# How To profit From A (Hypothetical) Euro Collapse?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-profit-from-a-hypothetical-euro-collapse/562186
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 28, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-profit-from-a-hypothetical-euro-collapse/562186 "2010-11-28T18:25:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-profit-from-a-hypothetical-euro-collapse/562186/1 "2010-11-28T18:25:09Z")

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Suppose Angela Merkel has a press conference, and announces that the German Central Bank will no longer transact its functions in euros-it will go back to the Mark:  
“dear friends, we have reached the painful conclusion that Germany (alone) cannot rescue the euro. From this date forward, the Federal Republic of Germany will revert to its former currency, the DMark.  
We wish all of our friends in the Eropean Community the best of luck, in managing their affairs”  
So what happens next? Would the “PIGS” announce thier intention to abandon the euro as well? What would France do?  
Could you make a bundle of money shorting the euro? Or would central banks be forced to accept them for some time, at some fixed rate of exchange?

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### Author: ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-profit-from-a-hypothetical-euro-collapse/562186/2 "2010-11-28T19:05:02Z")

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[moderating]  
Moved from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion.  
[/moderating]

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### Author: ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-profit-from-a-hypothetical-euro-collapse/562186/3 "2010-11-28T19:27:09Z")

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> [@ralph124c](#):
>
> … Germany will revert to its former currency, the DMark.

You called?

1. My user name would become relevant again! Hooray!
2. Most Germans probably wouldn’t notice the difference - I know many older Germans still call the money “Marks” instead of “Euros” simply out of habit. All they know is that when it went from “Marks” to “Euro”, everything got more expensive, quickly - at least that is their perception.
3. Got nothin’ - hello **Opal**. Wait! Got one. _Opel_ cars might cost more in smaller European countries.

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### Author: ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-profit-from-a-hypothetical-euro-collapse/562186/4 "2010-11-28T19:42:34Z")

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[quote=“DMark, post:3, topic:562186”]

All they know is that when it went from “Marks” to “Euro”, everything got more expensive, quickly - at least that is their perception./QUOTE]

That’s my perception as well; things seemed to cost more across the board, even when the Euro was only about 80 cents. (in $USA)…

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### Author: ![BDoors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BDoors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BDoors)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-profit-from-a-hypothetical-euro-collapse/562186/5 "2010-11-28T21:34:08Z")

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> [@ralph124c](#):
>
> “We wish all of our friends in the Eropean Community the best of luck, in managing their affairs”

Are you hypothesising that Germany would leave the EU as well as the euro? I suppose some might argue that in the long run it would amount to the same thing. But I think people who have mooted the idea of Germany reverting to the mark are not talking about Germany leaving the EU altogether. Both seem hard to imagine, but the second seems almost inconceivable unless the EU completely breaks up, which Germany wouldn’t initiate.
