What does that have to do with downfall? The value of your money is whatever it is, determined by the productivity of your state and the amount of money it recognizes.
> the weight of the Chinese money necessary for a journey of over three thousand miles was, as the Russian consul thought, one of the greatest of our almost insurmountable obstacles.
The extreme worthlessness of Chinese currency didn't play into any Chinese downfalls.
(Though it's not obvious to me why Sachtleben wanted to transport currency rather than bullion.)
The Roman Empire could not pay her troops anymore. Neither could they pay the Chinese for their products.
BTW, when China accumulated a majority of the world silver again and did not buy anything from the world, the British said, we have something you need! The reason for the opium wars....
