brassage
Definition
Noun: - A minting charge: "brassage" refers to a fee or tax imposed by a government or mint for converting bullion into coinage. It covers the cost of manufacturing coins, including labor, materials, and overhead.
Usage Examples
- (A fee charged for converting gold into coins.)
- (A historical tax on minting.)
Advanced Usage
"brassage rate": the specific percentage or fixed amount charged as a brassage.
- The brassage rate was adjusted to reflect increases in metal prices and minting labor costs. (The rate of the minting fee changed.)
"seigniorage vs. brassage": seigniorage is the profit made by a government from issuing currency (the difference between face value and production cost), while brassage is specifically the cost of production passed on to the bullion supplier.
- Unlike seigniorage, brassage does not generate profit for the state; it merely recovers expenses. (A distinction between two minting terms.)
Variants and Related Words
- Brassage has no common variants in English, as it is a specialized historical term. Related terms include:
- Seigniorage (n): the profit from issuing currency, especially from the difference between the face value and the cost of production.
- The government's seigniorage from coinage was substantial. (Profit from minting.)
- Mintage (n): the process of minting coins or the total number of coins produced.
- The mintage of silver dollars increased in the 19th century. (The production of coins.)
Synonyms
- Minting fee: a charge for producing coins.
- Coinage charge: a cost associated with turning metal into currency.
Related Idioms
- No common idioms exist for "brassage," as it is a technical term limited to numismatics and economic history.