The term Kipper und Wipper was first used for a monetary crisis from 1619 to 1623 centered in the Old Empire. It came from Geldkippe, a convenient and common assay balance (Scales) used to identify undebased coins in circulation. They would then be ausgekippt (from Low German kippen, “to lop”) or gewippt (“teetered”) from the balance, melted down, and reminted as debased coins. This practice was illegal, but the unequa…