or seignorage

Definition of seigniorage

: a government revenue from the manufacture of coins calculated as the difference between the face value and the metal value of the coins

Examples of seigniorage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Shares, which fluctuate in value, entitle the owner to a share of the system's future seigniorage profits. — Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, "Basis—the “stable” cryptocurrency with $133 million invested—explained," 25 Apr. 2018 Another benefit, supporters say, is that the SNB would earn more seigniorage fees. — Brian Blackstone, WSJ, "Swiss Central Bank Denounces Proposal to Ban Money Creation by Banks," 3 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'seigniorage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of seigniorage was in the 15th century

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