Question: Maltese Falcon. Imagine that the mythical solid gold falcon, initially intended as a tribute by the Knights of Malta to the King of Spain in appreciation for his gift of the island of Malta to the order in 1530, has recently been recovered. The falcon is 14 inches high and solid gold, weighing approximately 48 pounds. Assume that gold prices have risen to $440/ounce, primarily as a result of increasing political tensions. The falcon is currently held by a private investor in Istanbul, who is actively negotiating with the Maltese government on its purchase and prospective return to its island home.
The sale and payment are to take place one year from now, and the parties are negotiating over the price and currency of payment. The investor has decided, in a show of goodwill, to base the sales price only on the falcon's specie value-its gold value. The current spot exchange rate is 0.39 Maltese lira (ML) per 1.00 U.S. dollar. Maltese inflation is expected to be about 8.5% for the coming year, while U.S. inflation, on the heels of a double-dip recession, is expected to come in at only 1.5%. If the investor bases value in the U.S. dollar, would he be better off receiving Maltese lira in one year (assuming purchasing power parity) or receiving a guaranteed dollar payment (assuming a gold price of $420 per ounce one year from now).