For anyone who finds historical money markets interesting, the problems arising from a lack of efficient currency in the late 17th century are the recurring theme in Neal Stephenson's _The Baroque Cycle_, which is a great (if long!) read. I can't vouch for the accuracy, but one example is a 30-page dramatized story of a primary character learning why it was easier for France to buy baltic lumber than to ship it from its interior to its shipyards. There's similar dramatized stories of how to arbitrage letters of exchange from banks in different cities, having so much gold that it can't be spent, and what it means to ship specie across an ocean. Overall, a very economically cerebral trio action novels.