What was the 1720 French speculative bubble in shares of John Law’s Mississippi Company called?

The 1720 French speculative bubble in shares of John Law's Mississippi Company was called the Mississippi Bubble.

John Law's company held rights connected with trade and development in French Louisiana and other parts of the Mississippi basin. Law also promoted a bank and a paper-money system. Investors bought company shares in Paris, expecting enormous profits from colonial commerce and believing that the financial system would continue expanding.

Share prices rose dramatically during 1719 and early 1720. The boom was driven by speculation and easy paper-money conditions rather than profits that could justify the valuations. When confidence weakened, investors rushed to exchange shares for more reliable forms of wealth. Prices collapsed during 1720, damaging savers and undermining confidence in Law's system.

The Mississippi Bubble is often discussed alongside the South Sea Bubble in Britain, which also peaked in 1720. They were separate schemes in different countries, although both became classic examples of early modern financial speculation.