Is it possible for money to simply disappear?

[singlecoil]

Take the situation re Iceland. Lots of money invested in banks there, and now apparently a lot of it simply isn't there any more. How can this happen? Even if it was stolen, or spent on sweets and cigarettes, that isn't the same as actually disappearing. So where is it?

[Hedders]

It never existed?

[130R]

Buy a brand new car and then sell it 6 months later. Same thing.

[Scott328i]

Back of the sofa ...

[john2443]

Presumably the banks have invested it in dodgy shares and mortgages.

Buy share for £10, share is now worth £1 and your £9 has disappeared.

[Tony*T3]

singlecoil said:

Take the situation re Iceland. Lots of money invested in banks there, and now apparently a lot of it simply isn't there any more. How can this happen? Even if it was stolen, or spent on sweets and cigarettes, that isn't the same as actually disappearing. So where is it?

You seem to be confusing 'money' with 'cash'.

[CedA4]

You should meet my wife.

The surest thing to make your money disappear.

[phumy]

Get married

[Neil_H]

I'm inclined to blame Derren Brown.

[Timmy35]

Yeah, you've never met my Ex have you.

[rabw]

Of course it can disappear, just like it can appear if you create something of worth from things that are worth less.

If this wasn't the case we'd be pointlessly swapping a finite number of £/$!

[tallbloke]

rabw said:

Of course it can disappear, just like it can appear if you create something of worth from things that are worth less.

If this wasn't the case we'd be pointlessly swapping a finite number of £/$!

Wealth comes out of the ground. Raw materials are the start of the chain.

Apparently, it all ends up in Chuck Norris' back pocket.

[Mr Whippy]

tallbloke said:

Apparently, it all ends up in Chuck Norris' back pocket.

[mrmr96]

In answer to the OP. "Yes". Inflation.

If you have a £10 note today, then in 12m time that £10 will buy you less stuff.

[singlecoil]

mrmr96 said:

In answer to the OP. "Yes". Inflation.

If you have a £10 note today, then in 12m time that £10 will buy you less stuff.

But it would still be a £10 note.

[carmonk]

It wasn't money, it was promises. Made by greedy idiots.

[Daniel1]

give a bank a £10 note and they'll assume you'll only ever take out £1, so they lend the £9 to someone else, who'll do the same. Alls fine till everyone asks for the £10 and theres no actual cash.

[mrmr96]

singlecoil said:

mrmr96 said:

In answer to the OP. "Yes". Inflation.

If you have a £10 note today, then in 12m time that £10 will buy you less stuff.

But it would still be a £10 note.

Value can dissapear by the method above.

If you're talking about a note. It can catch fire.

[Horse_Apple]

[Wacky Racer]

Get married then get divorced.

HTH.