China had government paper money 637 years before Europe's first banknotes.

1024 · 1661 · apart: 637 years

The state issued jiaozi in Sichuan in 1024; in Europe, Stockholms Banco printed the first banknotes in 1661.

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The event

• First government-issued paper money1024 · Chengdu. The Song government began official issue of jiaozi in Sichuan, the world's first state paper money. Earlier, merchants of Chengdu had issued such notes to avoid carrying heavy iron coins.

11th century · 17th century

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